# SFUSD school board votes to end lottery with neighborhood schools > SFUSD board votes 5-2 to replace lottery with neighborhood schools, sparking parent grief and debate. - Title: SFUSD school board votes to end lottery with neighborhood… - Summary: SFUSD board votes 5-2 to replace lottery with neighborhood schools, sparking parent grief and debate. SFUSD school board voted 5-2 to replace citywide school… - Keywords: sfusd, school board, neighborhood schools, school lottery, maria su, sf parents, seismic lottery vote, attendance areas, enrollment system, school choice, news, local - Source: The San Francisco Standard — https://sfstandard.com/2026/10/15/late-pitch-split-board-grieving-parents-sfusd-s-lottery-vote - Published: 2026-10-15T20:57:57+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: sfusd, school board, neighborhood schools, school lottery, maria su, sf parents, seismic lottery vote, attendance areas, enrollment system, school choice, news, local ## SFUSD school board votes 5-2 SFUSD school board voted 5-2 on Tuesday to replace the city’s school lottery with neighborhood schools, overhauling a system that has consumed family life in the city for decades. ## Guaranteed neighborhood seats Every family would be guaranteed a seat at one neighborhood elementary school, even if they apply late, but could apply elsewhere only to citywide programs such as language immersion, K-8 schools, and special education. ## Grieving parents react Parents described feeling grief over the loss of the alternative option that allowed families to apply to any school in the city with room for students. > Parents are feeling a lot of grief today ## SF Parents' response SF Parents, the advocacy group that has pushed for greater school choice, scheduled an impromptu meeting to discuss what they saw as an unexpected breach in Maria Su’s approach. ## Maria Su's push Superintendent Maria Su rallied a majority of the board behind the more restrictive approach, even as some parents warned it could push families out of the district before neighborhood schools improve. ## Commissioner Huling's view Board Vice President Jaime Huling called the decision a historic end to a stressful and unpredictable system families have long faced. > The lottery is dead now, and that’s a great moment for families and for the city ## Commissioner Alexander's stance Commissioner Matt Alexander argued that it is every parent’s responsibility to think about what’s best for their kids, including those who may not have the choice to enroll. > It is every parent’s responsibility to think about what’s best for their kids ## Commissioner Fisher's concern Commissioner Alida Fisher warned that neighborhood schools will be segregated unless the district takes action to address historic zoning laws. > neighborhood schools will, by definition, be segregated schools unless we do things ## Phil Halperin's perspective Phil Halperin, an education philanthropist, said parents naturally focus on their own children while the superintendent and board play a longer game. > Parents are going to play a shorter game, and the superintendent and the board are playing a longer game ## Su's timeline shift Su put school enrollment overhaul first, unveiling a timeline that delayed school closures to no earlier than 2029-30 after the district’s previous plan unraveled. ## Option C details Option C guarantees every family a seat at their neighborhood school but limits where families can apply outside their neighborhood to citywide programs only. ## District projections District projections show 19 of 58 attendance areas lack enough kindergarten seats, a combined shortfall of about 320 seats, even as the district has roughly 14,000 empty seats overall. ## Busing impact Under the lottery, the district’s busing runs one way, with three southeastern ZIP codes holding 37 of 87 general-education bus stops but serving only four of 43 schools. ## CTIP areas Students in Census Tract Integration Preference areas receive priority at any school they list, but address fraud has been a concern for the district. ## Historical context The lottery system was the product of decades of legal and political efforts to integrate schools, including a 1971 federal court ruling that found the district intentionally drew segregated attendance zones. ## Next steps The board will take a final vote on a specific plan April 13, with the new system applying for the 2028-29 school year. ## Key takeaway SFUSD school board voted 5-2 to replace citywide school lottery with neighborhood schools, guaranteeing families a seat close to home but limiting citywide options.