Ruth Asawa School of the Arts Bell Schedule
More than 80 artistic teens from the Bay Area and beyond commute each day to San Francisco's renowned Ruth Asawa School of the Arts.
These teenage out-of-town actors, musicians, painters, writers and dancers want a high-quality arts education and SOTA, as it's commonly known, offers one for free.
But such artistic outsiders could be banned under a proposal before the San Francisco school board, which would restrict enrollment at the elite public school to city residents only.
Currently, 84 students from Palo Alto, Pacifica, Castro Valley, Fremont and as far away as Long Beach and Eureka are enrolled in the school, along with 540 San Francisco teens, each admitted following a rigorous audition process.
These interdistrict transfer students make up nearly 14 percent of the school's enrollment — surpassing the 10 percent cap on nonresidents set years ago by the school board.
But depending on the year, transfer students have comprised a larger percentage of the student body, according to district officials.
And that's a problem, said Rachel Norton, a school board member.
'Amazing resource'
"It is a San Francisco public school," Norton said. "It's an amazing resource for kids who are interested in and are considering art as a career."
SOTA is the only San Francisco high-demand public school that accepts out-of-district transfer students. Lowell High School, where admission is based on academic ability, does not allow high achievers from other districts to attend.
Typically, only city schools with open seats accept out-of-district transfers.
The district initially allowed SOTA to accept students from outside the district to fill missing pieces in ensembles — male dancers, for example, and players of less-popular musical instruments like the bassoon.
But now transfer students are found scattered among all the art forms, including creative writing and theater production, where there are arguably qualified candidates within the city limits.
Yet students and parents say the arts school has been a saving grace for artistic children from across the Bay Area and beyond, offering a place that not only nurtures their talent, but also provides a safe haven where they feel at home.
Jane Scolieri's son, Nicolo, played the flute. He wasn't into sports, but was into jazz. Living in San Carlos, there was nothing like the arts school, and his single-parent mom couldn't afford private school.
SOTA set Nicolo on a path to UCLA, where he's now studying ethnomusicology.
'Lives are changed'
Attending the arts school "made all the difference to his life long-term, that's how important it was to him," Scolieri said. "In general, I think there has got to be an option to provide some (nonresident) kids that opportunity. ... Their lives are changed."
Ray Sabatelli is one of those students now.
The SOTA senior commutes 90 minutes each way from Castro Valley to attend the school. He is a classical singer, providing a rare bass among the vocal music students.
His other option was a 3,500-student traditional school where he might have played football and headed to junior college.
Instead, he's attending University of Puget Sound in the fall.
"I found SOTA," he said. "I want other kids to have the same opportunity and experience."
Norton said she has struggled with the idea that the world might miss out on a bright talent because they lived half a mile south of San Francisco's city limit.
"If there is a Picasso in Pacifica, what is our responsibility to that kid?" she said. "That's what we're grappling with."
Board members are considering whether to rein in the number of transfer students at SOTA, but allow exceptions for those male dancers or bassoonists or ban those transfers altogether. A vote is expected Tuesday.
Behind that debate is the bigger issue of how to cultivate that kind of talent in San Francisco schools, especially among disadvantaged students.
Currently, SOTA selects from among the most elite artists — many of them students who have had access to coaches, training, lessons and years of experience in their chosen art form.
Mostly white and Asian
The high school is predominantly white and Asian, with a much lower share of English learners and low-income students than other schools across the district.
The proposal before the board emphasizes the need to offer more music and art opportunities in elementary and middle schools.
This summer, the district will offer a summer arts program for middle school students, with instrumental music, chorus, visual art and guitar.
"It has to be about providing opportunity and access and an amazing artistic education to a broader group of San Franciscans," Norton said.
SOTA sophomore Ben Stacy, a musical theater student, said that if the board bans transfer students, it will actually result in less diversity rather than more.
San Francisco is expensive, which limits the families living inside the city.
"It's a misguided attempt to fix a problem that's bigger than one issue," he said. "Gentrification is such a real issue."
Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
Ruth Asawa School of the Arts Bell Schedule
Source: https://www.sfgate.com/education/article/Out-of-city-kids-could-be-limited-at-S-F-s-6279759.php
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