SFUSD families learn school assignments in annual lottery
Decision day for SFUSD families
Monday was decision day for families in the San Francisco Unified School District, when they learned which school their child will attend.
SAN FRANCISCO - Monday was decision day for families in the San Francisco Unified School District, when they learned which school their child will attend next year.
Families submitted their Main Round applications, also known as the school "lottery," in January. Since then, many parents have been waiting to see whether their children would get into their preferred schools.
In San Francisco, where students attend schools through a choice-based assignment system, geography does not necessarily determine which school a child will attend.
About 15,000 students — including those entering kindergarten, transitioning from elementary to middle school and moving from middle to high school — received their school assignments Monday.
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Families weigh priorities
What they're saying:
For many families, choosing schools involves balancing several priorities, including location, school structure, and specific programs.
"I offer the perspective as a parent of three San Francisco Unified School District children — kindergarten and a third-grader, as well as a sixth-grader, so I have been through this process a couple of times now, and I understand how challenging it can be and how fraught it can feel," said Emily De Ayora from San Francisco Parent Coalition. "Every family has different priorities. For my family, geographic location was one of the most important things. We walked to school, and that was something that we really wanted."
District reports high match rates
Local perspective:
Families listed their top school choices earlier this year and are now learning their assignments through district emails or the SFUSD app.
District officials say most families were matched with one of their preferred schools.
SFUSD said 69% of families received their first-choice school and 96% received one of their top choices, up from 85% in 2018.
The district also reported a nearly 15% increase in transitional kindergarten applications after years of declining enrollment.
Officials said improving the assignment process has been a priority.
"So we really want to be able to respond to what we’ve heard from families about what’s important to them when they enroll their children in schools, so we’ve made it much simpler and easier for families to navigate the system," said SFUSD spokesperson Laura Dudnick.
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Next steps for families
What's next:
Families must accept their school assignments by March 26.
For those hoping for a different placement, the district is offering a new option this year: families can join waitlists for up to three schools while hoping a spot opens up at a preferred campus.