Board opens public process on Lowell admissions, extends lottery for one year

The San Francisco Board of Education on May 24 took first readings of two superintendent resolutions to (1) create a stakeholder engagement process to review Lowell High School's admissions policy and high‑school admissions criteria, and (2) extend a lottery admissions approach at Lowell for one additional year while the process proceeds.

The two proposals drew large, sharply divided public comment. Alumni and longtime Lowell supporters urged the board to reinstate merit‑based admissions, arguing Lowell's academic reputation and college placement depend on criteria‑based entry. Other speakers, including advocacy groups and APAC leaders, urged a process that centers equity and broad community participation and said the district must follow court guidance and include historically underserved families, students and feeder schools.

President Lam clarified that these were first‑reading procedural items to move the proposals into a fuller public process; she said the board would schedule a full‑board discussion and warned that prior procedural mistakes that led to litigation must not be repeated. Commissioner Hsu said she supported an outside, independent process led by an external party and pressed staff to adhere to court directives.

Public comments included calls to hire an independent project manager to oversee engagement and to ensure the process includes students, staff, alumni, city and county organizations and parents. Some alumni argued the district had ample time since the prior court decision and said the extension represented an unnecessary delay that harms Lowell's traditions.

Next steps: The board will set dates for full‑board deliberation and additional public engagement; no final vote on admissions policy occurred on May 24.