San Francisco (October 13, 2026) — The San Francisco Board of Education voted 5-2 Tuesday evening to approve a resolution directing the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) to develop a neighborhood-based student assignment system for elementary schools, replacing the district’s current lottery-based enrollment system.
Under the proposed policy, every family would be assigned to a neighborhood school based on their home address, regardless of when they apply. Families would retain access to citywide specialized programs. The new system would take effect in October 2027, and apply to students who are enrolling in the 2028-2029 school year and beyond.
“After years of implementing a complicated and unpredictable lottery system, we are proud to take a big step towards building neighborhood schools,” says Phil Kim, President of the San Francisco Board of Education. “We are preserving meaningful choice while guaranteeing a neighborhood school for everyone. This is one of the most consequential decisions we will make, benefiting generations of San Franciscans to come. We will continue to work closely with Superintendent Su, families, and the broader San Francisco community to get this right.”
“As a District, we are firmly committed to transforming our schools to create the educational experiences our students deserve.” said Maria Su, SFUSD Superintendent. “Ultimately, we are striving to improve our district so that every student can activate their fullest potential. 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. 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. This direction will help families tap into the greatest equalizer of opportunity that San Francisco has to offer– our public schools.”
What happens next
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District staff will update the District’s attendance boundaries and evaluate enrollment capacity at each school.
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District staff will develop a strategic plan to address school quality across the District, including redesigning its portfolio of programs and allocate strategic investments aimed at addressing historical underinvestments and providing stable staffing and budget at every school.
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SFUSD will hold community engagement sessions throughout the process to gather community input and feedback on policy details.
The Board is expected to review a draft policy in March 2027. A final vote on the policy is scheduled for April 13, 2027.
In 2018, the San Francisco Board of Education passed Resolution 189-25A1, “Developing a Community Based Student Assignment System for SFUSD,” and in 2020 the Board approved a zone-based elementary assignment policy (Board Policy 5101.2), but the lottery system remained in place through the pandemic and ongoing administrative challenges. On October 28, 2025, the Board of Education provided direction to the Superintendent to initiate a process to replace the lottery. There have been three study sessions on elementary student assignment since August 2026. The Board of Education has narrowed from four policy options to two on October 6, 2026, affirming a neighborhood schools policy to address families’ long-standing concerns about the unpredictability and complexity of the current lottery.
For more information, visit www.sfusd.edu/school-reorganization.
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