Board appoints Matt Wayne as SFUSD superintendent

The San Francisco Board of Education on May 24 approved an employment agreement naming Dr. Matt Wayne as the district's superintendent.

The board voted 6–0 to confirm Wayne, who spoke briefly by video after the roll-call vote, saying he was "truly humbled and excited to be joining the San Francisco Unified School District." Wayne said he could not attend in person because of COVID symptoms but had tested negative and did not want to risk exposing others.

Board members cited Wayne's experience in urban districts and his stated focus on equity and classroom instruction. President Lam introduced Wayne and summarized his background: a middle‑school teacher in New York, degrees from Columbia Teachers College and a doctorate from UC Berkeley, work in West Contra Costa and earlier roles in SFUSD, and six years as Hayward Unified's superintendent.

Public commenters welcomed the appointment and urged attention to academic achievement and equity for Black and Latino students. In response to questions from the dais before the vote, board members said they expected the new superintendent to work closely with community partners, labor and school sites to improve outcomes.

Wayne's appointment follows a public hiring process and comes as the board moves into the summer and prepares the 2022–23 school year. The board recorded the vote at the meeting's Special Order of Business; Wayne will assume the superintendent duties per the employment agreement approved by the board.

The board also publicly thanked outgoing Superintendent Vincent Matthews for his service and leadership during the pandemic.

What happens next: The district will finalize onboarding and public communications about Wayne's start date and transition plan.