SFUSD’s new public Mandarin immersion school opens in fall 2027. Here is what we know so far.
TK–K in 2027–2028, adding one grade each year to reach TK–8.
86 students for 2027–2028, growing each year to approx. 634 at full size (24 classrooms).
1670 Noe Street in Noe Valley for 2027–2028.
The permanent site for 2028 onwards will be announced in January 2027. Tell us where you’d enroll →
Still to be announced: school hours (start time will be 7:50, 8:40, or 9:30 am), principal, and before- and after-school care.
Instruction happens in Mandarin and English. Language learning is woven throughout the day, not taught as a separate class.
The share of instruction in Mandarin and English changes by grade. These percentages are the current plan and may change.
Enrichment may include visual, media, and performing arts, Chinese music, martial arts, social-emotional learning, and community partner activities. The school also plans to explore cultural exchange study tours to Asia.
These answers are designed to supplement the district’s official FAQ.
For TK–1st, any student eligible to enroll in SFUSD can apply. Each class will be composed of a mix of English and Mandarin speakers. From 2nd grade, all applicants must pass a grade-level Mandarin assessment.
For 2027–2028, this will be considered a citywide language pathway in the student assignment process. See sfusd.edu/tiebreakers.
SFUSD is moving to a neighborhood-based assignment system for elementary schools starting in 2028–2029, with a final policy expected in April 2027. However, any changes will not impact the 2027–2028 enrollment cycle.
Yes! Keep an eye on sfusd.edu/tours. SFUSD will host tours specifically for the Mandarin Immersion school, but they haven’t been scheduled yet. Tours of the other programs at 1670 Noe Street are for those programs, and their staff may not have answers about the new school, so please save your Mandarin immersion questions for the dedicated tours.
SFUSD is in the process of investigating possible school sites and engaging the community through a working group, which includes Friends of the SF Mandarin School. It will announce the permanent location in January 2027. The permanent location will open in Fall 2028 for the 2028–2029 school year.
The best way to provide input is to take the permanent location survey. You can also reach out directly to info@sfmandarinschool.org.
Since we’re part of the district’s working group on the permanent site, we’ll bring what we hear directly to the district through that group. We’ll also report back on our progress through our email list and the Updates page.
Yes, Starr King Elementary and José Ortega Elementary both have Mandarin Immersion classes for K–5 grades. However, the new Mandarin Immersion school will eventually be the first and only wall-to-wall Mandarin immersion school.
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