The San Diego Unified School District is the eighth largest urban school district in the country and provides a variety of educational programs and options for students in kindergarten through high school. The district serves most of the metropolitan area within the city limits of San Diego.
Public schools in California primarily are funded through state funds allocated through the annual state budget process. Education funding has not increased as rapidly in California as it has in other states, and class sizes tend to be larger in all public schools in California. The average class size in San Diego for grades 1 and 2 is about 25 students; at grades 3-6, it is about 30 students; in middle school, the average is 34 students; and high school classrooms average 35 students.
San Diego City Schools operate a system of neighborhood schools, with all children eligible to attend the school serving their residential address unless the school is severely overcrowded. In overcrowded schools, the district assigns new students to a school with space and provides free transportation.
Parents also have options to send their children to schools outside the neighborhood by enrolling eligible students in the district's magnet programs or the School Choice Program. Magnet programs in 45 schools offer specialized curriculum the district cannot afford to provide in all schools. Programs range from a strong emphasis on science, math and computers to creative and performing arts, from foreign language to Montessori. Magnet programs are operated as part of the district's voluntary integration program, and free transportation is provided by the district.
The School Choice Program provides enrollment options for students who reside within the district boundaries and who wish to attend a school other than the school of residence. Although some schools in the district are operating at capacity and cannot accept Choice Program students, others have space available for interested families. Transportation for this program is not provided by the district.
The District also operates an extensive program for students with exceptional needs, including programs for academically gifted students and programs for students with special needs.
Most schools, including all high schools, operate on a traditional calendar with school starting in early September and ending about the middle of June. There are 48 schools operating on year-round schedules. These schools also begin their year in September, but stagger the 180 days of instruction over the entire year, rather than nine months and give students three vacation periods.
San Diego County has 43 independent school districts that provide educational programs for elementary and secondary schoolchildren. Each school system is governed by a locally elected board of education. School district and city boundaries are not necessarily contiguous.
In San Diego County, there are three types of school districts elementary, high school and unified. Unified
districts contain both elementary and secondary grades. All school districts offer basic education programs, as well as special programs and services.
Contact with an individual school district is the best way to learn about school calendars, facilities, curriculum, graduation requirements, extracurricular activities and other areas that differ from district to district.