What Are the Best San Francisco High Schools?

However, that’s not enough – if your reason to move is getting a better education, you want to know which of the many educational institutions there are at the top, what it takes to enroll in one, where the highest academic performance is, and so on. Let us clear any doubts you might have and help you make the right choice. Let’s start with the difference between private and public institutions, to begin with, and then suggest which ones to take into consideration.

Private vs. Public High School in SF

SF is one of the best cities to raise a family in California, but what’s interesting to know about the public schooling system is that students are not necessarily enrolled in a school just based on their residential address. Keep this in mind when moving to this big city and choosing among the best neighborhoods in San Francisco. There’s no use in picking an area based on how close good schools are if your child ends up in a whole other one.

Nonetheless, you will have a chance to submit a list of a couple of your preferred ones. San Francisco Unified School District actually requires a selection application based on which the child will be assigned to an educational institution.

As for private schools, know that these are rather pricey, so when you start planning the moving budget, add these expenses, too and start thinking about the cheapest way to move out of state. Private schools are also quite strict, and only those who pass the rigorous testing and interviews can hope to be accepted.

Top-Ranked San Francisco High Schools

When you pick among the best places to live in San Francisco, it’s time to find the perfect school for your teenager, too. Moving with kids requires additional preparation to avoid relocation depression and help them cope with moving stress, and this is one of the most important aspects to pay attention to for every parent.

So, before you get down to packing tips and tricks for moving day and making a photo inventory, or hiring San Francisco relocation experts to provide you with professional packing services, make sure you’ve taken care of your child’s education in the new city. After that, you can start thinking about transporting your car across the country and opt for auto shipping services as well. You can use some tools to check how safe your neighborhood is before you start house-hunting, but what about schooling? Consider some of the following.

Abraham Lincoln High

This is a California Distinguished school with more than 2,000 students and a student-teacher ratio of 20:1.  In 2018, it was placed among the top 2% of the top-ranked public schools in the country, according to US News & World Report. It provides students with college prep programs, as well as honors programs and services for Special Education.

Lowell High – One of the Best in San Fran

Here we come to the third-best magnet high school in California and one of the highest performing ones, one where the average graduation rate is 98%. It has been recognized as a California Distinguished School eight times so far. Naturally, competition here is quite fierce, and students have to prepare for rigorous testing and college prep programs.

George Washington

In George Washington, the focus is on a student as a lifelong learner who needs to learn how to think critically and how to reach their full potential eventually. The ultimate goal is to make each student capable of contributing to his community. There are also all kinds of organizations and clubs for students to participate in. The focus is on both top academic and ethical standards.

Galileo High

In Galileo, they strive for a balance between college preparation and preparation for work and life. It offers great Honors, Advanced Placement, as well as Special Education. Students can also get additional academic counseling for college preparation if needed. This is a diverse educational institution with a student-teacher ratio of 21:1. Speaking of diversity, let’s take a look at the following table

Gateway High

Gateway counts a somewhat smaller number of students – about 470. Thus, the classes are of small size, but the standards are at an enviable level. So far, over 96% of graduates have gone to college. The policy at Gateway is that each student learns differently, but that doesn’t mean that not all students can achieve success in the future – on the contrary.

Top Recommended Schools for the Lower Grade Levels

Both primary and secondary schooling is of great importance for a child’s further development luckily you are relocating to one of the best cities to raise a family in the US, so there will be plenty of educational institutions. So, in case you’re also looking for an elementary or middle school for your younger child, we would like to give you some ideas. These, too, are of rather good quality, so there’s no need for worries.

Alamo Elementary School

Alamo counts 533 students from preschool to fifth grade. The focus is on the community, as well as the development of a child’s social and emotional skills. The cost of living in San Francisco can be somewhat steep, and this is especially the case if you decide to move somewhere close to Alamo, as the neighborhood is somewhat pricey. If you’re relocating on a tight budget and you need a more affordable solution, moving to the suburbs is always a good idea to reduce the costs of moving, as well as donating unwanted items.

A.P. Giannini Middle School

A.P. Giannini covers grades sixth through eighth. It is a diverse place where they work on the intellectual as well as social and emotional development of the students. Another important aspect is the strengthening of the relationship with community members. Their goal is to make their students “critical thinkers, globally conscious, and lifelong learners.” So, if that’s something you want for your kid, start thinking about how to change your address to avoid making this common moving mistake and head to SF Sunset district.

Summary

When you figure out how to reduce relocation expenses anytime is the best time of the year to move here for education because as you can see, SF really does offer top-notch educational opportunities regardless of age, nationality, social status, etc. So it can be worth moving into a smaller home if you get closer to some of these schools. College options in the Bay area are also something to keep in mind because many are moving alone to another state just to get closer to them. Your kids probably won’t be that thrilled about moving to SF, as we all know how making friends in a new city can be stressful. But when you get there, it won’t be long before they come to love SF and the new community even more than the old one – that’s how satisfied students there are.