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Burton

AKA: BHSPortolaPublic

Students
~1,050
Ratio
19:1
Tuition
Free

Admissions

Application opens
October 23, 2026
Main Round application due
February 1, 2027
Offers released
Week of March 15, 2027
EnrollmentCenter@sfusd.edu
Visit admissions site

What makes this school special

  • Founded in 1984 out of a consent decree between San Francisco and the NAACP; about 75% of graduates enroll in college each year
  • Four career academies — arts & media, engineering, health sciences, performing arts: Health Sciences places students in internships at area hospitals, and Engineering is project-based, from computer modeling to physical prototyping
  • A community school: the PACE program offers free services, and tutoring runs at lunch and after school until 5:30 pm
  • Public radio station KALW broadcasts from the campus

Academics

Curriculum

Wall-to-wall career academies — every student joins one of four small learning communities; 11 AP courses plus honors

World languages

Mandarin, Spanish

Schedule

Seven periods; block Wednesdays and Thursdays, optional 8th-period enrichment

Signature programs

  • Academy of Arts, Media & Entertainment
  • Academy of Engineering
  • Academy of Health Sciences (hospital internships)
  • Academy of Performing Arts
  • PACE community school program

Athletics, arts & activities

Athletics · CIF San Francisco Section (AAA)

BadmintonBaseballBasketballCross CountryFlag FootballFootballGolfSoccerSoftballSpirit SquadTennisTrack & FieldVolleyballWrestling

Arts

BandJazz BandVisual ArtsCeramicsDanceMedia ArtsPerforming Arts (music ensembles)ColorguardDrama Club

Clubs & activities · 29+

Associated Student BodyBring Change 2 MindBroadcast ClubChessColorguardCooking ClubDramaEthics BowlLion DanceLost Cards Dance CrewMabuhay ClubMandarin ClubMedical ResearchMock TrialLiterature ClubProject STEM Tutoring
See all clubs

Life there

Food

Free for all students (SFUSD)

Learning support

Wellness Center with mental-health counseling and teen clinic, academic counseling, co-teaching/inclusion, free tutoring at lunch and after school until 5:30 pm, PACE community-school services, Bayview YMCA after-school programs

Notable alumni

  • Antonio Warren (professional football player)

Often on the same list

Balboa High School

Public

Mission High School

Public

Thurgood Marshall Academic High School

Public

Sources

  1. Phillip and Sala Burton Academic High School | SFUSD — name, address, neighborhood, mascot
  2. About Burton HS | SFUSD — 1984 founding, consent decree, PACE, college matriculation
  3. The Academies | SFUSD — the four career academies
  4. AP Classes | SFUSD — AP course list
  5. Bell Schedule | SFUSD — schedule
  6. Burton details | SFUSD — world languages, arts, sports, support services
  7. Burton Clubs | SFUSD — 2025-26 club roster
  8. NCES Common Core of Data (2024-25) — enrollment, student:teacher ratio, % students of color
  9. How student assignment works | SFUSD — application process, deadlines, tiebreakers
  10. MaxPreps — Burton Pumas — sports team genders
  11. Phillip and Sala Burton Academic High School | Wikipedia — KALW, alumni

Last reviewed July 2026