SFUSD Supt. Matt Wayne resigns, school closures on hold
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco Unified School District Supt. Matt Wayne resigned on Friday, following a closed-door meeting with school board members.
A source told KTVU on Thursday that this might happen.
The resignation comes as the SFUSD board voted 6-1 regarding a settlement with Wayne, who resigned immediately.
Dr. Maria Su, executive director of San Francisco's Department of Children, Youth and Families, is expected to be appointed as the next superintendent on Tuesday, and will put a stop to school closures in the 2025-26 school year, according to the district.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed, State Supt. Tony Thurmond and local leaders commented on the news.
SFUSD Supt. Matt Wayne
"Dr. Maria Su has been a champion for families and children in our city, and she has my full confidence in this new role leading our public schools," said Breed. "We are one city and if our city is going to thrive, SFUSD needs to thrive."
Su served as a co-lead on Breed's stabilization team for SFUSD schools.
"My team and I will continue to work closely with Mayor Breed, Maria Su, and the San Francisco Unified Board, staff, educators and families, as we support SFUSD to work successfully through the district’s current challenges," Thurmond said. "We will also continue to provide fiscal experts to help SFUSD balance its budget and build the fiscal systems needed to support the world-class education system that all San Francisco families deserve."
"I am so grateful to Dr. Maria Su for taking on this role and I know she is doing so because she cares so much about the well-being and success of our students," said Sup. Hillary Ronen. "With her leadership, I am optimistic that we will transcend this difficult moment, avoid a state takeover, and return the district to one of excellence."
There have been growing calls for Wayne's resignation over his idea to close under-enrolled schools, triggering an outcry from parents and students in the district.
In a September emergency meeting with the board, parents, students, and teachers shared their frustration, bearing signs such as "Matthew Wayne you can't hide!"
Eleven elementary schools and two high schools are under threat of being shut down or merged with other schools as the district is trying to close a $100 million deficit by December.
Wayne met with families in multiple listening sessions over the looming closures.
But both the school board president, Matt Alexander, and Breed distanced themselves from Wayne this week, and his decision to shut the schools.
"I have lost confidence in the Superintendent's ability to manage the current process and do not believe this current plan will lead to an outcome that will benefit students and the School District in the long term," Breed said.
