San Francisco Teachers Authorize First Strike in 50 Years

Union says district must prioritize stability and support for students over budget savings

Jan. 31, 2026 at 4:55pm by Ben Kaplan

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San Francisco teachers have overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike, setting the stage for the city's first teacher strike in half a century. The United Educators of San Francisco union says the district needs to address issues like high teacher turnover, pay and benefits, and resources for special education students, rather than putting money into savings. The district says it remains committed to negotiating in good faith to reach an agreement and avoid disruption to students.

Why it matters

This potential strike highlights the ongoing tensions between San Francisco's public school teachers and the district administration over funding priorities, teacher compensation, and support for students. It comes as SFUSD has faced other challenges like budget deficits and enrollment declines in recent years.

The details

More than 97% of San Francisco's 5,200 teachers voted to authorize a strike, following a preliminary vote in December where over 99% supported a walkout. The union says the district should be directing funds to classrooms and school sites rather than putting $111 million into a rainy-day fund. District officials say they are committed to negotiating in good faith to reach an agreement and avoid disrupting students.

  • Teachers and the district have been bargaining for nearly a year.
  • An independent fact-finding panel is expected to issue recommendations on Wednesday.
  • If no agreement is reached after the recommendations, the union must give 48 hours notice before a strike, meaning teachers could walk off the job as early as Monday, February 9.

The players

United Educators of San Francisco

The union representing San Francisco's public school teachers.

Cassondra Curiel

President of the United Educators of San Francisco.

San Francisco Unified School District

The public school district serving the city of San Francisco.

Laura Dudnick

Spokesperson for the San Francisco Unified School District.

Maria Su

Superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District.

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What they’re saying

“The time is now for the district to act. Our community is standing with us in our fight for the consistent classroom teachers, special education supports, and stable programs our students and families need and deserve. Instead of siphoning money out of our schools and into savings accounts, or contracting out to traveling psychologists or non-district special education support staff, SFUSD should be prioritizing stability for our students.”

— Cassondra Curiel, President, United Educators of San Francisco

“We are committed to negotiating in good faith with our teachers' union and remain hopeful that we can reach an agreement. Avoiding a strike and minimizing disruption for students remains our priority.”

— Laura Dudnick, Spokesperson, San Francisco Unified School District

“While a strike remains a possibility, my sincere hope is that we can avoid any disruption to learning. Keeping our students in the classroom and supporting families is my top priority. I have heard the deep concerns from our families who do not want to see schools closed.”

— Maria Su, Superintendent, San Francisco Unified School District

What’s next

The independent fact-finding panel is expected to issue recommendations on Wednesday. If no agreement is reached after that, the union must give 48 hours notice before a potential strike, which could begin as early as Monday, February 9.

The takeaway

This potential strike highlights the ongoing tensions between San Francisco's public school teachers and the district administration over funding priorities, teacher compensation, and support for students. It comes as SFUSD has faced other challenges like budget deficits and enrollment declines in recent years, underscoring the need for both sides to find common ground and avoid disruption to students' education.