Start your search

San Francisco is a choice district – you can apply for any school within San Francisco; students are not automatically assigned to a school in their neighborhood. For Elementary school enrollment  students will be given a preference if they apply to their attendance area school however, they are not “automatically" assigned to this school.

Make the most of your choices by following our Enrollment Tips:

1. Explore a variety of public school options
2. Start your search by considering your family needs.
3. Be Flexible and expand your options
4. Discover schools for yourself
5. Enter ALL schools you would consider and list in your order of preference. 
6. Apply by the deadline.

Stick with it.  The enrollment process goes through September of the following year.  If you do not receive a school of choice in the first placement period, there are subsequent placement periods.

Let the PPS-SF Parent Network help you! Join our parent network and share information and advice with other parents through our newsletter, events, website, and email discussion groups.  Sign Up Today!.

 

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Explore a variety of public school options in San Francisco


San Francisco has many different options to choose from. Get started by using the SFUSD Enrollment Guide or SFUSD online website for general information on all schools in San Francisco. Get your copy of the Enrollment Guide from the Educational Placement Office or go online at www.sfusd.edu. Your options include:

  • Your Attendance Area School – Every family has an attendance area elementary school based on their home address.  Although it is not a guaranteed assignment you are given a preference for your attendance area school if you list it on your application. Go to the sfusd school locator to locate your attendance area school. There are no attendance areas for middle and high school.
  • City-wide schools and programs include language-immersion programs, biliteracy pathway programs, K-8 schools and the San Francisco Public Montessori School.  These programs do not have attendance area boundaries.
  • Other attendance area schools – You may list any school whether it’s your attendance area school or not.  Many attendance area schools will have openings for families outside of the school boundaries.
  • Middle School Feeder assignment – Beginning with students who entered K in 2011, assignments to middle school (Grade 6) will be determined by the elementary school the child attends. Go to our Student Assignment page to see the elementary schools that will feed into a particular middle school. For all other students, please go to our Student Assignment page (Middle school tab) for information on the current enrollment process.
  • Charter Schools – are public schools that are outside of the SFUSD system.  Do not list them on your SFUSD application.  Contact Charter Schools directly for their application procedures.    

Start your search by considering your family needs.


Define your family’s needs in a school. Consider factors that work for your family, such as:

Location
• How will your child get to and from school? 
• How much time will it take to get to and from school?

Start & End Times
• What time does school begin and let out?
• What after- and before- care options are available?

Afterschool Information
• Who will take care of your children before/afterschool?
• What afterschool/before school care do you require?

Programs
What programs does the school offer and do they match what you need or value? Language Immersion, biliteracy language classes, Special Education classes, Inclusion, Project based, K-8, Montessori, Year-round curriculum

Define what a “good” school means to you.  A school should match your family’s values for community and academics.

Parent Involvement
• Is there an active parent group?
• What kind of activities does the parent group do?
• Is there a welcoming environment where parents’ concerns and contributions are honored?

Quality Teaching
• What is the average tenure and turnover rate of teachers at the school?
• Do students seem engaged in their classes?
• What importance is placed on staff development at the school?

Principal Leadership
• Does the Principal speak openly and honestly about issues facing the school?
• What is the Principal's style and vision for the school and does it resonate with you?

School culture
• How diverse is the school population?
• Are the staff respectful of kids?  Are kids respectful of adults at the school?
• Does the school feel welcoming?

Academics
• What is the API rank and similar school rank of the school?
• Is there an achievement gap at the school and how is it addressed?
• How does the school compare to other schools when considering the achievement of similar students?
• How does the school compare to other schools when considering the achievement of students similar to your own child?

About Testing (click for more information)

The API score of the school shows the statewide testing results of a current class in Language Arts, Math and Science. It gives an indication of the level of understanding that students are gaining at a school in those subject areas. Data is available separated out by demographic group, but the general API of a school is an average of test results of all students in each grade level at the school - General Education/Immersion students, Special Education and bilingual/newcomer (for English Language Learners) programs are all included in those scores. Therefore, it is not the best indicator for how well your child will do.

How to use test data
Look at trends of test scores, not just the score at one point in time.

Look at the achievement of different demographic groups to see how the school is addressing the needs of different populations. Go to the California California State Dept of Education website www.cde.ca.gov to view test information by demographics groups.

 


Be flexible and expand your options

  • Check out schools which are lower in demand but have great school assets. Go to our Demand page to see historical demand trends.
  • Don't assume that popular schools are "better.” Define for yourself what a “good” school is. What appeals to you and your best friend may differ. 
  • Schools may change based on the school leadership, new programming and parent involvement.
  • Look beyond test scores. Test Scores are just one, and often misleading, indicator of school quality. Test scores do not differentiate English Learners, Special Education students, or the changing demographics of a school.

     

Discover Schools for Yourself

  • High demand for a school does not necessarily reflect its quality or its ability to meet the needs of your child.
  • Consider a broad range of schools.  There is no limit to the number of schools you can put down on your application. 
  • Get to know the schools by seeing them for yourself.

    Use Online resources to gather data and information

     

    Tour Schools: October to January
    See our School Tours page for tour schedules and tips for what to look for on a tour.

    Attend Open houses and school events
    Attend open houses and school events. By attending school events and performances, you support public schools and get to know the school community and events that they do. See our Calendar for upcoming events.

    Attend a PPS-SF Elementary School Enrollment Workshop
    Enrollment workshops are held at public libraries throughout San Francisco. Meet parents from public schools, learn about the NEW Public School Enrollment process and get tips on key information and resources. Please see the Calendar for dates and locations.

    Attend the SFUSD Enrollment Fair
    Saturday, November 5, 2011, 10am-3pm: Attend the SFUSD Enrollment Fair to talk to staff, principals and parents from all SFUSD elementary schools. Concourse Exhibition Center, East Hall, 635 8th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103

 

Enter ALL schools you would consider and list in your order of preference.

After touring schools, attending workshops and library events, decide which schools meet your family's needs and rank your choices.

  • There is no limit to the number of schools you can rank on your application, and listing many different schools will increase your odds.  
  • Getting a school on your list in the first round will NOT hurt your chances of getting another school higher on your list in future rounds.
  • Ranking your choices in your order of preference will give you the best odds of getting the school you most want.  Whenever possible, the student assignment system will offer you the highest ranked school on your list.

Get more perspective on your school choices.

  • Join PPS-SF Listserve
    • Join online networks to share thoughts and observations with other parents going through similar situations. 
    • Sign-up for our parent network today!
  • Contact a PPS Parent Ambassador

Apply on Time

  • Submit your application anytime before January 27, 2012.  Meeting the deadline gives you your best odds of getting a school you choose.  (Note: submitting early does not increase your chances.)
  • See our Student Assignment System: High School tab for additional deadlines and requirements.
  • See www.sfusd.edu/enroll for more information on application requirements.
  • See our Enrollment Timeline page for an overview of the enrollment process.
  • See our Student Assignment System page for information about the assignment process.