South San Francisco Unified, CA

Original Research by School Decision on South San Francisco Unified

South San Francisco Unified serves kindergarten through twelfth grade across a collection of elementary schools, three middle schools, two traditional high schools, a continuation school, and a community day program. The district enrolls a substantial enrollment spread evenly across grades, with slightly larger senior classes. The student body is diverse: about half of students identify as Hispanic, and roughly a third are Asian. The district spans South San Francisco itself along with portions of Brisbane, Daly City, Pacifica, and San Bruno.

The housing market in the district's area is expensive. Median home values in South San Francisco proper are substantial, and rents are similarly high. Mortgage payments on a median home, with standard down payment and current rates, would consume a considerable share of household income. This is the Bay Area peninsula, and property costs and rental costs both reflect that. Year-over-year home values have appreciated slightly, and rents have risen in the past year as well.

Academically, the district's state assessment results show students performing below the midpoint across proficiency benchmarks. In English language arts, proficiency ranges from the low-to-mid range in elementary grades and holds relatively steady through middle grades. Math proficiency drops notably in sixth grade and remains lower in seventh and eighth grades than it was in the primary grades. Science proficiency, measured in fifth and eighth grades, sits in the lower range. The district's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among San Mateo County's districts. Chronic absenteeism is also slightly above the county median, sitting at just under a quarter of the student body. Per-pupil spending falls in the lower half of the middle range among county districts.

Two curriculum and facility shifts are reshaping the pathway forward. Starting in 2023-24, middle school math was reorganized: students now typically enroll in accelerated math in eighth grade rather than seventh, and the district added a seventh class period to the middle school schedule, giving students seven courses daily. The new structure keeps algebra and geometry pathways open but pushes acceleration back a year. This is a material change for families planning secondary school math sequences. Separately, voters passed a school improvement bond in 2022 that is funding modernization of buildings, instructional technology, and affordable housing for staff and teachers. Construction has already begun, including a new central kitchen and cafeteria at El Camino High and field upgrades at Westborough Middle. These projects will continue for years and affect both the physical experience of schooling and local property-tax obligations.

The district sits in a region where academic performance gaps are visible early and widen through middle grades. For families considering a move to the area or those already here weighing school options, the relatively lower state proficiency results are important to understand alongside the structural improvements underway in buildings and instructional organization. The high cost of living and property taxes, now including the bond measure, are also material factors in the overall picture of what life in these schools and this community entails.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

7,770

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 49%

Black 1%

White 6%

Asian 35%

Two+ 7%

Am. Indian / AK Native 1%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 1%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr ALL

33%

—

Gr 3

30%

60%

Gr 4

31%

66%

Gr 5

32%

68%

Gr 6

30%

56%

Gr 7

28%

62%

Gr 8

33%

55%

Gr 11

47%

—

Math

Gr ALL

24%

—

Gr 3

38%

67%

Gr 4

29%

67%

Gr 5

20%

60%

Gr 6

18%

41%

Gr 7

20%

50%

Gr 8

26%

43%

Gr 11

16%

—

Science

Gr ALL

27%

—

Gr 5

20%

51%

Gr 8

20%

39%

Gr 12

27%

—

Gr HS

22%

—

Gr UG_SEC

27%

—

Schools in this District

17 schools are officially reported under this district.

Alta Loma Middle

Baden High (Continuation)

Buri Buri Elementary

El Camino High

Junipero Serra Elementary

Los Cerritos Elementary

Monte Verde Elementary

Parkway Heights Middle

Ponderosa Elementary

Skyline Elementary

South San Francisco High

Spruce Elementary

Sunshine Gardens Elementary

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

53%

Grade 3

50%

Grade 4

42%

Grade 5

31%

Grade 6

37%

Grade 7

35%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

45%

Grade 3

51%

Grade 4

52%

Grade 5

45%

Grade 6

47%

Grade 7

45%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

38%

Grade 5

30%

Grade 8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

63%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$1.23M

Year-over-year change+0.9%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$1.0M to $1.3M

vs. state typical1.59x

vs. national typical3.34x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
94080	South San Francisco	$1.2M	+1.1%	83.9%
94015	Daly City	$1.2M	-0.1%	8.1%
94005	Brisbane	$1.2M	-1.2%	3.0%
94066	San Bruno	$1.3M	+0.1%	2.2%
94014	Daly City	$1.0M	-1.5%	0.2%
94044	Pacifica	$1.3M	-1.9%	0.1%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$3,756/mo

Year-over-year change+6.0%

Range across 5 ZIP codes$2,654 to $3,877/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
94080	South San Francisco	$3,877	+6.0%	83.9%
94015	Daly City	$2,654	+6.8%	8.1%
94066	San Bruno	$3,234	+5.3%	2.2%
94014	Daly City	$3,339	+6.7%	0.2%
94044	Pacifica	$3,597	+6.0%	0.1%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$6,210/mo

Home price / national median income14.7x

Annual rent / national median income53.8%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$2,455/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$776,233 (-1.1% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.