For many years, Ruth Asawa, sculptor and advocate for arts in education, as well as others, had campaigned to start a public high school in San Francisco devoted to the arts, with the ultimate goal of such a school to be located in the arts corridor in the heart of San Francisco's Civic Center. Ruth Asawa was known for her dedication in bringing art education to her community through teaching, and creating art programs that still exist today. Her art contributions can be seen as sculptures throughout the city of San Francisco, and in the programs she has created for art education. The school she created, School of the Arts (SOTA), was later renamed to Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in her name.[2]
At its inception in 1982, School of the Arts was created as a part of J. Eugene McAteer High School, on its present site on Portola Drive. Ten years later, in 1992, the school - now a full-fledged public school separate from McAteer - was relocated to the former SFUSD Frederick Burke Elementary School at 700 Font Boulevard on the campus of San Francisco State University. Due to the dissolution of McAteer High School in 2002, SOTA was offered to return to the more appropriate, fully equipped high school site.
In 2010, School of the Arts was renamed the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts in honor of Ruth Asawa.[3] In 2011, the school was recognized as a "California Distinguished School" by the California Department of Education as one of the state's most "exemplary and inspiring" public schools, demonstrating significant gains in narrowing the achievement gap among its students.[4]
In 2005, a new public high school, the Academy of Arts and Sciences was established on the same campus. Although it shared the McAteer campus with SOTA, it was a completely separate school that admitted students through the normal high school admissions process.[5] In 2025, it was determined that the school would be relocated to Wallenberg High School beginning the 2026-27 school year for further academic growth in its program.[6]
Arts and academics
In addition to a standard curriculum block schedule, students attend daily art classes specific to their particular discipline. There are eight art departments with ten strands. The departments are:
Each discipline has a Head Director, responsible for managing their arts department. Each year, department heads invite new or returning “Artists-in-Residence” to offer their knowledge to a class.[20] Some departments organize for students to perform at or be featured in museums.[21][22]
Demographics
36.8% White, 21.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% two or more races, 13.8% Asian, 4.4% African American, 3.8% Filipino, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, and 4.1% not reported. (2023-24)[23]
Admissions process
Acceptance into the school is based on an audition process for the approximately 200 spots available for incoming Freshmen. Applicants are required to submit an online application, an audition assignment, and attend an in-person audition. All students who complete the audition assignment are offered an opportunity to audition in person for admission to SOTA the following year. Admission is based on audition results; no academic criteria are used.[24]
McAteer Cafe and Community Farm
The McAteer Cafe provides free meals to SOTA and Academy students. It is the first kitchen in the district to employ a chef, Josh Davidson, and his team of one cook and four assistant cooks.[25] Ran by the SFUSD Student Nutrition Services, it is the only school in the district the prepares everything from scratch.[26][27]
The McAteer Campus Community Farm was established in 2009, and has experienced many different changes since. The farm sold eggs, honey, and produce sourced from the chickens, bees, and crops grown on the campus until the nonprofit organization managing the farm disbanded due to the pandemic.[28] In 2024, a grant of $100,000 from the USDA's Farm to School program helped members of the community partner with Urban Sprouts, employ a farm manager, and fund several restoration and expansion projects. [29][30]
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