SAN FRANCISCO — Nearly 50,000 students returned to San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) classrooms this week, marking the first day of school with the assurance of a qualified educator in nearly every room. Superintendent Dr. Maria Su joined Mayor Daniel Lurie, district leaders, and community members at Sanchez Elementary to welcome families and highlight the progress made in staffing and preparation.

"Today's the first day of school, and I'm so excited to be here at Sanchez to celebrate our students, to make sure that on day one we have a certificated and qualified educator in every one of our classrooms," Dr. Su said in remarks captured by ABC7News.

While the milestone is significant for the district, it comes against the backdrop of payroll system troubles that surfaced over the summer. A new payroll platform introduced by the district caused paycheck errors for about 100 educators, sparking union complaints and a press conference calling for fixes. The issue also led to a formal filing with the state labor board.

Despite these challenges, Dr. Su expressed confidence that the system is stabilizing and can reliably serve staff moving forward. "We have been able to cut thousands of payroll checks already, and the system is holding. The system is doing what it is supposed to be doing, and we are moving forward and making sure that all of our staff, including our fantastic educators, are paid accurately and timely," she explained.

According to district data, SFUSD has filled 93.5% of all general and special education teaching roles, a significant achievement compared to previous years when vacancies were more difficult to close. Elementary schools lead the way with 95.6% of positions staffed, while high schools follow closely at 93.9%. About 50 classrooms are being temporarily covered by certified substitutes, though district officials expect many of those roles to transition into permanent placements as the school year progresses.

Dr. Su credited the district’s strengthened hiring processes and recruitment strategies for ensuring that most classrooms are led by full-time certified educators. A recent press release from SFUSD highlighted these operational improvements as key to the district’s readiness.

Mayor Daniel Lurie, speaking alongside district leaders, also addressed community concerns about safety and immigration enforcement. "My message to everybody is we are focused on keeping our communities safe, our immigrant communities and San Francisco at large," Lurie said, underscoring the city’s commitment to protecting vulnerable populations while ensuring students feel secure at school.

The district now faces the dual challenge of maintaining staffing momentum while resolving payroll disputes that have caused frustration among educators. Still, leaders expressed optimism that the new system will provide long-term efficiencies once initial issues are addressed.

As the new academic year begins, SFUSD’s balancing act between operational hurdles and educational milestones reflects the ongoing complexity of managing one of California’s largest urban school districts.

Originally reported by Eric Tanaka in Hoodline.