When you think of San Francisco, you might picture steep hills or the Golden Gate Bridge. For those who live in the City by the Bay or are considering a move there, there’s also something to be said about the quality of the schools. The San Francisco Unified School District is a highly rated district with almost 50,000 students. However, like any school district in a large city, there are some schools where students are falling behind. Some of the worst schools in San Francisco have students with low proficiency scores, problematic academic progress, and low graduation rates.
The schools listed below as some of the worst schools in San Francisco have low proficiency rates in core subjects, low academic progress from year to year, or low graduation rates prepared to the state average. Although these factors aren’t the only way to measure the success of a school or its students, they do provide some data on how well students are learning.
Keep reading to find out about some of the worst schools in San Francisco and how their scores compare to other schools in the state.
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César Chávez Elementary School
825 Shotwell Street, San Francisco, CA, 94110
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César Chávez Elementary School is a public elementary school in San Francisco with 427 students. The core values of this school include excellence in academic achievement, respect for diversity, and strength in character. Part of their mission is to focus on the individual strengths of each student and provide them with high expectations to ensure they reach their fullest potential.
At César Chávez Elementary School, teachers focus on rigorous academic practices to help students meet the educational standards. However, many students at this school are falling behind their peers. Only 5% of students are proficient in math, 8% are proficient in English, and 1% are proficient in science. Additionally, students are making very few gains from year to year. This means students are starting lower than their peers at other schools and they also aren’t catching up throughout the year.
Sanchez Elementary School
325 Sanchez Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114
Sanchez Elementary School is a public school in the Bay Area with 277 students in grades K-5. This elementary school has a strong community and they believe in the importance of partnering with families to help students reach their learning goals. Sanchez Elementary also participates in the MOSAIC project, which means their teaching specifically focuses on mutual respect, open-mindedness, self-respect, attitude, individuality, and community.
Despite the strong community, students at Sanchez Elementary are falling behind academically compared to their peers at other San Francisco schools. While the state average for English proficiency is 47%, only 10% of students at Sanchez Elementary are proficient in English. Their lowest subject is science, with only 3% of students showing proficiency. This school has also rated low on academic progress due to students continuing to fall behind from one grade to the next.
Paul Revere PreK-8 School
555 Tompkins Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94110
Paul Revere School is a public school in San Francisco that serves about 438 students in grades Pre-K-8. The student:teacher ratio at this school is 13:1, which is low compared to the state average of 22:1. 57% of the teachers at Paul Revere K-8 have 3 or more years of teaching experience and 83% of students come from low-income families.
According to the state test scores, students at Paul Revere K-8 are falling behind in English, math, and science. Only 11% of students are proficient in English, 6% are proficient in math, and 7% are proficient in science. Although they offer courses such as music, world languages, and performing arts, students are not keeping up with the state standards in their core subjects.
El Dorado Elementary School
70 Delta Street, San Francisco, CA, 94134
El Dorado Elementary School in San Francisco is a diverse school that serves 125 students. One of the goals of this school is to offer students extended learning opportunities and to help all students reach their full potential. They focus on the whole child, including their social-emotional well-being. They also use standards-based instructional practices to help students prepare for the future.
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At El Dorado Elementary, the students have test scores that suggest they’re falling behind and not performing at grade level. While English is the highest core subject at this elementary school, only 19% of students are proficient. This is relatively low compared to the state average of 47%. Likewise, 5% of students are proficient in math and science.
Bret Harte Elementary School
1035 Gilman Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94124
Bret Harte Elementary School is a public school that’s part of the San Francisco Unified School District. They have a student population of 241. Their mission as a school is to provide high-quality instructional programs to all their students within a safe and engaging learning environment.
The academic progress and scores at Bret Harte Elementary School are exceptionally low, especially when it comes to science classes. Although both the math and English scores of students are below the state average, less than 1% of students are proficient in science.
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Dr. Charles R. Drew College Preparatory Academy
50 Pomona Street, San Francisco, CA, 94124
Dr. Charles R. Drew College Preparatory Academy is a public school in San Francisco that serves students from preschool to 5th grade. They serve a total of 165 students and have a student:teacher ratio of 18:1. At this college prep school, they focus on learning, creativity, and social-emotional development. They aim to prepare students for the future by having certified teachers who are dedicated to meeting the needs of each individual student.
Students at Dr. Charles R. Drew College Preparatory Academy have fallen behind their peers when it comes to academic progress and proficiency in core subjects. The test scores of students show that they’re struggling in many areas including English, science, and math. The lowest subject at this school that needs the most interventions is math with only 5% of students showing proficiency compared to the state average of 33%.
Everett Middle School
450 Church Street, San Francisco, CA, 94114
Everett Middle School is a public middle school in San Francisco with 598 students in grades 6-8. This school serves a diverse community of students and its academic program includes Spanish Immersion instruction as well as enrichment in various other subjects. They also have an inclusive school model so that it’s possible to educate students of all levels and abilities. Additionally, they focus on supporting those who are English learners or have IEPs.
Despite the support and structure at Everett Middle School, many of the students are still behind their peers. When it comes to their test scores, only 10% of students show proficiency in math and science and 18% of students are proficient in English.
Visitacion Valley Middle School
1971 Visitacion Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94134
Visitacion Valley Middle School is a public middle school in the San Francisco Unified School District. They currently serve 347 students in grades 6-8. Part of the mission of Visitacion Valley Middle School is to create an inclusive and collaborative environment to strengthen each student’s passion for learning. They also focus on love, literacy, and liberation.
When it comes to test scores to reflect what students are learning, they do fall behind their peers at other middle schools across the state. Although English is the subject most students are proficient in, they still fall below the state average with only 28% of students proficient in English. The scores for math and science are even lower with only 9% of students showing proficiency in math and 11% of students showing proficiency in science.
- 4-serving meals starting at $3.77 per serving (up to 25% cheaper than HelloFresh).
- Incredible variety with 10+ weekly meal options, delivered directly to you.
- Easy to prepare meals ready in 30-minutes or less.
Thurgood Marshall High School
45 Conkling Street, San Francisco, CA, 94124
Thurgood Marshall High School is a public high school in San Francisco with 526 students. This high school is a college preparatory school that aims to prepare students for higher education and success. With a diverse student population, they focus on active participation from students, parents, and the community. The academic program at Thurgood Marshall High School includes core courses as well as elective courses. Students can also prepare for their future education by taking honors and advanced placement courses.
While Thurgood Marshall High School has dedicated staff and teachers who encourage students to challenge themselves, only 5% of the students participate in AP math courses, 2% participate in AP science courses, and 3% participate in other AP courses. They have a graduation rate of 72%, which falls below the state average of 87%.
Comparing Schools in San Francisco
Despite the large number of students in this school district, not every school in San Francisco is highly rated. In fact, some of the worst schools in San Francisco have students who are falling significantly behind the grade-level standards.
When it comes to overall schools and progress, there are many ways for students to receive interventions and support to prepare for college and a future career. If you’re considering a school for your child in San Francisco, consider factors like test scores, academic progress, and graduation rates when comparing one school to the next.
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