What the Measure Would Do

Proposition A would authorize the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to issue and sell $790 million in general obligation bonds to fund school facilities projects in the following categories:

• $410 million for modernization projects (large construction projects at existing facilities)
• $95 million for core functionality projects (targeted investments to address basic needs such as restrooms, lighting, leaks, and electrical outlets)
• $225 million for Student Nutrition Services projects, including a new central hub for Student Nutrition Services and upgrades to kitchens and dining spaces
• $35 million for technology upgrades, ensuring reliable network coverage at school sites
• $10 million for schoolyard outdoor learning projects, improving schoolyards that facilitate play, physical education, and access to nature
• $15 million for security projects, completing building communication and keyless entry upgrades to 100% of school sites

Bond expenditures would be monitored by the SFUSD Bond Program Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee, which oversees all SFUSD bond fund spending and reports directly to the public.

The Backstory

SFUSD oversees 132 schools serving 49,560 students. The district is also the largest provider of food security for children in San Francisco, serving 40,000 daily meals.¹ SFUSD relies on local and state bond funding to fund major infrastructure projects that its operating budget cannot support.

Voters previously approved local bond measures in 2003, 2006, 2011, and 2016, investing over $2 billion in improvements to San Francisco public school facilities. Over the past two decades, these bonds have funded improvements at every school site and supported major renovations and new construction projects. But SFUSD sold the last of its remaining bond authorization in 2022 and now faces critical funding shortages.

In preparation for Prop. A, the district conducted an extensive master planning process, including an outreach campaign online and in person, delivering presentations, distributing flyers, and/or conducting surveys to engage staff, parents, and students at 68 school sites. This process revealed that funding is needed to address basic needs at schools, including heating, functional bathrooms, security measures, food service facilities, and technology. A new bond measure is necessary to address these urgent and critical infrastructure needs throughout the district.

State funding for school facilities is severely depleted after a failed bond measure in 2020. A new state bond for school facilities, Proposition 2, is also on the ballot this November. If that $10 billion bond measure passes, SFUSD would be able to leverage local bond funds as match funding and access a greater share of state funding. If Prop. 2 fails, SFUSD would have to rely exclusively on local funds to make much-needed repairs. The district plans to propose another bond measure in 2028.

The SFUSD board has committed to several practices for spending the proposed funds, including using a transparent site selection process, ensuring that every neighborhood benefits, and adopting a data-driven approach when selecting schools.

SFUSD faces declining enrollment and possible bankruptcy, with a $420 million deficit projected for 2025.² State fiscal auditors recommended significant spending cuts and possible school closures. The district will share its list of schools recommended for closure, merger, or relocation in October, and the SFUSD Board of Education will finalize the recommendations in December; no potential bond revenue from Prop. A would be allocated to projects at schools that are slated to close.

Financial modeling by SFUSD’s financial advisor indicates that tax rates for San Francisco taxpayers would not increase under this measure, because new bonds would be issued only as older bonds are retired.

This measure was placed on the ballot by a unanimous vote of the SFUSD Board of Education. Under state law, school bonds require 55% voter approval to pass.

Equity Impacts

SFUSD serves a diverse population of students, many of whom are considered high-need. Of the SFUSD’s student body, 47% are socioeconomically disadvantaged, 33% are Asian, 32% are Latinx, and 25% are English language learners.³ By helping to ensure that all schools are safe and functional, this measure could boost educational outcomes for underserved communities.

Many students rely on the district’s Student Nutrition Services (SNS) for food security. SFUSD estimates that 62% of San Francisco children served by SNS receive most or all of their daily nutrition from free school meals.⁴ In addition to renovation and basic repair projects that would make all schools safe and functional, Prop. A would support the construction of a new central hub for Student Nutrition Services to serve more students and offer a wider range of healthy meals.

Pros

• Local general obligation bonds are the primary financing tool for major facility improvements. SFUSD has successfully managed funding from four local bond measures since 2003 to complete upgrades at every school site. The district has a Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee in good standing that can ensure bond proceeds are only spent on the bond project list.
• Prop. A would allow SFUSD to expand Student Nutrition Services and ensure that students in need have access to healthy meals.
• Prop. 2, a $10 billion state bond measure for school facilities, is also on the ballot this November. If it passes, SFUSD would be able to leverage the local bond funds provided by Prop. A as match funding.
• Project selection would be data-driven and informed by the district’s extensive master planning and community outreach process.
• The bond measure would not raise tax rates.

Cons

• This bond measure would not provide sufficient funding to address all of SFUSD’s aging facilities and would only address some of the backlogged projects proposed for funding under the 2016 bond. (The district estimates that repairing all school facilities would cost approximately $6 billion and plans to propose another large bond measure in 2028.)