A tentative agreement was reached between the San Francisco Unified School District and the United Educators of San Francisco regarding pensions for paraprofessionals, the union announced Tuesday.

The UESF teachers union had been pressuring the district officials to switch pension plans for an unknown number of district employees.

Nearly two decades ago, employees were given the option to change from Social Security to an independent retirement plan. According to union representatives, though, the independent plan paid less than Social Security to retirement and as a result the employees should’ve been switched back.

Estimates of lost retirement range close $20 million over nearly two decades, according to the union.

Though the specifics of the agreement were not revealed, union Vice President Linda Plack told the board of education Tuesday that paraprofessional will be moved to Social Security the first week in January.

akoskey@sfexaminer.com