About Us

The Shared Schoolyards Program was created in 2007 to provide better access to open areas by utilizing schoolyards that were not being used.

The goal was to include at least one schoolyard in each supervisorial district, but now almost 40 schoolyards are open every weekend.

Originally, Public Works, Recreation and Parks, and the Parks Alliance were partners, but SFUSD now manages all aspects of the program, including outreach, contract management, and operations.

While under the Shelter in Place Order, we have temporarily stopped expanding. Nonetheless, we still provided outdoor space for the community to enjoy on weekends by opening up most participating schools. As an added effort, we have launched the 2.0 initiative, which involves activating 12 schools with programming and site monitors in the City's most affected areas.

Starting in 2022, our program is reopening and expanding to include schoolyards. The Facilities Department in SFUSD aims to add 1,651,352 square feet (equivalent to almost 38 acres) of open space for the people of San Francisco to use and enjoy on weekends.

Our mission at the Shared Schoolyard Program is to provide safe and accessible spaces for children and families to gather and play in San Francisco. The program will cover all supervisorial districts and succeed through collaborative partnerships with the city, San Francisco Unified School District, and communities.

Our ultimate goal is to ensure that every child in San Francisco has a place to play within walking distance.