Teachers and parents press SFUSD over payroll errors, call for immediate fixes

A wave of educators and parents told the San Francisco Board of Education on May 10 that errors from the district's new payroll system have left staff shorted, confused and scrambling to cover basic expenses. Teachers described incorrect hourly rates, missing off-cycle checks, improper withholdings and deferred net pay that could reduce July paychecks.

"I am an exhausted teacher," Madison Williams said during public comment, reading a list of unresolved payroll problems including incorrect hourly amounts, missing off-cycle payments and errors in tax calculations. United Educators of San Francisco President Cassandra Curry told the board that the problems are widespread and require multiple remedies, including targeted summer funding for the most vulnerable educators.

Why it matters: The payroll problems have prompted teachers to spend planning time and personal energy resolving pay disputes, supporters said, and risked increasing staff departures at a time when schools need counselors and classroom teachers to support students returning from pandemic disruptions.

What the district told the board: Superintendent Dr. Matthews acknowledged the Empower SF problems and said staff are "making progress on process and system improvements" and will offer HR and payroll clinics on May 17 and June 14. He pointed listeners to a dedicated website (sfusd.edu/empowersf) for status updates and said the district is actively working with the teachers' union.

Requests from speakers: Public commenters asked the board to consider several immediate steps: move a November stipend payment to July to help summer expenses, authorize rainy-day funds for one-time relief, deploy payroll teams to school sites, and provide clear deadlines for interest and correction payments. Several speakers said they had already organized protests and informed local media outlets.

What happens next: District staff said a brief Empower SF update would be provided the following day at the Budget and Business Services committee. The board did not take a specific vote on payroll at the May 10 meeting but heard repeated appeals for faster, more transparent fixes.

Ending: Board members thanked speakers for bringing detailed examples and asked staff to continue updates to the community; the union said it would keep pressure on the district until errors are resolved.