S.F. International High

S.F. International High is a public high school serving 382 students in grades 8-12 within the San Francisco Unified district, designed to support a specialized population of recent immigrant and multilingual students.

The school faces significant academic challenges, with its statewide ranking falling to the 6th percentile and very low proficiency rates in core subjects; however, it demonstrates a notable strength in serving its English Language Learner (ELL) students, ranking in the top quartile of California schools for this subgroup. This creates a complex picture where the school is exceptionally effective for its intended ELL population but struggles with low graduation rates, high chronic absenteeism, and is the lowest-performing school in the state for supporting homeless students. Its performance has declined more sharply than some nearby schools like Marshall (Thurgood) High or Downtown High.

Comparisons with other schools reveal important context: while per-student spending is similar to other district high schools, a charter school like KIPP San Francisco College Preparatory—serving a similarly disadvantaged population—achieves far better outcomes with significantly more funding and a lower student-teacher ratio. Furthermore, low graduation rates are a challenge across the San Francisco Unified district. This suggests S.F. International High plays a unique and vital role for immigrant students, but its overall metrics are impacted by systemic challenges and the specific, profound needs of its student body.