As a parent of a teenager moving to the Bay Area, you may be wondering how good San Francisco high schools are and how to find the best one for your kid. Know that some of them are among the top ten first-rate educational institutions in California, so you can rest assured that your child’s education is in good hands.
After your San Francisco movers transport your stuff to your new home, you need to take care of your child’s future. When making the selection of the first-rate educational institutions in the vicinity, you should take into consideration college readiness, proficiencies, student performance, graduation rates, but also student diversity, state assessment test results, etc. It would help if you also got to know the city’s peculiar distribution method.
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How to Find a Good School for Your Child?
If you’re moving with children, you need to find a place with a number of great educational institutions and a welcoming community. Depending on your child’s age, you should research all of the elementary, middle, and high schools in the area when looking for the best neighborhoods in San Francisco for your family to live in. You should also consider all the different things to do in San Francisco so that you can enjoy your life there.
What Can You Expect from San Francisco Public High Schools?
When moving to San Francisco, it’s important to know that the public schooling system here is a bit different. So, before getting moving services for your relocation to California, you should know a few important things. In most other places, a child’s address determines the institution where they will go. But that’s not the case with San Fran. The city wants to create a diverse environment in each community without the influence of segregated housing patterns. This means that your child might have to go to another part of the town for his or her schooling, which is something you need to keep in mind when looking through the best places in San Francisco.
The public education system of SF involves a random selection in most districts. Parents put their top choices, but they are matched based on the capacity and several complex rules that are mixed with random selection. Because of this randomness, most refer to the selection process as the lottery.
However, you can still give this lottery a try and submit an application to the SF Unified School District to get the desired institution.
Is Going to a Private School Better?
Private education in SF is costly but offers top-of-the-line college preparation. There are certain loans that will finance a child’s private schooling, but you need to pass all of the requirements each institution has set. Apart from being pricey, the selection process is also very strict. A potential student needs to pass very rigorous tests and interviews to get accepted. Since the cost of living in San Francisco can be steep, many go for the public institutions.
The Best San Francisco High Schools
According to the 2019 rankings, Lowell still holds the prestigious title of the top public high school in this city, the 6th in California, and one of the first-rate educational institutions in America. To substantiate this ranking, they state that three Nobel Prize winners have attended this institution. Researcher Dian Fossey is also an alum here.
Other institutions from the Unified School District ranked on state levels are Kipp College Preparatory, Ruth Asawa School of the Arts, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Gateway, and Galileo. It’s worth mentioning that George Washington has a wonderful view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Top Public Institutions
As we mentioned, the first position among the SF Unified District members is held by Lowell, which also ranked 6th on the state level. Its Average Standard Test Score was 98.15. This excellent magnet institution has a 22:1 student-teacher ratio, with an average graduation rate of 98%.
Galileo is ranked second among the educational institutions in the Unified District. Its Average Standard Test Score was 87.25.
Asawa (Ruth) School of the Arts ranks highly in California and third in the Unified District. Its Average Standard Test Score was 86.68, and the teacher-student ratio is 22:1.
Top Private Institutions
Among the private institutions, SF University High ranks the best in the area and 18th in Cali. Its average graduation rate is an amazing 100%. Additionally, 83% of students said that they felt safe in it. The research included students of all years – freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior. The same percentage of students felt happy attending the institution, which is no wonder since the student-teacher ratio is 6:1 and the teachers are often described as dedicated and caring.
Other great private schools you can take into consideration include Lick-Wilmerding, St.Ignatius College Preparatory, Convent & Stuart Hall, and The Bay School of SF.
| Name | Rank in California | National Rank | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowel | 6 | 54 | 98% |
| KIPP SF College Preparatory | 53 | 406 | 84% |
| Ruth Asawa School of the Arts | 70 | 486 | 93% |
| Abraham Lincoln | 98 | 702 | 90% |
| George Washington | 110 | 752 | 94% |
| Gateway | 149 | 959 | 94% |
| Galileo | 178 | 1165 | 84% |
Recommended Schools for Lower Grades
Based on key statistics analysis, reviews from students and parents, student-teacher ratio, and other factors, among the first-rate lower grade institutions are Sunset Elementary, George Peabody Elementary, Claire Lilienthal Elementary, Roosevelt Middle, A.P. Giannini Middle, Presidio Middle, Herbert Hoover Middle, and others.
Sunset Elementary
This elementary was rated above average at the state level since its students’ performances are ranked as such. Test scores are also well above average, and the students make more academic progress between each grade than their colleagues in other institutions. The student-teacher ratio is 20:1, but one of the qualities of this institution is the effort it invests in supporting low-income students.
Presidio Middle
Presidio Middle ranked third in the Unified District. Its Average Standard Test Score was 90.86, and the student-teacher ratio is 24:1.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choosing the right education for your child is not like finding one of the best restaurants in San Francisco. It could have enormous consequences in the long run and it takes a lot more information than what online reviews have to offer. As a parent, you should have a thorough insight into different aspects and consider all the benefits and downsides of each institution and community, and, if possible, go there and see how it looks in person.
