Thousands of Students Assigned to SFUSD Schools for 26-27 with Record Predictability

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San Francisco (March 16, 2026) - The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) Enrollment Center is sending student assignment letters this week to 15,463 students for the 2026-27 school year. This includes a 14% increase in Transitional Kindergarten (TK) assignments compared to last year.

This year’s assignments mark the most predictable assignment results on record. For years, families have asked for greater predictability in the school assignment system, particularly at the elementary school level. Results this year show significant improvements:

  • 69% of students assigned to Kindergarten, 6th, or 9th grade received their first-choice school, and 96% received one of their choices. In 2018, only 85% of students assigned to one of these grades received one of their choices.
  • 94% of Kindergarten students who applied to their attendance area school were assigned to that school or a school they preferred, compared with 88% in 2018. 96% of Kindergarten students received one of their school choices.
  • 100% of 6th grade students who applied to their middle school feeder were assigned to that school or a higher choice.
  • Overall, 92% of students received an assignment to one of their choices, the highest predictability ever achieved with the current assignment system. Compared to last year, an additional 165 students received an assignment to a choice school.
  • TK assignment predictability lags other grades - with 74% of students assigned to a choice and 50% assigned to their first choice - because of limited facility space in the western half of the city.

These improvements reflect intentional district decisions to improve predictability for families.

Families have until March 26, 2026 to accept or decline their assignment. Families can respond online or by contacting the Enrollment Center, and can find instructions at sfusd.edu/mainround.

The Enrollment Center will host virtual workshops on March 19 and March 21, where families can learn how to accept or decline assignments and learn more about the waitlist process. More information is available at sfusd.edu/workshops. Many schools are also offering parent meetings and campus tours so families can learn more about their assigned school; families can sign up at sfusd.edu/tours.

One notable increase this year was in Transitional Kindergarten (TK) assignments, which rose by 271 students compared to last year, reflecting growing interest in SFUSD TK programs.

Beginning this year, TK students who enroll in 2026-27 at any SFUSD school will automatically remain enrolled at the same school or transition to their designated feeder elementary school for Kindergarten, without needing to reapply. This policy change has also contributed to a slight increase in Kindergarten interest, with 3,995 students assigned for 2026–27 compared with 3,965 students last year.

Additional highlights are available at sfusd.edu/highlights. 

“We are thrilled to see increased predictability in the assignment process alongside strong interest in SFUSD,” said SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Maria Su. “We are excited to welcome families to the 2026-27 school year, whether they are joining SFUSD for the first time or continuing their educational journey with us.”

This is the second year SFUSD is implementing its simplified waitlist process, which allows families to submit a single application during the Main Round and remain on up to three school waitlists rather than reapplying multiple times. The waitlist process resulted in almost 600 additional enrollments during the 2025–26 school year.

SFUSD will begin making weekly waitlist assignments on April 20, 2026, continuing through Sept. 4, 2026.

The Main Round application period closed on Jan. 30, 2026. Families who have not yet applied for next school year can still submit an application at sfusd.edu/apply or by contacting the Enrollment Center.

Families can reach the Enrollment Center at enrollinschool@sfusd.edu, 415-241-6085, or in person at 555 Franklin Street or 1520 Oakdale Avenue (Oakdale is open Tuesday and Thursday). Staff members speak English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Samoan, and we have tele-interpreters available to support in other languages. Enrollment Center office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with limited lunch service from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.

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