San Francisco, CA

San Francisco school assignment rules for movers

See the exact 2026-27 SFUSD citywide-choice, ranked-choice, tiebreaker, and non-choice rules.

Quick answer

See the exact 2026-27 SFUSD citywide-choice, ranked-choice, tiebreaker, and non-choice rules.

Source-first Reviewed Jul 2026
Exact district rule

San Francisco Unified School District: what the rule actually says

SFUSD is using citywide choice for 2026-27, not the previously planned elementary-zone system. Families submit a ranked list. If a school has more applicants than seats, SFUSD applies tiebreakers and then random numbers. A K-5 student who receives no listed choice is offered the attendance-area school if space exists, otherwise the nearest school with an opening; a sixth grader is offered the feeder middle school if space exists, otherwise the nearest school with an opening.

Answer type: exact enrollment ruleDistrict: San Francisco Unified School DistrictPolicy basis: 2026-27Reviewed July 28, 2026

Assignment rules at a glance

These are the district-specific fields that determine what happens after an address or school request is submitted.

2026-27 modelCitywide choice remains in effect.
ApplicationFamilies submit a ranked list of schools.
Oversubscribed choiceTiebreakers apply first, followed by random numbers when needed.
K-5 non-choice assignmentAttendance-area school if space exists; otherwise nearest school with an opening.
Grade 6 non-choice assignmentFeeder middle school if space exists; otherwise nearest school with an opening.

Moving checklist

  1. Rank schools in the family's true preference order.
  2. Do not treat the attendance-area school as an automatic 2026-27 assignment.
  3. Use the grade-specific non-choice rule when no ranked choice has space.

Official policy sources

The answer above is stated on-page; these links document the district rules and policy year.

Other exact moving rules

Compare how address assignment, school choice, and enrollment work in other districts.