Siblings, Twins & Multiples

Siblings and Twins

Siblings

How are siblings defined by SFUSD?

Students who live at the same address and have the same parent/guardian are considered siblings.

How does the sibling tiebreaker preference work?

Younger siblings can be assigned to their older sibling’s school if the older sibling will still be attending during the upcoming school year, and if space is available. If placement in the older sibling’s school is desired, we strongly recommend that you list the older sibling’s school on the application form as your first choice. If you do not list the older sibling’s school as the first choice, there is a possibility that the student will be placed in a different school. We also recommend that you list other schools also in the event there is a lack of space in the older sibling’s school.

An older sibling will not receive a priority to attend a younger sibling’s school. The purpose of the sibling priority is to assist families with multiple children to enroll their children in a school together, not to provide a placement priority into multiple schools. Additionally, we strive to assign younger siblings into an older sibling’s school as allowable by space, but may not necessarily be able to assign the sibling into the same program (such as language programs).

We encourage you to list additional schools in the event that space is unavailable in the older sibling’s school or program.

Siblings who are applying for school at the same time for different grade levels cannot be guaranteed placement into the same school. There is a possibility that new siblings applying for school may be assigned to different schools based on space availability. Some families, in fact, choose to have the siblings attend different schools. There is no way we will know you desire to keep siblings together if different schools are listed in a different order of preference.

Twins and Multiples

If placement into the same school is desired for twins, triplets and multiples, each application should indicate the same school choices in the same order.

The parent/guardian must indicate on the enrollment application check box that they wish to have their twins or multiples placed in the same school. When one twin is assigned to a choice school, the student assignment process will seek to place the other twin into the same school if space is available. If an assignment cannot be offered to one of the requested schools, then the twins will be assigned together into the school closest to home with openings as space allows.

If you choose ‘No’ on the check box, then twins, triplets or multiples will go into the assignment process as individual students. In the event that multiples are separated in the assignment process, a sibling tie-breaker will be assigned to the sibling requesting placement into the other sibling’s school for any subsequent placement period.

What happens if I check the “Yes” box on the enrollment application to have my twins assigned together?

If you check the “yes” box, indicating that you want your twins to be assigned together, then the student assignment process will treat them initially as individual students in the computerized process. Once one twin receives a tentative assignment, the other twin will be linked with the sibling and the process will seek to assign the sibling to the school if space allows. If there is no space for the second twin, then neither twin will be assigned. If neither twin receives an assignment to any choice school, then both twins will be assigned to the school closest to home with two openings.

What happens if I don’t check the “Yes” box on the enrollment application to have my twins assigned together?

If you do not check the “yes” box indicating that you want your twins assigned together, they will go into the assignment process as individual students for the entire process. There will be a possibility that they may be separated in this process.

What are my options if the twins are separated?

The parent may submit an application form for the May Placement Period or Wait Pool Process for one twin to join the other. The twin will receive a sibling priority in the assignment process to join their sibling for any future openings. The assignment of a sibling is a higher priority after appeals, but can only be offered if there are openings at the school and program. There cannot be a guarantee that there will be openings to accommodate siblings.

I want my twins assigned together, but I am concerned about getting a lower choice school, what are my options?

Parents of twins and multiples must make a decision regarding how they want the twins’ assignment to work. Linking them together will ensure that they will be assigned together, but the trade-off will be that they both may be assigned to a lower choice or non-choice school.

Having twins treated separately in the process may result in, but not guaranteed of, one or the other twin receiving an offer to a higher choice school.

My twins are in a non-transitional grade (not TK, K, 6th or 9th) but I would like to transfer them both to another school. What are my options?

Applying for and receiving an assignment into a school and program in a non-transitional grade is only limited to available openings since students presently attending are expected to promote to the next grade.

It is recommended that parents of twins who want to transfer to another school or program check the “yes” box on the enrollment application so that the twins will only transfer if there are two seats available. Otherwise, there is a risk that one twin may be assigned and the other not. Once a twin receives a new assignment, they relinquish the former placement and there may be no opportunity to return.

This page was last updated on June 21, 2020