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Board backs planning for Mission Bay school on Parcel 14, asks superintendent to lead design and timeline
Summary
The San Francisco Board of Education adopted a resolution directing staff to begin planning and community engagement for a school on Parcel 14 in Mission Bay and report back within six months; commissioners and community speakers emphasized the neighborhood's rapid housing growth and the opportunity to include educator housing and UC partnerships.
The San Francisco Board of Education voted to support planning for a new school on Parcel 14 in Mission Bay, directing the superintendent to convene district staff, the City and County of San Francisco, UC San Francisco and community partners to develop a plan and timeline and to report back to the board within six months.
Commissioner Matt Haney, who coauthored the resolution with Vice President Hydra Mendoza McDonald, framed the measure as a response to rapid neighborhood growth and long-term planning language in last November's school-improvement bond. "Parcel 14 is designated to SFUSD and the City and County of San Francisco by UCSF at no cost," Haney said while reading the resolution, noting demographic projections in the text showing district enrollment growth through 2028 and an anticipated influx of new students in the South of Market area.
The resolution asks the superintendent to consider all viable options for the site, including full utilization of permitted building height and potential inclusion of housing for educators, and to consult major institutions and stakeholders during the planning process. It also directs staff to notify relevant parties that the district is "ready, willing and able to commence construction of a school." The bond language cited in the resolution set aside $100,000,000 for new school facilities and identified Mission Bay as a possible location.
A coalition of neighborhood groups and institutional partners urged quick action during public comment. Bruce Agate, lead of the Mission Bay Elementary School Steering Committee, said the community supports the resolution and "we are hopeful that you can set the expectation that the planning process is staged and ensure that the mission-based school scope can be locked down in a timely manner." Supporters pointed to existing housing already completed in Mission Bay and near-term growth projections as reasons to begin planning now.
Board members discussed funding sources and next steps with staff. Budget staff clarified that planning and outreach costs would be drawn from development fees rather than the general fund; Haney and others asked that the district revisit the parcel-tax MOU with the teachers'union and clarify how any QTEA carryover is handled. Members also asked for biannual updates until the school opens and that staff explore partnerships with UCSF and the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure.
The resolution does not appropriate construction dollars or set a final site design; it authorizes a planning process and timelines, and requests that the superintendent report on progress to the board within six months. Public comment at the meeting also urged inclusion of community priorities and educator housing in future planning steps.
The board took the action during its regular April 25 meeting after hearing the QTEA oversight presentation and multiple public comments; work on design, outreach and funding sequencing is expected to follow the staff report-back.
