Spanish Schools for Kids in San Francisco, California
Living in San Francisco gives those who live there a real variety in life. From many employment opportunities to other activities such as sports, and museums, among others. These aspects have made San Francisco undoubtedly one of the best places to live today and in 2021, the city was crowned “The world’s best city to live in.”
For the same reason, this is an area that is in constant development. San Francisco is a city with one of the greatest Hispanic influences since more than 15% of the population is of Latin origin. This makes the city an excellent environment to learn Spanish and explore bilingualism for children.
To guarantee your children’s future opportunities, especially if you live in the San Francisco area, learning Spanish is a plus. Learning this language can help us improve many areas of our lives since being bilingual can provide a better quality of life: either because it makes us candidates for better job opportunities in the US and abroad, or because of all the benefits (cognitive and social) that languages bring with them.
At Trufluency Kids we know that as parents it is a bit complicated to find the best option for our children. So we have taken on the task of helping you in this process and have made things easier for you by finding the best Spanish schools for kids in San Francisco.
About This Resource
This compilation will introduce you to some of the best schools to learn Spanish in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). (See map)
To enroll your children in a bilingual program in San Francisco USD, you have to complete the application process, which consists of finding your school of interest, applying, and then receiving your assignment. They accept applications through their Wait Pool Process for the following year.
We will show you Dual-Language and Spanish Immersion programs, as we at TruFluency Kids Spanish know that immersion is the most efficient way to build fluency. SFUSD offers several schools that have Dual-Language or bilingual programs.
Below are the ones we consider to be the best options for your children. We will also list some private schools and after-class courses because we know that each family has different needs, budgets, fluency goals, and time constraints.
San Francisco USD Dual Language Program
The San Francisco Unified School district (SFUSD) is the seventh-largest school district in California. Established in 1851, this is the only public school district in the city and county of San Francisco and the first in the state of California. With 130 total schools, this district serves more than 50,000 students.
The SFUSD Dual Language immersion program is based on the 3 core pillars of dual immersion: bilingualism and biliteracy, high academic achievement, and socio-cultural competence. Their method of language instruction helps the students to acquire a language by being immersed in it in all areas.
Dual-language programs, as well as Biliteracy and Dual Immersion, are available for students from pre-K through 12th grade. The enrollment requirements are the same for all schools, so remember to check them out.
If you want more info about their current process, you can visit the SFUSD website to get the latest information and news.
San Francisco USD Dual Language Schools
Alvarado Elementary School
Alvarado Elementary School is a dual-immersion TK-5TH grade school. With more than 500 students in four different programs: Spanish Immersion, Special Education, Transitional Kindergarten, and General Education.
Students enrolled in their Spanish Immersion program are taught in Spanish 90% of the day in kindergarten, and with each year that passes the amount of Spanish spoken in the classroom decreases, so by fourth grade, all students are taught in English and Spanish equally.
There’s a strong Latin American and multicultural identity that is felt throughout Alvarado Elementary with different cultural and social activities such as their “Día de Los Muertos festival”. Most of their staff and extracurricular instructors speak English and Spanish along with other languages.
Also, their PTA contributes significantly, so children enrolled in Alvarado can enjoy a well-rounded education including studio art, PE, music, environmental education, lab science, and technology. They have Afterschool Programs that bring academic enrichment programs to boost children’s creativity and academic success.
You can visit their Q&A for more information regarding their programs, mission, vision, and curriculum.
Buena Vista Horace Mann Community School
The Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 Community School is a K-8th grade public elementary and middle school. This was the first San Francisco Spanish immersion Public school. Its mission is to become strong bilingual and multicultural agents of change. It has 578 students in grades K-8.
All of their students become English/Spanish bilingual and multicultural. They look for children to grow into academically successful students with deep social consciousness. In addition to their normal curriculum, they encourage students to develop in diverse areas such as music, arts, dance, and PE.
Bret Harte Elementary School
Bret Harte Elementary is a dual-language immersion school that offers enriching education in English and Spanish. They expect students to be able to receive equal English and Spanish education by fifth grade.
At Bret Harte School, they provide academically rigorous, standards-based instruction which focuses on language arts, math, and science. Their students learn in an environment that respects their identity and challenges them to develop critical thinking.
With their Dual-immersion and English Plus programs, they value, honor, and promote bilingualism, bi-literacy, and multiculturalism which makes this a great option if you want your children to learn in an environment that understands and respects the differences among people in the world.
Check out their Program highlights, and if interested in this school, visit their SFUSD website for more information.