Public · Mission · AKA: O'C
John O'Connell
Public · Mission · AKA: O'C
John O'Connell High School
Your shortlist gathers the schools you’re considering, deadlines included.
- Students
- ~460
- Ratio
- 16:1
- Tuition
- Free
- Enrollment
- ~460
- Student:teacher
- 16:1
- Base tuition
- Free
- Real cost
- $0–$3k
What makes this school special
- A small school built around career pathways: ninth and tenth graders learn in thematic "houses" (Humanities & Social Justice; Liberation & Resistance Studies; Science, Communication & Sustainability), then choose a two-year pathway lab — culinary entrepreneurship, health sciences, construction and environmental tech, or public service
- Every pathway connects to the real economy: City College dual enrollment (college classes for credit) and a senior-year work-based internship are built into the model
- With 88 ninth-grade seats per cycle, it is one of the smallest comprehensive high schools in SFUSD
- A Wellness Center with a full-time nurse and therapist, plus a partnership with the Mission Neighborhood Health Clinic
- One to watch: a December 2025 school-board resolution reopened SFUSD consolidations for 2027-28, and an earlier, since-scrapped 2024 plan would have moved June Jordan School for Equity onto the O'Connell campus. Nothing has been decided
Academics
Curriculum
College prep through career pathways: thematic houses in grades 9-10, then two-year CTE pathway labs in grades 11-12, with CCSF dual enrollment and senior internships
World languages
Spanish, French
Schedule
Six periods; Wednesday advisory with early release
Signature programs
- Entrepreneurship & Culinary Arts pathway (CTE)
- Health & Behavioral Sciences pathway (CTE)
- Construction & Environmental Technology pathway (CTE)
- Public Service pathway (CTE)
- City College of San Francisco dual enrollment
- Senior-year work-based internships
UC admissions · For fall 2025 entry
- applied
- 7
- admitted to at least one campus
- 5
- enrolled at a UC
- fewer than 3
UC withholds counts this small to protect students’ privacy.
What these numbers can and can’t tell youAthletics, arts & activities
Athletics · CIF San Francisco Section (AAA)
BadmintonBaseballBasketball (boys)Cross CountrySoccerSoftballTrack & FieldVolleyball (girls)Wrestling
Arts
Visual ArtsPerforming ArtsMedia ArtsCreative WritingCulinary Arts
Life there
Food
Free for all students (SFUSD)
Learning support
Special Education (RSP, separate classes, ACCESS), Wellness Center with full-time nurse and therapist, College & Career Center, refugee and immigrant support, free after-school tutoring until 6 pm (ExCEL/YMCA)
Often on the same list
Sources
- John O'Connell High School | SFUSD — name, address, houses and pathways, support services
- About O'Connell | SFUSD — history, mission, AP offerings, dual enrollment
- O'Connell Details | SFUSD — seats, sports, arts, world language, after-school program
- NCES Common Core of Data (2024-25) — enrollment, student:teacher ratio, % students of color
- How student assignment works | SFUSD — application process, deadlines, tiebreakers
- Member high schools | CIF San Francisco Section — AAA league membership
- SFUSD school reorganization discussion | SF Standard (Dec 2025) — floated June Jordan relocation, no decision
- CIF SF Section standings (2024-25 varsity) and season calendar — teams by sport and gender, sport seasons
- UC A-G course list — John O'Connell High School — the 2026-27 course list the school files with the University of California: 3 AP courses and 3 UC-approved honors courses beyond AP. The same filing names the languages the school teaches: French, Spanish
Details checked August 2026