Coalition Has Formed to Reshape SFUSD Lottery System
A new group of parents and teachers is advocating for major changes to the San Francisco school assignment model.
Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Administration
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A new coalition named Kids, Teachers and Parents (KTAP) has launched to challenge the existing SFUSD school lottery system. The group formed in September 2026 to advocate for a shift toward neighborhood-based school assignments.
Why it matters
The current lottery system, introduced in 2011, has been criticized for failing to reduce racial segregation in schools. KTAP founders claim the process forces families to gamble with their children's future as the district moves toward a potential policy overhaul.
A poll of 600 San Francisco voters indicated that 35% prefer a neighborhood-based assignment model, while 45% of respondents hold a positive view of the district. Additionally, 66% of those polled stated they favor school mergers within the system.
The players
KTAP
This is a coalition of Kids, Teachers and Parents formed to advocate for changes to the SFUSD school assignment process.
Trevor McNeil
He is a founder of the KTAP coalition and serves as a teacher at Lowell High School.
Brian Johnson
He is a founder of the KTAP coalition and works as a teacher at Lowell High School.
Rebecca Kee
She assumed the position of executive director for SF Parents in August 2026.
SFUSD
This is the San Francisco school district responsible for managing the student assignment lottery and community engagement.
The details
The district plans to host community engagement sessions through April 2027 to develop new placement details. A previous Stanford simulation found that moving to a neighborhood model would result in the shortest average commutes for students in the district.
Timeline
The SFUSD lottery system was introduced in 2011.
The school board first called for the lottery to be scrapped in 2018.
Rebecca Kee began her role as executive director of SF Parents in August 2026.
The board is scheduled to review a draft of the new policy in February 2027.
The board plans to hold a final vote on the new assignment policy in April 2027.
Roadmap
The effort to dismantle the lottery system mirrors long-standing debates over school equity and the efficacy of choice-based models in urban education. This movement represents a significant pivot back toward neighborhood-centric schooling models seen in many other major districts.
Parents and families should prepare for upcoming community engagement sessions as the district prepares to transition away from the lottery model. Changes to the assignment policy will directly dictate which schools students can attend starting in the 2027-28 school year.
The takeaway
Families with school-age children should monitor upcoming town hall schedules to provide input on the proposed neighborhood zoning. Engaging early in the process ensures that specific community needs are considered before the board finalizes the new policy in 2027.
What happens next
The school board is scheduled to review a draft of the new policy in February 2027, followed by a final vote on the new assignment policy in April 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about local school governance and policy updates on the Administration section page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The San Francisco Standard.
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