February 2026 Newsletter
1. President’s Message, 2. Making Waves, 3. Board and Friends Potluck, 4. Community Events, 5. Reminders, 6. Affiliate Organizations
1. President’s Message, 1/30/26
Dear Friends,
We have just finished the first month of 2026 and it has been a rough start. Just today, many SFUSD students joined a nationwide anti-ICE walkout and rallied at Dolores Park.
Many schools, including small schools, schools that serve a high percentage of low-income families, newcomer sites, as well as schools with Cantonese/Mandarin immersion and biliteracy programs are fighting devastating cuts to their budget and reductions to their projected enrollment numbers for next year. Together with last year’s fiasco on school closure announcements, these proposed cuts should be a wake-up call for everyone. We can no longer remain complacent and let business as usual continue. Programs that we spent years building could be eliminated or dismantled in one swipe if we are not careful, if we do not hold the district accountable to its core values, to its guardrails.
We can no longer remain complacent and let business as usual continue. Programs that we spent years building could be eliminated or dismantled in one swipe.
For vulnerable sites, TACT can be an avenue for you to share the short-comings, roadblocks and challenges of program implementation. Join us. For sites that are lucky enough to not experience significant impacts from budget cuts, join us. Together, we need to study the factors that contribute to your success. Services to newcomer and language learners can only be strong if our overall district plan is healthy and vibrant. We know that students and families need us and want us, but we need to work together to make SFUSD schools a top choice for families again. Otherwise, our city and district will continue to see declines. Everyone is at risk.
Services to newcomer and language learners can only be strong if our overall district plan is healthy and vibrant.
TACT is working with intention. On Friday, January 16, TACT invited Chinese language and newcomer program teachers to join our monthly executive board meeting. We heard about what was happening at school sites. Since 2022, TACT has been tracking enrollment data and trends at Chinese language and newcomer program sites through our teacher connections. TACT and AAAA (Association of Asian American Administrators) are in the process of rescheduling our second quarterly meeting with the superintendent. We continue to advocate for transparency, for data, and for collaboration in planning for and implementation of services for our language programs. Please join TACT to stay informed. We need your expertise and insight!
We continue to advocate for transparency, for data, and for collaboration.
Even as we face challenges at the national and local levels, our students continue to impress us with their growth, their courageous actions and their accomplishments. TACT Scholarship application opened on January 12th. We intend to award approximately 30 scholarships of $2000-$3000 to Chinese American high school seniors who demonstrate academic excellence, a commitment to serve their community and the capacity to grow and overcome challenges. See details and access our application online HERE. The deadline for submissions is February 27, 2026 @ 11:59 PM. Please remember that our scholarships are possible only with your generous support. No amount is too small. Every dollar donated goes to a deserving student. Please donate here.
Finally, do not let looming strikes or these uncertain times overshadow the hard-work, dedication and daily successes of our fellow educators. TACT is once again seeking nominations for our Educator Excellence Award. Take a few minutes to complete this simple nomination form. If we don’t celebrate our educators now, when will we do it?! Submission deadline is March 15, 2026.
Please take good care of yourself and stay tuned for future TACT networking opportunities and fun, social gatherings.
Cynthia Cen, TACT President
2. Making Waves: The Rise of Asian America
3. Board and Friends Potluck, 1/2/26
4. Community Events
5. Reminders
You’re invited to share a simple lesson plan for your favorite book or unit with fellow educators! 📚✨ If accepted, your lesson plan will be featured in a new resource folder on TACT’s website, giving members access to fresh ideas for their classrooms.
TACT has an on-going fundraising account to support Cantonese Biliteracy teachers who would like to purchase supplemental materials to enrich their classrooms. This program will continue as long as there is sufficient funding. To support this effort, donate here. TACT is offering grants, up to $200, for teachers in the Cantonese Biliteracy Program who are TACT members (only $20/year: https://www.tactsf.org/membership). Please complete this simple grant application if you are interested.