San Francisco Board of Education to scrap school lottery system

The San Francisco Board of Education has voted 5-2 to abolish the district’s lottery-based elementary school admissions system. The board aims to reinstate neighborhood-based admissions by Fall 2028.

Since 2011, the district has used a ranked-preference lottery that has faced criticism for being unpredictable and causing long commutes for students. Officials noted the system was blamed for significant enrollment declines, with student numbers dropping from over 60,000 to fewer than 50,000 in the last school year. Board President Phil Kim stated the current system failed to reduce racial segregation, while Superintendent Maria Susa emphasized that families should not have to leave their neighborhoods to secure a child’s education.