San Francisco Mission Bay families anticipating the city’s 1st new school in decades

By CBS Bay Area

San Francisco is preparing to open its first new public school in more than two decades.

Mission Bay Elementary is currently under construction and is set to become the first campus built in the city since the early 2000s. For Superintendent Dr. Maria Su, the project is about more than just putting up a building; it’s about meeting the needs of a growing community.

“We knew that we needed a school there because with housing comes families, and we wanted to have a school that families could access,” Dr. Su said.

The new campus will serve the Mission Bay neighborhood, one of San Francisco’s fastest-growing areas. Families there have long struggled with a lack of nearby schools, forcing many children to commute across town.

“I wish my kids didn’t have to drive across town to go to school. To catch the bus. I am excited for the residents here,” said Mission Bay resident Ukina Sanford, who raised two sons in the neighborhood.

The school has been years in the making. When the idea was first introduced, there was skepticism about whether it was needed. But Dr. Su said the district trusted the data and used bond money to fund the project.

Construction is expected to finish in early 2026. The school will open next August for pre-K and kindergarten, eventually expanding to serve students through fifth grade by 2032.

For now, the site is filled with cranes and blueprints. But in less than two years, the lot will transform into a campus designed for children and families.

“We are going to be there on day one to have a vibrant school for the Mission Bay community and the greater San Francisco area can be proud of,” Dr. Su said.