Enrollment Tips for San Francisco Unified School District

Let PPS-SF help you! We host free enrollment workshops in the fall and spring. 

Logistics

  • Location, start & end time

  • Uniform or dress code; transportation

  • Number of classes; size of school

School Culture

  • Will your child like this environment?

  • Does the school fit with your family?

School Facilities

  • Yard and play structures

  • Classrooms, gym, cafet        

Staff

  • Principal: What is her/his style or vision?

  • Teachers: What do you see & hear?

  • Who are the other adults on campus?

Programs

  • Assemblies, school activities, field trips

  • Library, science and technology

  • Art, gardening, clubs, other enrichment

  • Work with community organizations

Supervision

  • Drop-off and pick-up

  • Before- and after-school care

  • Lunch, recess, other activities

  • Discipline policy

Parent Involvement

  • How do new parents get involved?

  • How does the school build community?

  • How does the school share information?

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 

Enrollment Tips

Apply by January deadline

Submit your SFUSD application, in person, at the Education Placement Center (EPC), 555 Franklin St, San Francisco. 

List many schools/pathways.

  • List as many schools/pathways as you want; there is no limit.

  • Listing more will increase the odds of being offered a school on your list.

  • Learn about your attendance area school.

  • Contact charter schools directly to apply.

List all the school/pathway options in the order that you prefer them.

Register at your assigned school by the April deadline.

  • Register your child at your offered school or you will lose that spot.

  • You can continue to participate in future rounds for higher ranked choices after registering.

  • If placed at a new school/pathway after May Placement, your original school assignment will be dropped automatically.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Enrollment Tips

 

Apply by January deadline.

  • Feeder schools are not automatically offered and must be listed on the form. 

  • Submit an application to your current SFUSD school or the EPC offices.

List many schools/pathways and rank them in the order of your preference.

  • List as many schools/pathways as you want; there is no limit.

  • Listing more will increase the odds of being offered a school on your list.

  • List your feeder school in the order of your preference.

  • Contact charter schools directly to apply.

Learn about your feeder middle school.

  • Every SFUSD K-5 school has a feeder middle school.

  • You are given a preference for your feeder school if you list it.

Register at your assigned school by April deadline.

  • Register your child at your offered school or you will lose that spot.

  • You can still participate in future rounds for higher ranked choices after registering at your assigned school.

HIGH SCHOOL

Enrollment Tips 

Apply on time. 

  • Lowell and Ruth Asawa School of the Arts deadline: December.

  • Other SFUSD high schools: January.

Explore your options.

  • Apply to any school in San Francisco.

  • Contact charter schools directly to apply.

  • Attend tours and open houses with your student.

  • Let your student shadow at schools.

List many options in the order that you prefer them.

  • If applying to Lowell or Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, rank them with all other options on the SFUSD application form in order of preference.

Lowell High School Tips

  • Submit Lowell application and SFUSD application in person to the EPC or to 8th grade SFUSD school counselor by December deadline.

Ruth Asawa SOTA Tips

  • Submit Ruth Asawa School of the Arts application and portfolio to the school office and sign up for audition by December deadline.

  • Submit SFUSD application form to the EPC in January.

  • Visit Ruth Asawa School of the Arts website for more details.

Strong Schools. Strong City.

At PPS-SF, our vision is that all San Franciscans are committed to the success of every public school in the City.

Let PPS-SF Help You!

Hire Us!

We will come to your school or work for an enrollment workshop tailored to your needs - in English, Spanish, Cantonese and/or Mandarin. Grant funding is available. Request sliding scale info when you book online at www.ppssf.org

Learn from us!

Visit ppssf.org for insider knowledge and latest public school news or to sign up for a free workshop.

Email ambassadors@ppssf.org to connect with a parent who

 represents a specific school.

Follow us!

    @ppssf

    Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco

    Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco

    WeChat: pps-sf

    Text @enroll2020 to 81010