Where will
Dragon Gate Academy be located?
Dragon Gate Academy is committed to finding the right space to bring our tuition-free K-8 Mandarin Immersion program to San Francisco, and we’re working within California law to make this happen. Proposition 39, passed by California voters in 2000, requires public school districts like the SFUSD to share underutilized facilities with charter schools, ensuring that all public school students—including those in charters—have fair access to school spaces.
This means that once DGA is approved as a charter school, SFUSD must, by law, offer us space in district facilities that aren’t fully used, at a low cost. This process, called co-location, is widely used across California, especially in the Los Angeles Unified School District, where over 50 charter schools currently share campuses with district schools, optimizing resources and providing more educational options for families.
James Lick
A Central Option in Noe Valley
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One co-location option is James Lick Middle School in Noe Valley, which has seen a 33% enrollment drop since 2019, leaving enough extra space to accommodate our needs. In Year 1 requiring about 8,300 square feet, and by Year 5 needing 21,300 square feet. James Lick’s surplus space can meet our needs through Year 5 with room to grow.
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Its central location makes it accessible for our diverse families, 40% of whom are from underserved central and west zones of San Francisco, ensuring a convenient option for many.
SF Public Montessori
A Historic Campus
in Pacific Heights
San Francisco Public Montessori (SFPM) in Pacific Heights is another strong co-location option, with a capacity for 374 students but currently serving only 105 (2024 data), leaving over 250 unused spaces. In Year 1 (2026-27), DGA’s 154 students will need 8,300 square feet, and by Year 5 (2030-31), our 396 students will require 21,300 square feet—both well within SFPM’s 22,704-square-foot facility, which includes 13 classrooms and a large play yard. The central location in Pacific Heights makes it an ideal hub for families from Chinatown and the Richmond District, reducing commutes for these vibrant communities and aligning with our goal to serve central and west neighborhoods. With its historic charm and modern updates, SFPM offers a welcoming space for DGA’s innovative MI program, potentially sharing resources like the play yard and auditorium to benefit both communities.
Mission Bay
A Modern Facility with Room to Grow
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Mission Bay Elementary School, opening in 2025-26 in Mission Bay, is our third primary co-location option. This new campus is projected to have a capacity of over 500 students (around 20,000 square feet) but is expected to have significant unused space in its early years, making it an ideal fit for DGA. With 21,300 square feet needed by Year 5 for our 396 students, Mission Bay meets our requirements, offering flexibility for growth and a modern facility in a developing neighborhood. This location supports our goal of serving families across San Francisco, providing a state-of-the-art space for our innovative MI program.
Everett & Sanchez
A K-8 Campus
in the Center of the City
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Another promising option is co-locating at Everett Middle School and Sanchez Elementary in the Mission, located on the same block with conjoined campuses, which together offer a combined surplus of over 350 spaces due to enrollment declines of 27% and 10% respectively since 2019. This contiguous K-8 site aligns perfectly with DGA’s central and single-campus model, eliminating the need for students to transition between schools—a common challenge in SFUSD’s MI programs. With about 8,100 square feet available now, scalable to 21,300 by Year 5, this location supports our growth, reduces commutes by 60-90 minutes for families, and has robust public transportation access.
Another Location
Openness to Future Opportunities
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Beyond these four options, DGA remains open to other underutilized facilities that may become available through SFUSD’s future consolidation efforts. While SFUSD paused its school closure process, ongoing enrollment declines or resumed mergers could create new opportunities for co-location or complete school sites. Under Proposition 39, such sites represent an equitable way to repurpose district resources without new construction costs.
Our flexibility ensures we can adapt to SFUSD’s evolving facilities landscape while prioritizing a central location for accessibility.
How the Process Will Play Out with the District
Once DGA’s charter is approved, the process of securing a facility will involve negotiation with SFUSD to finalize our co-location site. We’ll start by submitting a request to SFUSD, detailing our space needs—8,300 square feet in Year 1 and 21,300 square feet by Year 5—and proposing James Lick, Everett/Sanchez, Mission Bay, SFPM, or other available sites.
SFUSD will then offer us a space that meets our needs at a low cost, as required by law. We’ll work together to ensure the location supports our diverse families and program goals, finalizing an agreement so we can open in August 2026, ready to welcome students to a nurturing, bilingual learning environment.