avg 40.1/100·24 Strong, 23 Needs Support, +27 more
Middle16 schools
avg 39.5/100·5 Strong, 4 Solid, +7 more
High22 schools
avg 45.0/100·8 Needs Support, 6 Solid, +8 more
Each level is scored on its own scale — elementary, middle, and high are never ranked against each other.
1
Stage 1 of 3
The elementary years
71 points separate Chinese Immersion School at DeAvila (82) from Harte (Bret) Elementary (11) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.
0100
Strong Solid Developing Needs Support district avg state avg
71 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 74 elementary schools — the average hides more than it tells.
The strength
Chinese Immersion School at DeAvila (82/100) holds the Strong band — 59.2% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 25.1%. 4 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.
The catch
24.2% of students are chronically absent (state: 17.9%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.
53 points separate Roosevelt Middle (65) from Visitacion Valley Middle (12) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.
0100
53 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 16 middle schools — the average hides more than it tells.
The strength
Roosevelt Middle (65/100) holds the Strong band — 40.4% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 18.8%. 2 schools here rank as Growth Engines — returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide.
The catch
24.3% of students are chronically absent (state: 18.1%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.
77 points separate Lowell High (87) from S.F. International High (10) — at this level, which school matters more than which district.
0100
77 points separate the strongest and weakest of these 22 high schools — the average hides more than it tells.
4 continuation/alternative schools not plotted — they rank within their own class, not on this statewide axis.
The strength
Lowell High (87/100) holds the Strong band — 50.4% of its students exceed the state standard, against a level average of 15.4%. 3 schools classify as Strong All-Around — no weak dimension we measure.
The catch
39.0% of students are chronically absent (state: 23.1%) — chronic means missing 10% or more of the school year. Whatever the scores say, ask each school what it is doing about attendance.
Despite a 58% free-or-reduced-lunch rate, Lawton Alternative posts a Scope Score of 73 — 96th percentile statewide. Scores this high are rare among schools serving this level of economic need — worth a closer look than the band alone suggests.
What it means for your family
If you're choosing a neighborhood
Compare schools at your child’s level before deciding on an address. The strongest attendance-zone candidate is Chinese Immersion School at DeAvila at 82/100 — confirm the exact boundary with the district before the house.
If you already live here
11 of the 112 ranked schools are charters — enrollment paths that don't depend on your address. If your zoned school sits low in the appendix below, those lotteries and applications are the levers worth the paperwork.
If your kid is enrolled now
A band is a position, not a prophecy — 19 campuses here rank as On the Rise (13) or Growth Engine (6), their returning cohorts gaining more than most schools statewide. Ask your school two questions: what happens for a kid who arrives behind, and what the classroom looks like for one who arrives ahead.
Top scorers at each level — not necessarily one zoned sequence. Confirm feeder patterns and enrollment zones with the district, and visit before you decide.
What this page can't see: whether a campus feels safe and glad at 8 a.m. If a path above looks workable, the next step is a visit.
San Francisco Unified has 112 public schools in this SchoolScope results directory. Compare schools by their primary reporting level below.
2024–25 CAASPP reporting · SchoolScope analysis. Directory coverage, not a complete inventory of every campus. Each school appears at its primary reporting level; K–8 and K–12 campuses can serve additional grades. Sources and methodology →
Averages blend every school level in a district and carry no score band. Compare a level at a time in the spreads above, then open the schools. Distances run between school-location centers.
Select two to four schools at the same level. Rankings and score bands compare each school with its own enrollment group.
District finance · FY 2024–25
Where the district's dollars go.
San Francisco Unified spent $26,762 per student in FY 2024–25 — $6,271 more than the median California district ($20,491), about 31% higher. About 60 cents of every dollar goes to classroom instruction.
Current expense per student
San Francisco Unified$26,762
Median California district$20,491
Current expense of education per unit of average daily attendance, from the district's annual SACS filing to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus. Spending is context, not a measure of school quality.
Share by function
Instruction60%
Instruction support12%
Student services15%
Administration6%
Buildings & maintenance7%
Other1%
Shares of the same current-expense total, by SACS function. Names are simplified from the filing's own categories.
The system behind the schools
The people behind the classrooms — district-grain context that never enters a school's score.
People
Teacher salary range$69,525–$131,654
Teaching staff3,263 · FTE
District enrollment51,790 · students
Who attends
Hispanic 38.9% · White 13.4% · Black 9.2% · Asian 23.1% · Other 15.4%
Scores are SchoolScope's analysis of public data, not official CDE ratings. They represent one way of interpreting test results and should not be the sole basis for school decisions.
How many schools are listed in San Francisco Unified?
This SchoolScope directory lists 112 public schools in San Francisco Unified with 2024–25 reporting records. This is directory coverage, not a complete campus inventory. Each school appears under its primary reporting level; a K–8 or K–12 campus may serve additional grades.
Which schools have the highest scores in San Francisco Unified?
Among comprehensive public schools listed here, the highest Scope Score at each primary reporting level is: Elementary: Chinese Immersion School at DeAvila (82/100). Middle: Roosevelt Middle (65/100). High: Lowell High (87/100). These are separate level rankings, not a single cross-level league table. A score does not establish fit or enrollment eligibility. See the methodology.
Can I compare elementary, middle, and high schools directly?
Compare schools at the same level and within the same enrollment group. Scope Score formulas and available measures differ by level. The plots show comprehensive public schools separately for each level; individual profiles explain their comparison group.
Does living in San Francisco Unified guarantee a particular school?
A district outline does not establish assignment to an individual school. Attendance boundaries, programs, permits, and available space can affect enrollment. Confirm the requirements directly with the district.
What does a SchoolScope pattern mean?
Archetypes summarize patterns in publicly reported academic and school-climate measures. They describe reported results, not a school’s quality or a child’s fit. Open the school profile for reporting years, missing measures, and questions to ask. Read how the patterns are defined.
Where do these results come from?
The underlying public data comes from the California Department of Education, including CAASPP reporting for 2024–25. Scope Scores and archetypes are SchoolScope calculations, not official CDE ratings. View CDE data and SchoolScope’s methodology and limitations.