2025-2026 Principal Pool

Principal

2025-26 School Year Job Description

Who We Are

The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is the seventh largest school district in California, serving more than 55,000 students who speak more than 44 documented languages across 136 schools in the city of San Francisco every year. We aim for every student who attends SFUSD schools to discover his or her spark, along with a strong sense of self and purpose, and that all students graduate from high school ready for college and career, and equipped with the skills, capacities and dispositions outlined in SFUSD’s Graduate Profile. Every day in our quest to achieve this mission we provide each and every student the quality instruction and equitable support required to thrive in the 21st century.

What It Means to Work Here

When you join our team at SFUSD you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused organization that approaches public education as a social justice movement, requiring broad collaboration across an array of strategic partners. In 2014, SFUSD created an inspiring statement, Vision 2025, which captures our aspirations and vision for the future of public education in San Francisco. Alongside the District’s strategic plan, Transform Learning. Transform Lives., SFUSD is reimagining how public education will change over the next decade to meet the dynamic future of San Francisco. As a CORE district, SFUSD is also a leader in critical systems change for more comprehensive school accountability and innovations that help strengthen the instructional core, which is the foundation of our strategic plan and Vision 2025.

Who We Want

We want talented people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, who are inspired by our mission, steeped in equity, and who are motivated to unleash our children’s potential. We want people who are strong collaborators, skilled communicators, and problem solvers who are comfortable in a community of continuous learning.

Position Description

As the School Principal, we see you as the educational leader and administrator of the school. You will report to the Assistant Superintendent of your cohort, be a part of the Leadership, Equity, Achievement, & Design (LEAD) team, and a district leader in closing the opportunity gap and promoting the achievement of all students. You will help to lead transformational work to deliver on the promises outlined in both Transform Learning. Transform Lives. as well as our long-term, city-wide North Star, Vision 2025.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

We want someone who has knowledge of and experience leading a school community guided by:

• Principles of child, early adolescent, and education psychology;
• California Core Curriculum and Content Standards and 21st century curriculum;
• Equity-centered professional learning communities;
• Culturally and linguistically responsive pedagogy;
• Assets/Strength-based models of education through behavioral and academic Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI2) approaches;
• Restorative justice/practices models to ensure and enhance student/staff well-being and safety.

The strongest candidates will have:

• Knowledge of San Francisco’s urban public schools and a passionate belief in SFUSD’s commitment to instructional leadership as a lever toward delivering on the SFUSD Graduate Profile.
• Experience facilitating the development and implementation of the site’s balanced scorecard that is aligned with the district’s strategic plan.
• A proven record of creating conditions for teacher effectiveness, student success, and strong home-school partnerships.
• Experience ensuring that all students receive a 21st century education that is academically rigorous, personalized, relevant, and engaging while building a safe and supportive school culture.
• Ability to implement the California Standards of the Teaching Profession (CSTPs) to provide formative and summative performance assessments of staff.
• Ability to lead professional development and influence and motivate staff to improve their practice.
• Proficiency with data and technology to inform decisions and prepare a variety of reports (including student attendance, progress reports, work orders, budget, general accounting, safety plans, surveys, etc.).
• A proven record of persevering when working across multiple functions and roles within a complex organization to achieve goals.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build positive working relationships with senior level district staff, colleagues, parents, and community.
• Strong computer skills including Google Suite and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
• Perform any and all other duties as assigned by the Assistant Superintendent or Superintendent’s Designee.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Valid Administrative Services Credential required

Desired Qualifications

1. At least 2 years of administrative experience at the school site level.

2. Bilingual/biliterate – especially in Spanish and/or Cantonese or Mandarin.

3. Bilingual or immersion program leadership or implementation experience.

4. Knowledge of or experience implementing Response to Intervention and Instruction (RTI2), Restorative Justice/Practices model and protocols, and Balanced Literacy.

5. Strategic leadership and management experience in a K-12 urban public educational setting.

What We Offer

SFUSD offers a competitive base starting salary in the range of $145,290 - $174,023, depending on the size and grade level of your school as determined by collective bargaining. Additional stipends and experience as an administrator may increase your salary further.

We offer a comprehensive benefits plan including dental and vision plans, a defined benefit pension plan, disability, life insurance, flexible spending account options and vacation time. We also offer an inclusive and equity-centered environment where we encourage staff to bring their whole selves to work.

All new leaders hired into an administrative position in SFUSD are eligible and automatically enrolled in our Transformative Leadership for Equity and Excellence (TLEE) program that supports all new administrators whether you’re a leader that is new to SFUSD, changing to a new administrative role within SFUSD, and/or whether a leader is seeking a Clear administrative credential or not.

For more information about SFUSD’s mission and Strategic Plan please visit www.sfusd.edu. For other questions, contact us at recruiters@sfusd.edu.

San Francisco Unified School District programs, activities, and practices shall be free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression; or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. This policy extends to San Francisco County Of ice of Education, including community school programs and activities. For more information about the District's non-discrimination policy, please review Board Policy 4030.