Independence High
AKA: Independence, IHSInner SunsetPublic (referral)
Independence High School
AKA: Independence, IHSInner SunsetPublic (referral)
- Students
- ~240
- Ratio
- 16:1
- Tuition
- Free
- Enrollment
- ~240
- Student:teacher
- 16:1
- Base tuition
- Free
- Real cost
- $0–$3k
What makes this school special
- SFUSD's independent-study high school: students come to campus 5-15 hours a week and do the rest of their coursework on their own schedule, each with an assigned advisor
- Built for students whose lives don't fit an 8-to-3 bell schedule — jobs, family caregiving, serious athletic or artistic commitments
- Unlike the district's continuation schools, families can actively request Independence; there's no age minimum and no credit-deficiency requirement
- Real enrichment despite the flexible format: a Media Arts CTE pathway with a KQED-TV collaboration, dual credit at City College, internships, and electives from surfing to mural painting to LGBTQIA Studies
Academics
Curriculum
Independent study with flexible, individualized scheduling: students attend campus 5-15 hours per week and complete coursework on their own, supported by an assigned advisor, with project-based and online options
Schedule
Flexible/individualized; campus open Mon-Thu 9:00am-3:00pm, Fri 9:00am-12:45pm
Signature programs
- Media Arts CTE pathway (video, digital art; KQED-TV collaboration)
- Concurrent enrollment at City College of San Francisco (dual credit)
- Internship placement and job training
- Electives — surfing, outdoor education, mural painting, journalism, LGBTQIA Studies, film studies
Athletics, arts & activities
Arts
CeramicsDrawingPaintingMural PaintingMedia Arts
Life there
Food
Free for all students (SFUSD)
Learning support
Advisory system (every student has a go-to adult), Learning Lab, college counseling, Wellness Center with daily drop-in
Often on the same list
Sources
- Independence High School | SFUSD — name, address, grades, model, programs, support services
- How to Apply to Independence High School | SFUSD — voluntary transfer process, school code, orientation
- Attendance Options: Alternative Schools | SFUSD Student & Family Handbook 3.8.10 — alternative-school enrollment options
- NCES Common Core of Data (2024-25) — enrollment, student:teacher ratio, % students of color
- SFMTA — 6 Haight/Parnassus, N Judah, 44 O'Shaughnessy — transit routes
Last reviewed July 2026