Classes canceled; San Francisco teachers on strike

Thousands of public school teachers in San Francisco went on strike Monday after contract negotiations with the school district collapsed, marking the city’s first teachers’ strike in nearly 50 years.

The walkout follows nearly a year of talks between educators and the San Francisco Unified School District that failed to resolve disputes over wages, healthcare costs, and staffing shortages—particularly in special education. As a result of the strike, the district closed all 120 of its schools, affecting roughly 50,000 students, and said it would provide limited independent study options.

“We are facing an affordability crisis,” said Cassondra Curiel, president of the United Educators of San Francisco, in a statement Sunday night. She said rising healthcare costs, including family premiums of up to $1,500 per month, are forcing teachers and support staff to leave the district. “This week, we said enough is enough.”

The strike began after last-minute negotiations over the weekend failed to produce a new agreement. City leaders, including Mayor Daniel Lurie and U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi, urged both sides to continue talks to avoid school closures. Union leaders planned a news conference Monday morning, followed by an afternoon rally at San Francisco City Hall. Negotiations were scheduled to resume later in the day.

Teachers are calling for fully funded family healthcare, salary increases, and the hiring of staff to fill vacancies that they say are undermining special education and student services. The union is also pressing the district to adopt stronger policies to support homeless and immigrant students and families.

While the union and district have agreed on enhanced sanctuary protections for students, they remain divided on pay. Teachers are seeking a 9% raise over two years. The district, which faces a $100m budget deficit and is under state oversight due to long-standing financial issues, says it cannot afford that increase. District officials have proposed a 6% raise spread over three years, along with potential bonuses if a budget surplus materializes by the 2027–28 school year.

A neutral fact-finding panel last week recommended a compromise of a 6% raise over two years, largely agreeing with the district’s assessment of its financial constraints.

The union argues that San Francisco teachers receive some of the lowest employer healthcare contributions in the Bay Area, contributing to high turnover. Superintendent Maria Su said the district has offered to cover 75% of family healthcare premiums through Kaiser or provide an annual $24,000 healthcare stipend for employees to select their own plans.

Lurie said city agencies are coordinating with the district to support affected students and families during the strike. “I know everyone involved is committed to schools where students thrive and educators feel supported,” he said in a social media post.

The last San Francisco teachers’ strike occurred in 1979 and lasted more than six weeks before classes resumed, according to Mission Local.