Money is tight at Argonne Elementary School in the Richmond. For years, a parent group has worked to raise donations to hire more teachers.
Now, as the San Francisco Unified School District faces a budget shortfall and strict oversight by the state, parents have been told they can no longer do so. The prohibition on using private funds for teachers’ salaries comes as the district prepares to terminate hundreds of staffers.
“Families have donated with an understanding of how these funds would be allocated,” said Thao Bui, who has two kids at Argonne. “SFUSD should not be dictating whether or not these funds can be used.”
In prohibiting the donations, SFUSD cites the potential instability of the funding and concerns about deepening inequities within the district. The decision has angered parents who say it will increase class sizes and disrupt education.
“For the last nine years, we have used PTA donations to fund an additional two teachers,” Cathay Bi, a parent at Starr King Elementary in Potrero Hill, said in a letter to SFUSD. “If you’re worried about whether we will be able to support these positions in future years, our history shows that we’re good for the money.”
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An online petition urging SFUSD to “Let parents help fund teachers!” has more than 380 signatures. Representatives of parents groups are expected to speak out against the restriction at Tuesday night’s school board meeting.
Last week, SFUSD issued guidance on supplemental hiring, which allows parent groups to fund non-teaching positions, including librarians, clerks, and social workers, under strict rules. However, hiring teachers in an effort to reduce classroom sizes is prohibited.
Leaders at the Board of Education, the governing body of the district, confirmed that they are in touch with the California Department of Education about potentially relaxing these restrictions.
“I think we are trying to figure out where the flexibility is right now,” Board of Education President Phil Kim said. “Ultimately, it’s a question of, Can we make sure we are using our resources responsibly?”
Equity concerns
Across the school district, parent groups — known as parent teacher organizations, parent teacher associations, or parent teacher student associations — are railing against the restriction on private funds.
Argonne’s parent group says is has always stepped up to supplement teacher salaries. The group spent $195,000 in the current school year to fund one and a half full-time teachers’ salaries and benefits and still has cash on hand.
McKinley Elementary School in Corona Heights is expected to lay off one teacher whose salary is funded by the PTA. School leadership sent a letter to parents asking them to oppose the restrictions at Tuesday’s board meeting.
However, some parents have opposed using donations to pay for teachers, arguing that the practice is unfair to less wealthy schools and worsens divisions within the district.
“I do not believe that PTAs should be allowed to fund additional teachers to lower class sizes at some schools,” said Emily de Ayora, copresident of the PTA at Monroe Elementary School in the Excelsior. “It is unfair to students and teachers at school sites that lack the space or fundraising capacity to do the same.”
De Ayora believes public education should support all students equally. She said PTA money should focus on classroom supplies, library books, field trips, or school gardens that enrich the learning experience.
Bi, on the other hand, stated in her letter that while PTA donations can be used for a range of needs, they most critically “plug the critical teaching gaps” at her kids’ school.
SFUSD spokesperson Laura Dudnick described the restriction as an equity issue, saying that schools can use parents funds to hire teachers “only after we meet our goals for in-classroom teaching positions across the district.”
Meredith Dodson, a parent advocate, says donations shouldn’t be used to reduce class sizes at some schools but argues that the way SFUSD is enforcing the restrictions will hurt students.
“Instead of simply banning the use of school funds, could we explore ways to pool resources across schools or require PTAs to contribute to a shared pot?” Dodson suggested. “Taking money off the table entirely just strips more resources from our schools.”