San Francisco (October 22, 2024) - The San Francisco Board of Education voted 6-1 to appoint Dr. Maria Su as the next superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024.
For the past 15 years, Dr. Su has served as Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth and Their Families (DCYF). At the helm of DCYF, Dr. Su spearheads innovative policies and grant-making initiatives, including the landmark Children and Youth Fund, which provides comprehensive services to children, youth, transitional-age youth (TAY), and families throughout the City and County of San Francisco. DCYF is one of the few city departments in the country dedicated exclusively to the needs of young people from birth to 24 years of age.
“As a fellow San Franciscan, a former SFUSD parent, and a lifelong public servant dedicated to the betterment of our children and families, I am honored to serve as the superintendent of San Francisco’s public school system,” Dr. Su said. “My immediate priorities are to balance SFUSD’s budget to maintain local control, rebuild trust with our community, and tackle operational hurdles that will allow our schools to provide the best possible learning environments for the 49,000 students in our care.”
“On behalf of the Board of Education, we are thrilled to welcome Dr. Su to serve as SFUSD’s new superintendent,” Board President Matt Alexander said. “Her deep expertise leading teams and running a large government agency is exactly what we need to stabilize our school district. I’m excited that she will work closely with veteran educator Dr. Karling Aguilera-Fort as we take on SFUSD’s fiscal and operational challenges and create the schools our students deserve.”
Dr. Su resides in San Francisco with her husband and two sons. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Boston University and a Doctor of Psychology degree from Alliant International University. Dr. Su further honed her skills and expertise through pre-doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships at the University of California, San Francisco and the San Francisco Chan-Zuckerberg General Hospital, specializing in children and family therapy.
Dr. Su will remain a city employee, as the Superintendent does not need to be an SFUSD employee. Dr. Su will serve under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SFUSD and the City and County of San Francisco where the City will release Dr. Su to serve as Superintendent under the direction of the Board of Education. The MOU will be valid through June 2026. Additionally, the Board of Education approved a resolution to waive the credential requirement of the chief administrative officer of the school district pursuant to California Education Code Section 35029.
During her tenure as Superintendent, Maria Su will report only to the Governing Board of San Francisco Unified School District as outlined in the Agreement between the City and County of San Francisco and the San Francisco Unified School District.
The Board of Education on Tuesday also approved the contract for Dr. Karling Aguilera-Fort to serve as Deputy Superintendent of SFUSD. Dr. Aguilera-Fort returned to SFUSD last year after serving in two school districts as Superintendent of Schools: Oxnard School District during 2019-2023, and El Rancho Unified School District (ERUSD) from 2017-2019. Most recently, Dr. Aguilera-Fort served as the Senior Associate Superintendent of Educational Services and School Operations in the SFUSD. Dr. Aguilera-Fort is responsible for integrating all services and departments related to school operations including supervision, curriculum, teaching and learning, programs and services.
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