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How the San Francisco School Lottery Works, and How It Doesn't

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A kindergartener in S.F. could be assigned to any of the 72 elementary schools in the entire city. (Courtesy of Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for American Education: Images of Teachers and Students in Action)

Sending your kid to public school in San Francisco isn’t a simple process. A kindergartener here could be assigned to any of the 72 elementary schools in the entire city. Parents do get to list their most-wanted schools, but there’s no guarantee where their kid will end up. It could be a 45 minute drive across town, or at a low performing school. It’s this uncertainty that drives parents crazy.

This week listener Carolyn Pan asked Bay Curious how the lottery system works, why the city does it this way, and if it's helping to make city schools more diverse. Listen to the episode above for the story.

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