San Francisco Unified School District

San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) has a choice-based system called the Student Assignment System. On the application form, you list seven schools in order of preference. To be included in the first round of assignments, your application must be received by the January deadline. Students are admitted based on the family's choice and available space. Most families get one of their choices. Through a separate process, you can also apply to charter schools or schools outside the district. San Francisco has two specialized public high schools that have specific requirements and require separate applications: Lowell High, a college prep high school with a selective admissions policy; and School of the Arts (SOTA), an arts school that requires an application and audition. Under the federal No Child Left Behind law, students attending a Title I school designated as "in need of improvement" have the right to attend a higher-performing school in the district.