If you have questions about the enrollment process at Gateway Middle School, please contact Arlene Paige, Enrollment Director, at (415) 749-3600 or [email protected]ublicschools.org.
Enrollment FAQs
6th Grade Lottery FAQ's
Who should apply for the 6th Grade Lottery?
If you are entering 6th grade during the 2023-24 school year and think that Gateway could be a great fit for you, we encourage you to complete our Enrollment Application online or submit a paper application.
The application will be available October 3, 2022.
How does Gateway select its incoming 6th grade class?
As prescribed by California law, Gateway conducts a lottery for the incoming 6th grade class. San Francisco residents, siblings of current students, children of staff and faculty, and families that qualify for free and reduced lunch are eligible for admission preferences.
How do I apply for the incoming 6th grade lottery?
To be included in our March lottery for the 2023-2024 school year, you must complete the lottery application by February 3, 2023. Applications can be submitted online or by paper application.
The March lottery is the first enrollment lottery and the majority of our incoming sixth graders are offered enrollment in this lottery. If an application is submitted after our February deadline or a student is not offered enrollment in March, applicants will be placed in our wait pool. If spaces become available, we will conduct subsequent lotteries from applicants in our wait pool.
Do I apply to Gateway through SFUSD?
No. Gateway’s enrollment process is completely separate from SFUSD. If you are applying to SFUSD middle schools, do not list Gateway as one of your choices on the District’s enrollment form. Rather, use that form to select the other SFUSD schools that you would like to attend. Please be aware that if you choose to attend Gateway, you will be given a SFUSD enrollment form to fill out. The form is then submitted by Gateway to the Educational Placement Center of SFUSD so that the district knows which students are attending Gateway. Gateway students are part of SFUSD.
Does Gateway have a separate enrollment process or lottery for students with identified learning differences?
No. Students with identified learning differences are enrolled using the same lottery process.
Wait Pool Applicant FAQs
How many students are in the wait pool?
The size of the wait pool fluctuates as new applicants join and withdraw from the wait pool. Throughout the school year, the 6th grade wait pool is around 200 students. The 7th and 8th grade wait pools range have approximately 30 students each.
By joining the wait pool, you have let us know that you want to come to Gateway. Though contacting us will not impact enrollment decisions, we always appreciate hearing from you with any questions or concerns. Feel free to write us a letter or send an email to [email protected]
When will I be notified of enrollment decisions?
We offer spots to our wait pool as room becomes available in our school. As a result, there are no specific calendar dates for when we offer enrollment to wait pool applicants.
How long does the wait pool remain active?
The wait pool remains active throughout the entire school year. Students in the wait pool may be offered enrollment at any time.
Should I accept placement at another school while I wait?
Yes. It is imperative that you and your family make concrete plans for middle school enrollment, independent of Gateway. Please remember that Gateway's enrollment process is completely separate from the SFUSD enrollment process. Accepting placement at another school will not impact your status in our wait pool.
What if we pay tuition for a private or parochial school and get offered a space at Gateway?
Most private and parochial schools require a non-refundable down payment. It is your family's decision whether to accept placement at Gateway once you have paid a down payment and/or tuition.
How do I complete my Gateway Wait Pool application?
The online application or information on receiving a paper application can be found here. For further questions about the wait pool, please email [email protected].