School guide
San Francisco Schools (SFUSD): A Guide for Home Buyers
Buying in San Francisco with kids? Schools work differently here than on the Peninsula. Here is how the district assigns schools, the dates to know, and the school taxes that come with the home.
The short answer
You apply and rank
Families list schools in order of choice. An address alone does not set the school.
Address still helps
Living in an elementary school's attendance area is a tiebreaker for that school.
96% get a listed school
SFUSD's figure for kindergarten, 6th and 9th grade families who apply by the main deadline.
The schools
SFUSD runs about 100 elementary, K to 8, middle and high schools. Use the buttons to show one level at a time on the map and in the list.
Loading map...
Tap a dot for the school and its neighborhood, or a shaded area to open that district guide. Attendance areas are not shown, and a nearby school is not a guaranteed assignment. Use SFUSD's school finder for any address.
See all 100 schools with addresses
| School | Level | Address | Neighborhood |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.P. Giannini Middle | Middle | 3151 Ortega St | Outer Parkside |
| Abraham Lincoln High | High | 2162 24th Ave | Parkside |
| Alamo Elementary | Elementary | 250 23rd Ave | Central Richmond |
| Alice Fong Yu Elementary | K to 8 | 1541 12th Ave | Inner Sunset |
| Alvarado Elementary | Elementary | 625 Douglas St | Noe Valley |
| Aptos Middle | Middle | 105 Aptos Ave | Mount Davidson Manor |
| Argonne Elementary | Elementary | 680 18th Ave | Central Richmond |
| Balboa High | High | 1000 Cayuga Ave | Mission Terrace |
| Bessie Carmichael School | K to 8 | 375 Seventh St | South of Market |
| Bret Harte Elementary | Elementary | 1035 Gilman Ave | Bayview |
| Bryant Elementary | Elementary | 2641 25th St | Inner Mission |
| Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 | K to 8 | 3351 23rd St | Inner Mission |
| Cesar Chavez Elementary | Elementary | 825 Shotwell St | Inner Mission |
| Charles Drew College Preparatory Academy | Elementary | 50 Pomona Ave | Bayview |
| Chinese Immersion School at DeAvila | Elementary | 1250 Waller St | Buena Vista / Ashbury Heights |
| Claire Lilienthal Elementary | K to 8 | 3630 Divisadero St | Marina |
| Clarendon Alternative Elementary | Elementary | 500 Clarendon Ave | Forest Knolls |
| Cleveland Elementary | Elementary | 455 Athens St | Excelsior |
| Commodore Sloat Elementary | Elementary | 50 Darien Way | Balboa Terrace |
| Daniel Webster Elementary | Elementary | 465 Missouri St | Potrero Hill |
| Dianne Feinstein Elementary | Elementary | 2550 25th Ave | Parkside |
| Dolores Huerta Elementary | Elementary | 65 Chenery St | Glen Park |
| Edward R. Taylor Elementary | Elementary | 423 Burrows St | Portola |
| Edwin and Anita Lee Newcomer | Elementary | 657 Merchant St | Financial District / Barbary Coast |
| El Dorado Elementary | Elementary | 70 Delta St | Visitacion Valley |
| Everett Middle | Middle | 450 Church St | Eureka Valley / Dolores Heights |
| Francis Scott Key Elementary | Elementary | 1530 43rd Ave | Outer Sunset |
| Francisco Middle | Middle | 2190 Powell St | North Beach |
| Frank McCoppin Elementary | Elementary | 651 Sixth Ave | Inner Richmond |
| Galileo High | High | 1150 Francisco St | Russian Hill |
| Garfield Elementary | Elementary | 420 Filbert St | Telegraph Hill |
| George Peabody Elementary | Elementary | 251 Sixth Ave | Inner Richmond |
| George R. Moscone Elementary | Elementary | 2576 Harrison St | Inner Mission |
| George Washington Carver Elementary | Elementary | 1360 Oakdale Ave | Bayview |
| George Washington High | High | 600 32nd Ave | Outer Richmond |
| Glen Park Elementary | Elementary | 151 Lippard Ave | Glen Park |
| Gordon J. Lau Elementary | Elementary | 950 Clay St | Nob Hill |
| Grattan Elementary | Elementary | 165 Grattan St | Cole Valley / Parnassus Heights |
| Guadalupe Elementary | Elementary | 859 Prague St | Crocker Amazon |
| Harvey Milk Civil Rights Elementary | Elementary | 4235 19th St | Eureka Valley / Dolores Heights |
| Herbert Hoover Middle | Middle | 2290 14th Ave | Inner Parkside |
| Hillcrest Elementary | Elementary | 810 Silver Ave | Portola |
| Independence High | High | 1350 7th Ave | Inner Sunset |
| James Denman Middle | Middle | 241 Oneida Ave | Mission Terrace |
| James Lick Middle | Middle | 1220 Noe St | Noe Valley |
| Jean Parker Elementary | Elementary | 840 Broadway St | Nob Hill |
| Jefferson Elementary | Elementary | 1725 Irving St | Inner Sunset |
| John Muir Elementary | Elementary | 380 Webster St | Hayes Valley |
| John O'Connell High | High | 2355 Folsom St | Inner Mission |
| John Yehall Chin Elementary | Elementary | 350 Broadway St | Telegraph Hill |
| Jose Ortega Elementary | Elementary | 400 Sargent St | Ingleside Heights |
| June Jordan School for Equity | High | 325 La Grande Ave | Excelsior |
| Junipero Serra Elementary | Elementary | 625 Holly Park Cir | Bernal Heights |
| Lafayette Elementary | Elementary | 4545 Anza St | Outer Richmond |
| Lakeshore Alternative Elementary | Elementary | 220 Middlefield Dr | Lake Shore |
| Lawton Alternative | K to 8 | 1570 31st Ave | Central Sunset |
| Leonard R. Flynn Elementary | Elementary | 3125 Cesar Chavez St | Inner Mission |
| Longfellow Elementary | Elementary | 755 Morse St | Crocker Amazon |
| Lowell High | High | 1101 Eucalyptus Dr | Lake Shore |
| Malcolm X Academy | Elementary | 350 Harbor Rd | Hunters Point |
| Marina Middle | Middle | 3500 Fillmore St | Marina |
| Marshall Elementary | Elementary | 1575 15th St | Inner Mission |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Middle | Middle | 350 Girard St | Portola |
| McKinley Elementary | Elementary | 1025 14th St | Corona Heights |
| Miraloma Elementary | Elementary | 175 Omar Way | Miraloma Park |
| Mission Education Center | Elementary | 1670 Noe St | Noe Valley |
| Mission High | High | 3750 18th St | Mission Dolores |
| Monroe Elementary | Elementary | 260 Madrid St | Excelsior |
| New Traditions Elementary | Elementary | 2049 Grove St | North Panhandle |
| Paul Revere Elementary | K to 8 | 555 Tompkins Ave | Bernal Heights |
| Phillip and Sala Burton Academic High | High | 400 Mansell St | Portola |
| Presidio Middle | Middle | 450 30th Ave | Central Richmond |
| Raoul Wallenberg Traditional High | High | 40 Vega St | Anza Vista |
| Redding Elementary | Elementary | 1421 Pine St | Downtown |
| Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary | Elementary | 2051 34th Ave | Parkside |
| Rooftop Elementary | K to 8 | 443 Burnett Ave | Twin Peaks |
| Roosevelt Middle | Middle | 460 Arguello Blvd | Jordan Park / Laurel Heights |
| Rosa Parks Elementary | Elementary | 1501 O'Farrell St | Western Addition |
| Ruth Asawa School of the Arts | High | 555 Portola Dr | Midtown Terrace |
| S.F. International High | High | 655 DeHaro St | Potrero Hill |
| San Francisco Community Alternative | K to 8 | 125 Excelsior Ave | Excelsior |
| San Francisco Public Montessori | Elementary | 2340 Jackson St | Pacific Heights |
| Sanchez Elementary | Elementary | 325 Sanchez St | Eureka Valley / Dolores Heights |
| Sheridan Elementary | Elementary | 431 Capitol Ave | Oceanview |
| Sherman Elementary | Elementary | 1651 Union St | Cow Hollow |
| Spring Valley Elementary | Elementary | 1451 Jackson St | Nob Hill |
| Sunnyside Elementary | Elementary | 250 Foerster St | Sunnyside |
| Sunset Elementary | Elementary | 1920 41st Ave | Outer Parkside |
| Sutro Elementary | Elementary | 235 12th Ave | Inner Richmond |
| Tenderloin Community | Elementary | 627 Turk St | Van Ness / Civic Center |
| The Academy San Francisco at McAteer | High | 555 Portola Dr | Midtown Terrace |
| Thomas Starr King Elementary | Elementary | 1215 Carolina St | Potrero Hill |
| Thurgood Marshall High | High | 45 Conkling St | Silver Terrace |
| Ulloa Elementary | Elementary | 2650 42nd Ave | Outer Parkside |
| Visitacion Valley Elementary | Elementary | 55 Schwerin St | Visitacion Valley |
| Visitacion Valley Middle | Middle | 1971 Visitacion Ave | Visitacion Valley |
| West Portal Elementary | Elementary | 5 Lenox Way | West Portal |
| William L. Cobb Elementary | Elementary | 2725 California St | Lower Pacific Heights |
| Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle | Middle | 2055 Silver Ave | Silver Terrace |
| Yick Wo Elementary | Elementary | 2245 Jones St | Russian Hill |
School names, levels and locations come from the California Department of Education school directory, published by DataSF, as of February 2026. Charter and private schools are not shown.
How school assignment works
San Francisco has one public district, the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). Instead of a boundary map deciding your school, you apply and rank the schools you want. When a school has more requests than seats, the district uses tiebreakers, then random numbers.
- 1Find your attendance areaLook up the exact address with SFUSD's school finder. Each address has one attendance area elementary school.
- 2Rank your choicesList as many schools as you like, in order. For high school, SFUSD suggests at least five.
- 3Apply by the deadlineMain round applications for 2027-28 are due February 1, 2027.
Kindergarten tiebreakers, in order: a sibling at the school, attending PreK or TK in the attendance area, living in a designated test score area, living in the school's attendance area, then children of staff.
The catch: citywide schools, including K to 8 schools and language programs, have no attendance area, so living nearby gives no tiebreaker. If none of your choices has room, SFUSD offers elementary students their attendance area school if it has space, or the nearest school with openings.
Rules may change: SFUSD says it is considering changes to elementary assignment for the 2028-29 school year. Check the district's student assignment policy before you count on the current rules.
Key dates for the 2027-28 school year
October 23, 2026
Application opened.
December 11, 2026
Deadline for Lowell High School and Ruth Asawa School of the Arts.
February 1, 2027
Main round deadline for TK to 12th grade.
Week of March 15, 2027
Assignment letters go out. Accept or decline by March 25.
Dates are from SFUSD's enrollment key dates. Waitlists and open enrollment continue after the main round.
Enrolling after you move
New students can enroll at any time during the school year. An enrollment counselor can place your student at a school with open seats. SFUSD asks for:
- A parent or guardian photo ID.
- Proof of a San Francisco address.
- Proof of your child's birth date.
- Immunization records and tuberculosis clearance.
- An IEP or high school transcripts, if they apply.
Reach the Enrollment Center at 415-241-6085 or enrollinschool@sfusd.edu.
Buyer tip: mid-year placement depends on open seats. If one school matters most, ask the Enrollment Center about space in your child's grade before you close.
Middle and high school
Middle school: each elementary school feeds a set middle school. SFUSD says families who list their feeder middle school typically get it.
High school: high schools have no attendance areas. You rank your choices, and tiebreakers and random numbers decide when a school is full.
Two schools with their own admissions: Lowell High School admits by academic criteria, including grades and test scores. Ruth Asawa School of the Arts admits by audition. Both have the earlier December deadline. See SFUSD's page on applying to Lowell.
Comparing with the Peninsula? There, the address usually sets the school. See my Burlingame and San Mateo and Foster City school guides, or read Moving from San Francisco to the Peninsula.
School taxes that come with a San Francisco home
These show up on the property tax bill. Amounts are for the 2025-26 tax year and adjust for inflation each year:
| Charge on the bill | Amount per year | Senior exemption |
|---|---|---|
| School Parcel Tax of 2020 | $334.38 per parcel | Yes |
| SFUSD Teacher Support | $319.34 per parcel | Yes |
| SFUSD Facilities District | $43.00 per single family parcel | Yes |
| City College Parcel Tax | $99.00 per parcel | No |
Seniors apply for the SFUSD exemptions through the district. School construction bonds are also repaid through the property tax rate, based on assessed value. Ask escrow for the home's last tax bill to see each line.
San Francisco neighborhoods to explore
Because school choice is citywide, many buyers pick the neighborhood first. My San Francisco city guide maps about 90 neighborhoods and shows median prices for houses and condos in each of the city's 10 MLS districts: Richmond, Sea Cliff and Lake Street, Sunset and Parkside, Lake Merced, Ingleside and Oceanview, West Portal, Forest Hill and St. Francis Wood, Noe Valley, Eureka Valley and the Haight, Hayes Valley, Alamo Square and Lower Pacific Heights, Marina, Pacific Heights and Cow Hollow, Nob Hill, Russian Hill and North Beach, Mission, SoMa, Potrero Hill and Bernal Heights, Bayview, Excelsior and Portola. You can also browse all neighborhoods or compare cities on the Peninsula.
Frequently asked questions
Does buying a home in a San Francisco neighborhood guarantee the nearby school?
No. SFUSD assigns schools through an application where families rank their choices. Living in an elementary school's attendance area gives you a tiebreaker for that school, but it is not a guarantee.
How many public school districts are in San Francisco?
One. The San Francisco Unified School District runs public schools from transitional kindergarten through 12th grade, so there is no separate high school district.
When is the SFUSD application deadline?
For the 2027-28 school year, the main round deadline is February 1, 2027. Applications for Lowell High School and Ruth Asawa School of the Arts are due earlier, on December 11, 2026.
Can my child enroll if we move to San Francisco mid-year?
Yes. SFUSD says new students can enroll at any time during the school year, and an enrollment counselor can place a student at a school with open seats.
What school taxes come with a San Francisco home?
San Francisco property tax bills include three SFUSD parcel charges and a City College parcel tax, plus school bonds repaid through the tax rate. Seniors can apply to SFUSD for an exemption from the SFUSD charges.
Shopping for a home with schools in mind?
Tell me what matters most to you, and I'll check addresses for you and flag homes before they hit the market.
Sources: SFUSD student assignment policy; SFUSD tiebreakers; SFUSD enrollment key dates; SFUSD how to apply; SFUSD discover schools; SFUSD applying to Lowell; DataSF Schools dataset (California Department of Education directory); San Francisco Treasurer and Tax Collector, parcel taxes and exemptions. Facts as of November 2026. Assignment rules, dates and tax amounts change; confirm with SFUSD and your escrow officer.