San Francisco School District Backtracks on OpenAI Contract

Proposed deal to provide ChatGPT access to 12,000 students removed from school board agenda without explanation

Feb. 3, 2026 at 10:23pm by Ben Kaplan

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The San Francisco Unified School District was set to approve a contract with OpenAI to provide 'ChatGPT EDU' to 12,000 users across the district, but the item was suddenly removed from the school board's agenda without explanation. The heavily redacted contract details, including the total cost, raised concerns among board members.

Why it matters

This proposed agreement with OpenAI comes at a sensitive time for the school district, as it faces labor negotiations with the teachers' union, which has threatened to strike over issues like the use of AI in the classroom. The district is also seeking to reduce its budget by $102 million, adding to the complexity of the situation.

The details

The order form for the ChatGPT EDU contract was signed by the district's technology services officer on Jan. 22 and countersigned by OpenAI's head of education four days later. The contract was scheduled to be approved on the school board's 'consent calendar,' meaning it could have been approved without public discussion. However, board members raised concerns about the heavily redacted details, including the total cost, which was not disclosed. As a result, the agenda item was removed from the board's schedule.

  • The order form for the ChatGPT EDU contract was signed on January 22, 2026.
  • The contract was countersigned by OpenAI's head of education on January 26, 2026.
  • The contract was scheduled to be approved at the school board meeting on February 10, 2026.
  • The agenda item was removed from the board's schedule on February 4, 2026.

The players

San Francisco Unified School District

The public school district serving the city of San Francisco, California.

OpenAI

An artificial intelligence research company that developed the ChatGPT language model.

Maria Su

The superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District.

San Francisco teachers' union

The labor union representing teachers in the San Francisco Unified School District.

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What they’re saying

“This proposed agreement would establish clear guardrails around data protection, privacy, and responsible use.”

— Laura Dudnick, District spokesperson (missionlocal.org)

What’s next

The school board is expected to discuss the proposed OpenAI contract further at an emergency meeting on Tuesday, February 4, 2026.

The takeaway

The sudden removal of the OpenAI contract from the school board's agenda raises questions about the district's transparency and the potential impact of the contract on labor negotiations and the use of AI in the classroom. The situation highlights the complex challenges facing the San Francisco Unified School District as it navigates budget constraints, labor disputes, and the integration of new technologies in education.