Downtown High

Public (referral) · Potrero Hill · AKA: Downtown, DHS

Downtown High School

Students: ~170
Ratio: 12:1
Tuition: Free

Enrollment: ~170
Student:teacher: 12:1est.
Base tuition: Free
Real cost: $0–$3k

What makes this school special

One of SFUSD's two continuation high schools (with Ida B. Wells), built for juniors and seniors who are behind on credits and want a different way to catch up
Instead of a traditional course schedule, every student earns core credits through one of five interdisciplinary projects: wilderness expeditions (WALC), music production (MARS), theater (ACT), design and making (MADE), or community-based learning (GOAL)
A Wellness Center, twice-a-semester parent conferences, and school-to-career preparation are built into the model, not bolted on

Academics

Curriculum

Project-based credit recovery: each student enrolls in one of five interdisciplinary projects that integrate core subjects with hands-on, experiential learning

Schedule

Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri 9:30am-3:15pm; Wed early release at 12:30pm

Signature programs

Acting for Critical Transformations (ACT)
Get Out and Learn (GOAL)
Making, Advocating and Designing for Empowerment (MADE)
Music and Academics Resisting the System (MARS)
Wilderness Arts and Literacy Collaborative (WALC)

UC admissions

Students here applied to the UC system in fall 2025, but the counts sit below UC’s privacy minimums, so it doesn’t publish them.

See UC’s data

What these numbers can and can’t tell you

Athletics, arts & activities

Arts

TheaterMusicBookmaking & DesignVisual Arts

Life there

Food

Free for all students (SFUSD)

Learning support

On-site Wellness Center with counseling, school-to-career preparation, service learning, parent conferences twice per semester

Applying

Key dates

Application due: Rolling (referral)

The application

Downtown is not part of the SFUSD lottery: you can't list it on a choice application. Students are placed by referral: a current SFUSD student starts the conversation with their school counselor (or the Student Family School Resource Link at sflink@sfusd.edu), while students new to the district go to the Enrollment Center at 555 Franklin Street. Enrollees must be at least 16 (18 and over need the principal's permission), and placements are made on a space-available, rolling basis. The small, project-based program is built for students who need a different setting than a large comprehensive to finish high school.

Application requirements

Referral conversation with your school counselor, or contact the Student Family School Resource Link (sflink@sfusd.edu, 415-340-1716)
At least 16 years old at enrollment (18+ requires the principal's permission)
New to SFUSD — enroll at the Enrollment Center, 555 Franklin Street

Testing

None — placed by referral

Getting there

693 Vermont Street

Transit

19 Polk, 9 San Bruno
22 Fillmore

Transit directions

Contact the school

EnrollmentCenter@sfusd.edu Visit the admissions site

Still thinking about Downtown High?

Save it to your shortlist and come back anytime.

Often on the same list

Ida B. Wells High School

Public (referral)

Independence High School

Public (referral)

Life Learning Academy Charter School

Public charter

Sources

Downtown High School | SFUSD — name, address, grades, schedule, programs, support services
Project-Based Learning at DHS | SFUSD — the five interdisciplinary projects
Attendance Options: Alternative Schools | SFUSD Student & Family Handbook 3.8.10 — referral process, age requirement, space-availability placement
NCES Common Core of Data (2024-25) — enrollment, % students of color
SFMTA — 19 Polk, 9 San Bruno, 22 Fillmore — transit routes
SFUSD School Accountability Report Card (SARC) — student:teacher ratio estimated from the SARC's average class size of 14 and ~170 students per 13–17 teachers (the NCES CCD figure is a known reporting artifact)

Details checked August 2026