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SFUSD lays out 2015 enrollment timeline; Lowell admissions test to run over four evenings
Summary
Executive Director Darlene Lim presented SFUSD's enrollment calendar: applications accepted Oct. 27–Jan. 16 (Lowell application deadline Dec. 12); round‑1 notifications March 13; Lowell tests in mid‑January across four evenings; online application rollout phased in for round 2.
San Francisco — The San Francisco Unified School District provided a detailed preview of its 2015 enrollment cycle, including dates families should note and changes to Lowell admissions and online application timing.
Executive Director Darlene Lim of the Educational Placement Center told the board the district will launch its enrollment campaign at an enrollment fair on Oct. 25 and accept applications beginning Oct. 27. "Applications will be collected immediately after that enrollment fair until January 16," Lim said. She urged families to apply in Round 1 because that is "their best opportunity to really get one of the schools of choice." The Lowell application deadline is Dec. 12.
Lim said Round 1 notification will go out March 13, 2015, and round‑2 notification is set for May 8, 2015; May 22 is the waiting‑pool deadline, and available school assignment begins June 17. She also said the district will mail pre‑slugged enrollment applications by Oct. 25 to students already enrolled in pre‑K/TK and all fifth and eighth graders.
On Lowell admissions testing Lim said the district will administer the Lowell test over four evenings in mid‑January at Lowell High School and will assign students to specific evenings by last name with flexibility to reschedule if families need another date. "We plan to administer the test at Lowell over 4 evenings," she said.
Lim described outreach efforts including enrollment workshops (some "early bird" sessions before the enrollment fair), satellite application drop‑off sites, home‑neighborhood bus outreach to distribute materials, and targeted work with early‑education and Head Start sites. She also said the district is developing an online application system but will phase it in starting in January for Round 2 because of security and scaling concerns.
Board members asked for follow-up on data and tools. Commissioner Wynne suggested analyzing results from administering the same Lowell test to both public and private school students, calling it an "unintentional experiment" that could yield insights. Several commissioners asked for updates on the online application pilot and improvements to the interactive school‑selector tool.
Next steps: the district encouraged families to attend the Oct. 25 enrollment fair at John O'Connell High School (2355 Folsom Street) on Oct. 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and to use district resources and workshops to complete applications.
