SFUSD to replace elementary school lottery with neighborhood-based student assignment

SAN FRANCISCO -- The San Francisco Board of Education approved a resolution Tuesday evening to develop a neighborhood-based student assignment system for elementary schools, moving San Francisco Unified School District away from its current lottery enrollment system after 15 years.

"After years of implementing a complicated and unpredictable lottery system, we are proud to take a big step towards building neighborhood schools," said board president Phil Kim in a statement.

The 5-2 decision gives staff the go-ahead to update attendance boundaries and evaluate enrollment capacity. The decision applies to elementary schools, of which there are 72 in the district, including eight K-8 schools.

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"Ultimately, we are striving to improve our district so that every student can activate their fullest potential," said Superintendent Maria Su in a statement. "We have to start by ensuring that every student in this city has access to a great school in their neighborhood, no matter the ZIP code."

Through the proposed policy, families would be assigned to a neighborhood school based on their address while retaining access to specialized programs citywide. Once adopted, the program would take effect in October 2027 and apply to students enrolling in the 2028-29 school year and beyond.

"We are preserving meaningful choice while guaranteeing a neighborhood school for everyone," Kim said. "This is one of the most consequential decisions we will make, benefiting generations of San Franciscans to come."

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SFUSD currently follows a lottery-based system where students apply to schools of their choice by submitting a list ranking their top preferred schools. Students are then assigned to schools based on availability, meaning that some students may not get placed in the schools closest to their homes.

SFUSD staff will begin developing policy details and a strategic plan that the Board of Education will consider in April 2027 for adoption.

"I look forward to working closely with parents, educators, and the community to gather their input and feedback as we design policy details prior to final board adoption in April 2027," Su said. "This direction will help families tap into the greatest equalizer of opportunity that San Francisco has to offer -- our public schools."

District staff said the option approved by the board was the easiest to implement.

Some families opposed the change, saying they preferred a different option that would have continued allowing families to apply to any school.