The Academy’s Closure Hurts Students More Than It Helps

San Francisco Unified School District recently announced it will close The Academy, the city’s smallest public high school with just 99 students at the start of the school year, which has now dropped to just over 80. The district says the move will expand access to courses, internships, and college programs by moving students to larger schools like Raoul Wallenberg High School. On paper, this may sound practical. In reality, the decision threatens the very experiences and support systems that make The Academy meaningful. Students and teachers have built their lives around this school, and those foundations are now at risk.

A Unique School at Risk

The Academy is more than a small building or program. It is a hybrid school that allows students to combine traditional classroom learning with City College courses and real-world internships, creating opportunities that most high schools cannot provide. Unlike larger schools, The Academy’s small class sizes allow teachers to know each student personally. They can notice when someone is struggling, adapt lessons to fit individual needs, and offer mentorship that goes beyond academics.

This kind of environment matters. For students who have struggled in large, impersonal high schools, The Academy offers a space where they can be seen and supported. The relationships built here are not superficial; they are central to students’ ability to engage in learning and imagine a future for themselves. Moving these students to a larger school may technically provide more courses, but it cannot replace the personalized attention, guidance, and care they currently receive.

It is also important to recognize that The Academy’s limited number of AP classes and extracurriculars has not been a simple matter of preference or capability. Over the years, the district has repeatedly shifted teachers to other sites, encouraged early retirements, and contributed to enrollment instability by repeatedly signaling potential closure. Students have transferred out in past years out of fear that the school would shut down. Many teachers at The Academy have the credentials to teach AP courses, but smaller enrollment numbers and district resource allocation have made it difficult to sustain full AP offerings. In other words, the absence of certain programs reflects structural decisions, not a lack of qualified staff or student interest.

The Human Cost of Disruption

Most news coverage has focused on programs, class offerings, and enrollment numbers. What it misses is the real human impact. Students at The Academy have spent years building friendships, routines, and connections with teachers who understand them. This small-school community has created a sense of belonging that is hard to quantify but essential to student well-being.

For many teens, school is more than a place to take classes. It is a safe space where they can learn, take risks, and grow without fear of being overlooked. Losing The Academy means losing that safety net. Students may have to adjust to larger classrooms, unfamiliar teachers, and a campus culture that feels anonymous or overwhelming. Research shows that disruptions like this can increase stress, anxiety, and disengagement, particularly for students who already feel vulnerable in large-school settings.

Even small changes can feel monumental at this stage in life. For students close to graduation, the timing is especially difficult. They may face new social pressures, different expectations, and a lack of continuity in programs that have shaped their high school experience.

Opportunities at Risk

One of the main arguments for closing The Academy is that students will gain access to more courses, sports, and extracurriculars at larger schools. While technically true, this ignores the unique opportunities that only The Academy provides. The school’s internship programs are built on long-term relationships with local nonprofits, arts organizations, and small businesses. These connections take years to establish and are often tailored to individual students’ interests and skills.

Losing these relationships could have lasting effects. Internships at The Academy do more than teach workplace skills. They build confidence, provide mentorship, and sometimes even lead to college recommendations or future employment. Students who have spent months or years in these programs may suddenly find themselves without guidance or opportunity, despite the district’s promise of continuity.

Additionally, opportunities at larger schools are not always guaranteed in practice. High-demand electives, AP courses, sports teams, and extracurriculars can fill quickly. Students who transfer may find themselves unable to enroll in the very programs they were promised. Access on paper does not always translate to access in reality.

Teachers and Classroom Impact

Teachers at The Academy have chosen to work in a small, personalized environment. They can build strong relationships with students and guide academic and personal growth. Moving them to larger classrooms or different campuses will reduce their ability to provide this level of attention.

Research on school closures shows that teacher turnover often increases afterward, which is associated with lower student engagement and weaker academic outcomes. Even though teachers may be given priority for transferring to other schools, they are not guaranteed placements in their preferred subject areas, locations, or roles. This uncertainty disrupts both their professional stability and their ability to continue the specialized instruction they have provided.

Teachers’ personal investment in the school is part of what makes The Academy succeed. Dispersing them across campuses erodes the culture of mentorship and care that defines the school. Students lose educators who understand their learning styles, strengths, and challenges. For teens who rely on that guidance to stay on track, this loss is significant.

Equity and Accessibility Concerns

The closure also raises serious equity concerns. The Academy serves a large population of students with IEPs and 504 plans, as well as many queer students who often find greater safety and individualized support in smaller school environments. While accommodation plans transfer legally to other schools, the lived experience of support does not always transfer in the same way.

In a smaller setting, students often have stronger personal relationships with wellness staff, paraprofessionals, and special education teachers. These relationships are not interchangeable.

Personalized attention allows accommodations to be implemented more consistently and compassionately. Larger school environments can make it more difficult to maintain that level of individualized support, even when staff are committed to doing so.

For students with additional learning needs or those who rely on affirming environments, the transition may create new barriers rather than expanding opportunity.

Campus Culture and Community

The Academy shares its campus with Ruth Asawa School of the Arts. The closure will affect not only Academy students but the entire campus community. Shared spaces such as hallways, lunch areas, and classrooms will become more crowded as the district reallocates space to expand other programs.

Beyond space, the cultural rhythm of the campus will shift. The Academy has contributed to the broader school environment by offering sports teams that serve students across campus. It has also engaged freshmen in garden work that supplies fresh ingredients for the cafeteria, reinforcing hands-on learning and community sustainability. These contributions are part of the daily fabric of campus life.

When a small school community is removed, the effects extend outward. Identity, collaboration, and shared experiences change. Even students who are not directly transferred will feel the difference in their environment.

Efficiency Versus Human Impact

The district frames the closure as a move toward efficiency and expanded opportunity. On paper, consolidating students may seem practical. In practice, the human costs are substantial. Students are not enrollment statistics. They are individuals whose academic growth, mental well-being, and sense of belonging depend on the environment around them.

Closing The Academy may simplify administrative planning, but it disrupts relationships, programs, and community networks that cannot be rebuilt overnight. The school has provided mentorship, personalized instruction, internship pathways, and an affirming environment for students who benefit from close-knit settings.

Conclusion

In the end, the closure of The Academy is not just a policy decision. It is a human one. The Academy has allowed students to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally in ways that larger schools do not easily replicate. While moving students may expand theoretical access to programs, it risks dismantling the relationships, stability, and individualized support that have defined their experience.

Until the district fully accounts for these consequences, the story of The Academy remains incomplete. For the students and teachers who call this school home, the closure represents not progress, but disruption. The human cost is real, and it deserves deeper attention than headlines about efficiency and enrollment numbers.