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City Arts & Leadership

“Nurturing the Leaders of Tomorrow”

AKA: CAL, CAL Academy, CALAExcelsiorPublic charter

Students
~400
Ratio
17:1
Tuition
Free

Admissions

Priority application due
Late February
Lottery results
Early March
info@cityartsandleadership.org
Visit admissions site

What makes this school special

  • Formed in August 2022 when two long-running SF charters, City Arts & Technology High and Leadership High, merged into one Envision Education school on the Seneca Avenue campus
  • Every student defends a portfolio of their work before a panel (a Benchmark Portfolio to advance past 10th grade, a College Success Portfolio to graduate) — the cornerstone of Envision's deeper-learning model
  • Juniors and seniors leave campus for full-time Workplace Learning internships with site mentors, capped by public presentations
  • Graduation requires more than credits: 100% A-G (UC/CSU) coursework, a four-year-college application, FAFSA, and a scholarship application; the school reports 90%+ of graduates are accepted to four-year colleges
  • About 400 students, with an advisory system and on-site wellness staff

Academics

Curriculum

Envision Education deeper-learning model: project-based classes, portfolio defenses in 10th and 12th grade, and 100% A-G coursework; four AP courses

World languages

Spanish

Signature programs

  • Portfolio Defense (Envision's model, used since 2002)
  • Workplace Learning Experience — full-time internships for 11th-12th graders
  • Advisory program with dedicated advisors
  • 100% A-G college-prep pathway
  • Arts integration (Visual Arts 1 & 2)

Athletics, arts & activities

Athletics · CIF San Francisco Section

BasketballSoccer

Arts

Visual Arts 1Visual Arts 2Dance Club

Clubs & activities

Black Student UnionMEChAFilipino ClubSports ClubCamping ClubDance Club
See all clubs

Life there

Learning support

Special education and RTI, Learning Specialist, social worker, Community Wellness Director, Seneca counselor, advisory, college counseling

Often on the same list

KIPP San Francisco College Preparatory

Public charter

Gateway High School

Public charter

Balboa High School

Public

Sources

  1. City Arts & Leadership Academy — name, motto, address, college acceptance figure
  2. Enroll | CAL Academy — application platform, process, contact
  3. Academics | CAL Academy — portfolio defenses, academic model
  4. Graduation Requirements | CAL Academy — A-G, college application, FAFSA requirements
  5. Athletics and Clubs | CAL Academy — clubs
  6. Student Support Services | CAL Academy — learning support
  7. Our Team | CAL Academy — AP courses and Spanish (from teaching assignments)
  8. City Arts & Leadership | Envision Education — 2022 merger, network model
  9. Envision Education — lottery cycle dates, Workplace Learning
  10. NCES Common Core of Data (2024-25) — enrollment, student:teacher ratio, % students of color
  11. MaxPreps — CAL Hawks — sports teams, CIF SF Section

Last reviewed July 2026