Downtown High

174 Students

High School 9th - 12th

School Overview

Downtown High School, located at 693 Vermont St. in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood, is a specialized alternative high school within the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). Unlike a traditional comprehensive high school, Downtown High is designed to provide a smaller, more personalized learning environment for students who may have struggled in larger school settings. Its mission focuses on academic recovery, credit restoration, and personal growth, aiming to re-engage students who are at risk of dropping out or who need a non-traditional path to graduation.

The school is well-regarded for its supportive culture, emphasizing strong relationships between staff and students. Because of its smaller population, the faculty can offer more individualized attention and flexible scheduling, which helps students meet state graduation requirements while exploring elective interests. By prioritizing a close-knit community and a restorative approach to education, Downtown High serves as a vital resource for students looking to overcome obstacles and successfully transition toward their post-secondary goals.

174

Total Students

4.3

Full-Time Teachers

40.3

Student/Teacher Ratio

71.3%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Downtown High
Demographic	Student Count
White	7
Hispanic	94
Black	32
Asian	8
Two or More	18
Pacific Islander	14

Hispanic
94 (54.3%)
Black
32 (18.5%)
Two or More
18 (10.4%)
Pacific Islander
14 (8.1%)
Asian
8 (4.6%)
White
7 (4.0%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Alternative School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	N/A
District:	San Francisco Unified
Phone:	(415)695-5860
Grade Range:	9th - 12th
Total Students:	174
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	4.3
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	40.3
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	123
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	1

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 9 1

Grade 10 15

Grade 11 64

Grade 12 94