San Francisco Teachers Strike Ends With $183M Deal

New contract increases SFUSD's annual budget by nearly 15%, but funding sources remain unclear.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The first San Francisco teachers strike in nearly 50 years ended just before dawn on Friday, after four tense days that left families scrambling for child care. The $183 million deal for the nearly 6,000 educators will increase San Francisco Unified's annual budget by nearly 15%, but the district has not indicated that future local, state or federal revenue will cover the new costs.

Why it matters

The agreement comes with a big question mark in its reliance on voters and property taxes to pay for the new contract, creating something of a risk for the district down the road. In the short term, significant cuts could mean more losses in the classrooms, so the long-term impacts of the strike settlement remain uncertain.

The details

The labor negotiators demanded permanent, fully family health care coverage from the start and ultimately got that in the deal, though it doesn't start until July 1, 2027. The two sides compromised on raises, with the equivalent of a 6% raise for teachers over two years rather than the 9% the union wanted. The union didn't get everything it wanted, but the district agreed to include issues like special education workload and student housing in the contract.

  • The strike ended just before dawn on Friday, February 13, 2026.
  • The district will have to officially document the fiscal impact of the agreement and submit it to state fiscal advisers, who can reverse the school board's decision if they believe the contract would put the district at risk of fiscal insolvency.
  • The deadline to send preliminary pink slips to educators notifying them that they could be laid off for the next school year is mid-March 2026.

The players

Maria Su

Superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District.

California Teachers Association

The union representing the nearly 6,000 educators in the San Francisco Unified School District.

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What they’re saying

“We must have a plan to pay for it.”

— Maria Su, Superintendent

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, Grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The school board will vote on the agreement, and state fiscal advisers can reverse the board's decision if they believe the agreement would put the district at risk of fiscal insolvency.

The takeaway

This strike settlement highlights the ongoing financial challenges facing the San Francisco Unified School District, as the $183 million deal will significantly increase the district's annual budget with no clear plan to pay for the new costs. The long-term impacts on staffing, programs, and student services remain uncertain.