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SF Board approves Gateway and KIPP charter changes to add admission preferences
Summary
The San Francisco Board of Education voted to approve material revisions to Gateway and KIPP charter petitions that add prioritized admission preferences (siblings/staff, in‑district students, and a new free/reduced‑price meal preference), moves the district to require resident first preference and asks petitioners to continue outreach. Both motions passed with six ayes.
The San Francisco Board of Education on Sept. 23 approved material revisions to the Gateway High School and KIPP College Preparatory charter petitions to establish a specified order of admission preferences, the board announced after roll‑call votes.
For Gateway, the board adopted an amend‑by‑substitution that prioritizes district residents and defines a seven‑tier preference order including siblings of current students and children of employees, current Gateway middle‑school students in‑district, and a newly added preference for students eligible for free and reduced‑price meals, a district designee, Mr. Michael Davis, read into the record. Three public speakers — parent Henry Pacheco, Gateway freshman Brianna King and parent Elaine Gee — told the board they supported an admission preference that would ease the middle‑to‑high‑school transition for Gateway families. "I believe it is in every student's best interest to continue with a consistent approach at Gateway High," Henry Pacheco said.
KIPP’s requested change was similar in structure: the board approved a seven‑tier list read by the superintendent’s designee that gives first priority to siblings and children of employees who live in the district, followed by KIPP middle‑school students who reside in the district and, in third place, students eligible for free and reduced‑price meals who live in‑district. Curriculum committee members told the board KIPP expects to hold roughly 20 percent of ninth‑grade seats for non‑KIPP SFUSD students; KIPP staff said they would also market other SFUSD high‑school options to their middle‑school families.
Board members pressed both petitioners about capacity and outreach. Commissioner Norton asked whether the free‑and‑reduced‑price meals preference was new; staff and petition leaders confirmed it was, and that U.S. Department of Education guidance issued earlier in the year permitted the preference. Commissioners emphasized that petitioners must continue to counsel middle‑school families about all high‑school options so other schools’ enrollment is not unduly reduced.
Both amendments were approved by roll call and recorded as six ayes. The board noted the revisions were made to align with general counsel guidance and state law. The approvals require petitioners to follow through on promised outreach and counseling plans to ensure the changes do not unfairly disadvantage other SFUSD students.
What happens next: The material‑revision approvals let Gateway and KIPP implement the stated preferences in their upcoming lotteries but do not remove SFUSD’s oversight: the district will monitor capacity, outreach and whether advertised preferences result in the intended diversity and access outcomes.
