SFUSD Selects Launch Site for New Mandarin Immersion TK-8 School

San Francisco (September 24, 2026) — The San Francisco Unified School District today announced that the District’s new Mandarin Immersion TK–8 school will be launched at 1670 Noe St, San Francisco. The school will be co-programmed with Mission Education Center (MEC). This is a next step toward expanding language learning opportunities for San Francisco students.

The new school is scheduled to open in Fall 2027 at the temporary location before growing into a full TK–8 program. Existing programs at MEC will not be impacted and all existing classrooms will remain open. The school will be the first public Mandarin Immersion TK-8 school in San Francisco, expanding access to Mandarin immersion for San Francisco students while supporting the District’s goal of growing enrollment opportunities in the southeastern part of the city. The school also reflects Superintendent Su’s vision for strong, high-quality schools that meet the needs of San Francisco families and help build a stable, sustainable school district for the future.

"This is an exciting moment for San Francisco families who have been asking for a TK-8 Mandarin Immersion school," said Dr. Maria Su, SFUSD Superintendent. "We are excited to take this next step toward opening this new school as part of the vision to grow and expand learning opportunities at SFUSD to strengthen our schools. Together with families, staff and our broader community, we will shape the future of this school for generations of students to come."

The school will open with one Transitional Kindergarten class and three kindergarten classes in Fall 2027 at MEC while the district works towards finding a permanent location. Once in the permanent location, the school will continue a phase-in approach, adding more grades each year. SFUSD expects to announce the permanent location in January 2027, with the school expected to move to its permanent campus in Fall 2028.

"The Board is excited to move forward with an initiative that reflects what we have heard directly from San Francisco families," San Francisco Board of Education President, Phil Kim said. “Expanding Mandarin immersion not only creates an opportunity to bring more families into SFUSD, but the positive impact on student outcomes is clear. This new offering will help us meet our student outcome goals while listening to what our community has been asking for. I’m grateful to the parents, educators, staff and leaders who have come together to enable our newest Mandarin immersion school to open."

Over the last few months, the District has been engaging with families, staff and community members as the school takes shape, while working closely with Alice Fong Yu Alternative School founding principal Liana Szeto and drawing on her deep expertise in Mandarin immersion education. This collaborative approach reflects the District’s commitment to building schools that respond to what families and communities want and need. The community’s input, together with Ms. Szeto’s experience and leadership, has helped inform the design of the school and support planning for its launch.

“As we build San Francisco’s future, we have to make sure families can build their futures here too, and that includes ensuring that great public schools give our children every opportunity to thrive,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie. “Mandarin immersion has a long history in San Francisco, and today, more families now have that opportunity. I’m grateful to Superintendent Su, the Board of Education, and everyone at SFUSD who has worked to bring this new school to life, and I want to recognize the parents, educators, and community members who have advocated for more Mandarin immersion opportunities and helped get us to this point.”

The new school builds on SFUSD’s longstanding commitment to multilingual education and its nationally recognized language pathways which have served as a model for other school districts seeking to expand high-quality multilingual programs. SFUSD offers language programs in 12 pathways including: Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Filipino, Japanese, Arabic, Italian, French, Hebrew, Latin and Vietnamese. These programs provide students with opportunities to develop language skills, cultural understanding and connections to communities around the world, reflecting the diversity that makes San Francisco unique.

"Dr. Su has offered a vision of strengthening schools by listening to families, educators, and students," said UESF President Cassondra Curiel. "The United Educators of San Francisco are partners in that vision to reimagine programs, expand enrollment, and ensure every school is fully enrolled and thriving."

SFUSD is conducting a nationwide search for the founding principal of the new Mandarin Immersion TK–8 School. The founding principal will help shape the school’s vision, culture, and academic program while working closely with families, educators, and community partners as the school prepares to welcome its first students in Fall 2027.

"Immersion education opens the mind, bridges cultures, and prepares our students to lead as thoughtful global citizens," Liana Szeto, Alice Fong Yu founding principal said. “Establishing a wall to wall Mandarin TK-8 campus is a historic milestone for our school district. I’m thankful to Superintendent Su, the San Francisco Board of Education, District leadership, the labor partners and especially the parents who have championed this vision every step of the way. It’s inspiring to see the collaboration and partnership between all parts of our city coming together in service of our students and families.” 

"We are incredibly excited about the launch of this new school," said SFUSD parent, Abby Chao. "It is a huge win for families across San Francisco, including ours, who have asked for this for years. Our community, the Friends of the San Francisco Mandarin School, represents over 900 families who would love to enroll in this school. We've appreciated working closely with the district and the Union on this effort and we commend the district for being responsive to families' interest in the expansion of Mandarin immersion education. We look forward to continuing working with everyone to make the school a resounding success."

Families will have an opportunity to learn more about the school during the District’s annual Enrollment Fair in October.

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