Hill High School Students Graduate

BY DWIVECK CUSTODIO

Downtown High School’s four-year graduation rates compare favorably to the San Francisco Unified District’s (SFUSD) average rates for the 2021-2022 cohort, while San Francisco International High School’s fell short. However, San Francisco International High School’s grads received more recognitions related to multilingualism and command of multiple subject areas than Downtown High School.

The schools are a mile from each other, located on Potrero Hill campuses originally constructed as elementary or middle schools. Their students are largely Hispanic/Latino who live outside the neighborhood. According to the California Department of Education’s DataQuest and Ed-Data.org, Hispanic/Latinos make up 59 percent of Downtown High School’s 134 students. Seventy-five percent of San Francisco International High School’s 293 students are Hispanic/Latino. Hispanic/Latinos make up 28 percent of SFUSD’s overall student population.

The schools have distinct niches. Downtown High School focuses on addressing each student’s specific needs, relying on project-based learning that prioritizes development of life skills, including critical-thinking. San Francisco International High School similarly offers a variety of internships and access to college classes but is specifically designed to support youth who recently immigrated to the United States, including with intensive English language training.

DataQuest reports indicate that SFUSD had a 48 percent systemwide graduation rate for its 2021-2022 class, down from 58 percent for the previous cohort. Statewide, the 2021-2022 graduation rate was 87 percent, up from 84 percent. Downtown High School achieved a

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