WHO WE ARE
The Friends of Lowell Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan nonprofit organization founded in 2021 by Lowell High School alumni. Our mission is to protect and preserve Lowell High School as San Francisco’s premier alternative magnet public school, with admissions based on academic merit.
A small group of alumni that met online quickly grew to become the force that successfully reinstated merit-based admissions at Lowell High School. In 2021, the FOLF challenged the San Francisco Board of Education’s replacement of Lowell’s long-standing merit-based admissions with an unfair lottery. The San Francisco Superior Court upheld the FOLF’s legal challenge and restored merit-based admissions.
Today, the FOLF actively monitors the SFUSD High School Task Force, which continues to review Lowell admissions. Additionally, through its early-education committee, the FOLF is working on improving educational opportunities for younger children so that they will be prepared to eventually apply for and excel at rigorous schools like Lowell.We are made up of Lowell alumni, parents, educators, and friends who share a deep commitment to academic excellence and merit-based admissions.
MISSION
The Friends of Lowell Foundation protects and defends Lowell High School, educates the public about the benefits of academic merit-based education, and advances educational opportunities for all in San Francisco.
VALUES
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Merit-Based Excellence — We believe admissions and advancement should be based on academic achievement and readiness, not lottery or identity.
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Equal Opportunity — Every student, regardless of background, should have a fair chance to earn admission to competitive academic programs.
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Nonpartisan Independence — We are strictly nonpartisan and focus solely on educational excellence, never on political ideology.
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Transparency & Accountability — Public schools must operate with openness and be held to high academic standards.
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Preserving Public Education — We are committed to protecting and strengthening San Francisco’s traditional public magnet schools for future generations.