King (thomas Starr) Elementary, San Francisco CA

Original Research by School Decision on King (thomas Starr) Elementary

Thomas Starr King Elementary is a regular public school in San Francisco serving kindergarten through fifth grade, located on Carolina Street. It is a small school with a student body drawn from neighborhoods across the city.

The school's proficiency on state assessments sits in the top quartile among districts in San Francisco County. In math, students across grades three through five averaged solid proficiency; in English language arts, proficiency rates were somewhat lower but still in the upper half statewide. In grade five science, about half the tested students reached proficiency. The school's overall index of proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it above the county median, which reflects reasonably consistent performance across reading, writing, and mathematics.

The student body is diverse. About a third of the school's enrollment are Asian; nearly a third identify with two or more racial groups; and students identifying as Hispanic, Black, and white each make up a smaller but meaningful share. About two out of five students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating moderate economic need within the student population. Data on the share of English learners or students with IEPs was not available.

The school sits in San Francisco's competitive housing market. Property values in the 94107 zip code in which the school is located are substantial, and rental costs have risen markedly. The cost of ownership runs well above the national average, and rent as a share of income is high compared with national norms, reflecting the city's well-documented affordability pressures. For families already living in the neighborhood or with housing stability, the school serves a defined residential area; for families considering relocation, housing costs are the dominant financial factor.

San Francisco itself is organized as a mosaic of distinct neighborhoods whose character shifts block by block. Publicly reported, the school's location in the southern part of the city sits in an area that mixes residential neighborhoods with growing development. The city is highly walkable and well-served by transit, with Muni buses and light rail, BART, and historic streetcars connecting neighborhoods throughout the urban core. Employment is diverse, anchored by the municipal government, technology firms, and health care; the San Francisco Unified School District itself is a major employer.

The district brief contained no specific recent policy changes or initiatives affecting parents' school decisions. A parent considering this school may wish to ask the school directly about curriculum priorities, after-school offerings, and any specialized programs or instructional approaches that define the school's day-to-day environment.

See more original research from School Decision →

Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 368%

School 68% · District 52% · ▲ 16 pts above district

▲ 25 pts above state median · ▲ 22 pts above county median

Grade 462%

School 62% · District 49% · ▲ 12 pts above district

▲ 24 pts above state median · ▲ 16 pts above county median

Grade 564%

School 64% · District 46% · ▲ 18 pts above district

▲ 34 pts above state median · ▲ 23 pts above county median

English language arts

Grade 361%

School 61% · District 47% · ▲ 14 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▲ 15 pts above county median

Grade 460%

School 60% · District 51% · ▲ 8 pts above district

▲ 18 pts above state median · ▲ 8 pts above county median

Grade 562%

School 62% · District 55% · ▲ 7 pts above district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Science

Grade 551%

School 51% · District 42% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

This schoolSan Francisco Unified, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income15%Higher-income81%65 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income42%Higher-income71%29 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income36%Higher-income91%55 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income46%Higher-income77%31 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income37%Higher-income79%42 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income35%Higher-income96%61 pp gap