April 2009Jump in Demand for San Francisco Elementary Schools
In the wake of a 10 percent jump in kindergarten applications for the City’s 63 public elementary schools, last month anxious parents found out what school their children would be invited to attend. Parents of entering kindergarteners identified up to seven schools, with placement dependent on a modified-lottery system. Roughly 78 percent of applicants received at least one of their choices, leaving more than 3,000 applicants mulling over how they feel about their assigned school. This year saw notable changes in parental preferences, with significant jumps in first-choice requests for Alice Fung Yu, Grattan, and newcomer Dianne Feinstein. Requests for Starr King continued to increase, while Daniel Webster, whose Spanish Immersion program attracted a large number of Potrero Hill families, struggled to find applicants for its general education program. Budget constraints prompted the school district to increase kindergarten class sizes, from 20 to 22, enabling the most popular schools to squeeze in a couple more kids, though angering some parents who think teacher-student ratios are already too high. |
This Month's StoriesPublic Benefits Delayed in Eastern Neighborhoods New Economy Emerges in Dogpatch Historic District Channel Street Used As Private Parking Lot Attack on Bicyclists Claims Four Victims, Two in Potrero Lack of Transparency Dogs Community Trust Fund Parking Restrictions Coming to Tennessee Street Property Owners Grapple with Rent Control Regulations “Dogpreneur” Becomes Latest Career Trend Steady Flow of Newcomers Call Potrero Hill Home Jewish Film Festival Turns Thirty On-going Features
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