NewsMission LocalOctober 29, 2026San Francisco County
District 10 supervisor candidates respond on whether San Francisco should eliminate its school lottery system
Photo: Mission Local
District 10 supervisor candidates share their positions on the San Francisco Board of Education's recent vote to eliminate the school district's lottery system in favor of neighborhood-based school assignments. The article outlines the local debate over whether neighborhood assignments will stabilize enrollment and resource allocation or potentially deepen educational inequities in southeast San Francisco.
Read the full story at Mission LocalWhy It Matters
San Francisco families face a shift from a choice-based school lottery to neighborhood assignments, altering how students are placed in public schools and how educational resources are distributed across districts.
Key Facts
- On Oct. 14, San Francisco's Board of Education voted to eliminate the school district's lottery system.
- The board voted to replace the lottery with neighborhood-based school assignments.
- The previous lottery system allowed parents to choose schools outside of their neighborhood through a ranked-choice method.
- District 10 includes San Francisco's largest southeast sector, featuring Bayview-Hunters Point, Potrero Hill, Visitacion Valley, Dogpatch, and Sunnydale.
- Willie Brown Middle School and other schools in San Francisco's southeast have historically faced resource inequities and segregation.
- Board Vice President Jaime Huling voted for the change to neighborhood-based placement to help the district focus on improving schools citywide and creating equitable resources.
- Some critics and candidates worry that neighborhood assignments could deepen racial and economic segregation without prior equitable resource allocation.
- Candidates participating in the series gave differing perspectives on whether they support the school board's choice.
Who's Mentioned
locationPotrero Hill“Neighborhood in District 10.”PersonScott Wiener“State Senator who endorsed a candidate.”PersonSophie Maxwell“Former Supervisor who endorsed a candidate.”PersonKevin Mullin“Congressman who endorsed a candidate.”PersonDaniel Lurie“Mayor who endorsed a candidate.”OrganizationHarvey Milk Democratic Club“Endorsed a District 10 candidate.”OrganizationUnited Educators of San Francisco“Endorsed a District 10 candidate.”OrganizationSan Francisco Democratic Party“Endorsed a candidate.”locationBayview-Hunters Point“Neighborhood in District 10.”locationDogpatch“Neighborhood in District 10.”PersonMarina Newman“Staff reporter at Mission Local.”OrganizationSan Francisco Board of Education“Voted to eliminate the school district's lottery system.”PersonMalia Cohen“State Controller who endorsed a candidate.”OrganizationSF League of Pissed Off Voters“Endorsed a District 10 candidate.”PersonMyrna Melgar“Supervisor who endorsed a candidate.”OrganizationWillie Brown Middle School“A school in San Francisco's southeast that has historically been underfunded and”locationSunnydale“Neighborhood in District 10.”PersonLateefah Simon“Congresswoman who endorsed a candidate.”OrganizationSan Francisco Unified School District“The school district affected by the lottery system change.”locationVisitacion Valley“Neighborhood in District 10.”PersonMatt Dorsey“Supervisor who endorsed a candidate.”PersonJaime Huling“Vice President who voted for the change back to neighborhood-based school placem”PersonAaron Peskin“Former Supervisor who endorsed a candidate.”PersonArt Agnos“Former Mayor who endorsed a candidate.”PersonJohn Avalos“Former Supervisor who endorsed a candidate.”PersonWillie Brown“Former Mayor who endorsed a candidate.”PersonLondon Breed“Former Mayor who endorsed a candidate.”PersonEleni Kounalakis“Lieutenant Governor who endorsed a candidate.”PersonDean Preston“Former Supervisor who endorsed a candidate.”PersonFiona Ma“State Treasurer who endorsed a candidate.”PersonShamann Walton“Supervisor who endorsed a candidate.”OrganizationCalifornia Working Families Party“Endorsed a District 10 candidate.”PersonConnie Chan“Supervisor who endorsed a candidate.”