Tips on Choosing Schools

SFUSD offers many high quality school programs. Explore your options to find which schools will
best meet your child’s needs.

1. Start with your child’s unique interests and talents. Is your child interested in languages? Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM)? Does your child love to read? Use the School Finder tool to identify schools that meet your student’s unique needs.
2. Consider your family’s routine and schedule. You may want to consider where your other children attend school, and whether it is important for your children to attend the same school. Think about where the school is located--is it important that the school be accessible to your home or workplace? Also think about the routines of adults in the family--will the school need before or after school programs so that your child is cared for while you are at work?
3. Identify schools that meet your criteria. Once you know what you’re looking for, look for schools that match.
4. Learn more about schools. Visit schools to meet staff, learn about programs, and get a feel for the campus. Talk to parents at that school to learn from their experience-- you might consider reaching out to the Family Liaisons at each school and ask to be connected to other parents. Look at all the details about our schools, and see them in order of distance from your house, at sfusd.edu/schoolfinder. 
5. Start making your list. Arrange your school choices on your application in the order you prefer. You may submit an unlimited number of school choices, but we strongly recommend you have AT LEAST 5 schools on your list.