Lurie, SFUSD Unveil Chinatown School for Students With Intensive Needs
Mayor's Press Conference • San FranciscoOctober 29, 2026
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San Francisco students with autism and intellectual disabilities, some of whom now travel hours to schools outside the district, will get a public school option closer to home. At an Oct. 29 press conference at the Edwin and Anita Lee Building in Chinatown, Mayor Daniel Lurie and San Francisco Unified School District leaders announced that the building will house a new school for 5th through 12th graders who need intensive support. The mayor also tied the news to the district's plan to end the elementary school lottery and to his broader agenda for families.
- New SFUSD school for students with extensive support needs will open at the Edwin and Anita Lee Building
- School will serve 5th through 12th graders with autism and intellectual disabilities, offering sensory rooms, speech therapy and occupational therapy
- Parents and advocates credited the Lee family, the Louie family and the special education advisory committee
- Elementary lottery ends in fall 2028, guaranteeing neighborhood school spots, Lurie said
A Local Option for Students Who Have Been Sent Away
The basics: The new campus is an Extensive Support Needs school. It is designed for students who need more intensive academic, behavioral and social-emotional support than a typical classroom offers.
Why it matters: Lurie said some of these students now spend hours traveling to schools outside the district. A local campus could keep them near their families and reduce the district's reliance on distant non-public school placements.
Where things stand: Lurie framed the announcement as a broader expansion of what the district offers. "Today we are expanding what our public schools can offer students with special needs," said Mayor Daniel Lurie.
Superintendent Maria Hsu described who the school is built for. "This school will serve some of our most vulnerable students who require more intensive academic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports by expanding access to specialized services and care," she said.
Board of Education President Phil Kim said the school addresses a long-standing gap. "For too long, families of students with extensive support needs have had to navigate limited options, including sending their children outside San Francisco to access the services that they need," said Kim.
The parent perspective: Melanie Bousan, a parent and Chair of the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education, described what families can expect inside the building. She called it "a school with caring teachers and specialized spaces like sensory rooms, speech therapy, and occupational therapy." Bousan said the school is a promise to these children that they belong.
A building with a legacy: The site carries the names of Edwin and Anita Lee, and the Lee family was among those thanked. Vanita Louie, who was thanked along with Austin Louie, spoke to the significance of the site. "We want to thank you for reopening these doors," said Louie. Hsu also credited the Rotary Club and Anita Fong. Kim recognized the Special Education Community Advisory Committee, and speakers acknowledged Commissioner Fisher.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: No vote was taken, and no formal action was required at the event. The clearest winners are families of students with autism and intellectual disabilities, who stand to gain a nearby option and shorter commutes for their children. Special education advocates, especially the parent-led advisory committee, saw a long-sought priority materialize in a visible, mayor-backed announcement. For the district, local programs aim to make better use of resources currently directed to out-of-district placements.
What's next: The announcement did not include an opening date, enrollment capacity, staffing plans or a cost estimate. Parents and advocates may want to press the district on those details, along with how students will be referred and enrolled. The Board of Education and the special education advisory committee are the most direct venues for those questions.
Lurie Links School to End of Lottery
Why it matters: Lurie used the event to connect the new school to SFUSD's announcement earlier in October that it will end the elementary school lottery, a long-running source of frustration for San Francisco families.
Where things stand: "Starting in fall 2028, families will know that their child has a spot at their neighborhood school," said Lurie. He said families will still be able to choose citywide programs such as language immersion and K-8 schools.
The bigger frame: Lurie placed both school moves within his Family Opportunity Agenda. He listed affordable child care, easier housing construction, rent emergency legislation and Muni as part of that agenda. He also pointed to city funding for after-school programs, high-impact tutoring and community schools through the Student Success Fund.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The lottery change is an SFUSD decision, and no city action was taken at the event. Still, the mayor's emphasis signals that City Hall wants to share credit for school reforms and position family retention as a citywide priority spanning schools, housing and transit.
What's next: The neighborhood guarantee begins in fall 2028. Families of current toddlers and preschoolers will want to watch how the district defines neighborhood boundaries and how much capacity remains for citywide programs.
Looking Ahead
Families and advocates should watch upcoming Board of Education meetings for details on the new school's timeline, enrollment process and budget, and for implementation steps on the 2028 lottery change.