Cobb (William L.) Elementary School

2725 California Street

School District

San Francisco Unified
Grade

K-5
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:9
Type

public

School Map for San Francisco Unified School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on October 21, 2023

This school has excellent teachers. They encourage kids to do well. They provide appropriate discipline. They excel in teaching special ed students. I’ve seen my daughter’s improvement year after year. She loves going to school because they make learning fun yet effective. I can’t wait for my toddler to join Cobb community.
Submitted by parent on March 18, 2022

Unprofessional, disrespectful towards student’s parents, lack of empathy for other communities, they are not diverse in teaching students about ALL cultures but plays favoritism towards one, they strongly do not comply with the no bully policy. Protect your children from this school!
Submitted by parent on March 16, 2022

We started TK late into the Fall and had limited school choices based on availability. We were anxious with starting public school, especially at Cobb in light of the low scores on this and other websites. My boy was in preschool before this and excels academically. We were worried he would not be challenged and lose his skills in math and reading. In the first couple weeks our fears abated. My son suddenly had a whole community supporting his development. Given the low enrollment/small cohorts, their efforts have been uniquely tailored to the needs of my son. He comes home with extra work as well as more advanced books based on his reading level. An unexpected bonus has been improvement in his behavior. TK focuses on social and emotional development over academics (unique to TK-- this changes in Kindergarten). We started seeing progress in managing his emotions, responding appropriately to social situations, developing empathy, etc. Occasionally, we get a call regarding incidental behavior issues. Cobb has a whole slew of staff that swoop in when he's having a hard time. Their coordinated response feels supportive, inclusive, and nurturing rather than reprimanding. I deeply value that my son feels loved and supported at school, even when he's in trouble. Every kid has their place at Cobb. Teachers and staff know each child and greet them by name. It's incredibly diverse, inclusive, and equitable. There are opportunities for parents and families to participate and volunteer, but no PTA. Parents in our TK class connect in a group chat and organize play dates, collaborate and help each other. School lunch is free for all. No school supplies needed-- just send your kid and they'll be given everything they need to succeed here! - Andrea and Alex L.
Submitted by parent on March 07, 2022

My son Loves Dr. William L. Cobb. He is almost at the end of his kinder yet there, and says it’s a great school. I myself love the diversity, the students weekly breakfast/lunch menu, to the morning music and the different cultural learning… so much fun! It’s literally something going on every week. Something for the kids to be looking forward to & be excited about.
Submitted by parent on March 07, 2022

My experience with Cobb has been great. My daughter has been there since Transitional Kindergarten. The school small enough where kids are not left behind and they are all able to get the attention they need. All the teachers make it their business to look out for all the kids. All the teachers know my daughter's name. They greet the kids as they're being dropped off every morning. The prompt equally for all kids.. they teach them to embrace everyone's differences ans let's them know that's what make them special. I appreciate that the most because our kids are being taught through social media, so school lessons are important because those are the ones they take with them and will remember the rest of their lives.
Submitted by parent on March 07, 2022

The school William Cobb Is a excelent place. There are support in all to the students, AND your family.
Submitted by parent on March 06, 2022

My daughter has been admitted to Kindergarten during Pandemic and has been in 1st grade until now. Cobb is a extraordinary place for us (and other parents/caregivers) who value students' learning as a process, diversity, and justice. There are ample opportunities for community building while I never felt it is required to do so. Teachers are super dedicated to student's learning (not only academic but also physical, social, and emotional, feel balanced). Students are exposed to social justice issues through multiple in-class and extra programs and cross-grade interactions. Principal Funk and administrative team is superb at running school, making families feel like community.
Submitted by parent on March 06, 2022

Very good school and great teachers. Everyone is super friendly and welcoming. My daughter is in the 1st grade and has learned a lot and I’m so amazed at how quickly she learned to read. I totally recommend this school.
Submitted by parent on March 06, 2022

Dr. William L. Cobb School is a safe, loving place. All students are embraced as family. The entire staff knows each child and makes themselves available to all children at all times. They look at each student's individual needs and differentiate to achieve learning goals. Students support each other's similarities and celebrate and learn from their unique differences. Academic success for all students is always the at the forefront.
Submitted by parent on March 06, 2022

A hidden gem in a crazy school system.There are around 150 kids in this K-5. That is unheard-of in a public school these days. The faculty and staff are incredibly invested in our kids. They put a lot of energy into getting to know the kids and are making great strides in creating a community.Every one of my child’s teachers has given so much warmth, attention, empathy and patience during the completely bonkers insane time we are living in.The current leadership is definitely the driving force in the past few year’s organizational and educational accomplishments at Cobb.While I would love for Cobb to stay small, it’s only fair to make other parents aware of this school. They are helping to create a generation that will be crucial to us.
Submitted by parent on February 13, 2022

I'm the parent of a student in the TK class at Cobb, and we've decided to continue for K-5. We feel so lucky to have landed at this school! There are a other elementary schools that are closer to our house and more highly rated on this website, but here are a few reasons why we've chosen to stay at Cobb: • It’s small and loving— everyone knows each other’s names.• Principal Funk is super engaged. He knows my son and he’s in the classroom a lot.• The teachers have great community. During drop off, pickup and events we see them having a good time together. I’m a teacher too, so I know how important this is for the health of the school.• There’s a high teacher to student ratio and so much support staff (reading, math, art, PE all have specialist teachers, and there is one famous teacher, Mr. Wingfield, who gets called in when the kids are having trouble with classroom behavior— this is a big deal bc in TK post covid, there are many children who have never been in a classroom).• My son is so excited about learning. He plays school at home, and our transition from a tiny private preschool was easy. He’s generally a sensitive kid, and he has come out of his shell at Cobb. He is already starting to read and write, and he’s very excited about math. He brings home art projects and books from the school library. He has a buddy in the second grade!• It’s a majority minority school with a focus on anti-racism. With so much segregation in San Francisco, it feels like a real gift to have found this community where my son can learn social/emotional skills in a truly diverse classroom. We’re a mixed race family, and I’m white. I’ve had to confront some of my own biases in this process. I want to encourage other white parents to consider the benefits to your kids of attending a school that is not a white space. 10/10 for Cobb. It's super welcoming-- come join us!
Submitted by parent on February 11, 2022

I highly recommend Cobb (William L.) Elementary School. My son started with their Pre-K during the pandemic in 2020 and now he is part of their outstanding TK class. He has a speech delay and the speech therapists and teachers truly care about him and other kids in needs. My son then shows great improvements and most importantly, he enjoys classes and loves his school. He wouldn’t be where he is without Cobb (William L.) Elementary School. We are grateful to these teachers and the school.
Submitted by parent on August 18, 2020

Here it is. Honesty. We were only part of the Cobb Community for the weeks leading up to the start of school Fall 2020 (think pandemic) and the first week of instruction, but what a POSITIVE impression. (And that is over Zoom!) It was with a heavy heart that we took a spot at the neighborhood school our son's sister was already at, for convenience in the long run. Mr. Funk, the Principal at Cobb, was so respectful, thoughtful and communicative. The staff felt so unified, with such a positive message of dignity and a shared sense of community. We are sad to have to leave it. Ms. Stolz, our son's Kindergarten teacher, was so sweet and engaging. Our son wanted class to last longer! I wish this school community the best and I highly recommend it to ANY family. (We are a white, educated, middle class family.) Be well!
Submitted by parent on September 02, 2016

I encourage everyone to tour Cobb and chat with Mr. Slife! You'll realize it's a hidden gem in SFUSD!My daughter started at Cobb in K with Mr. Henry. He is a fantastic teacher and was in the process of creating a custom curriculum for her when we were pulled into our wait pool school (2 blocks from our house) 3 weeks into the school year. I was reticent about Cobb (largely due to the attendance numbers), but fell in love with the school. Principal Slife is in his 2nd year and is incredibly energetic and enthusiastic. The kids and parents love him. The Family Liaison, Ms. Collier, is also fantastic. They started an attendance program this year (I saw the first award ceremony this morning and it was great -- a lot of parent participation). We switched because our wait pool school is SO much closer, but that is the ONLY reason we moved. In 3 weeks, we already felt like such a part of the Cobb community. As to the posting by "a Community Member" on March 16, your comment is incredibly misguided and ignorant. The school is small, so under the statistics principle "law of small numbers", the test scores have little statistical significance. My husband and I both have doctorate degrees and we were confident our daughter would get an excellent education there.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2015

I give all 5 stars to this school, because from the very first year we started here my son's (he's in the 4th grade now) academic performance was always and is excellent, thanks to the great teachers. Cobb has became part of my family, my son and I love this school its gonna be hard for us to farewell, when we move to the middle. We love you Cobb family!!!!!!!!3
Submitted by parent on January 30, 2014

My school is a wonderful school with a safe happy enviroment. Which makes for a better learning enviroment
Submitted by parent on January 29, 2014

This school is wonderful! I initially wasn't sure what to expect when assigned Cobb but my son is thriving there. The school is bright and cheerful in a convenient location. His kindergarten teacher has been teaching for 25 years and I'm impressed at the jump in his english and math skills. There is a new principal, Ms. Scott, who is a great leader - very professional, motivated and eager for change - she is a wonderful role model for the students. The hours are very good - drop off from 8:15 until school starts at 8:40am and there is a FREE after school program run by the YMCA that lasts until 6pm and helps with homework and has after school clubs (my son has participated in all sorts of sports, ceramics/art, dance, etc) and has very dedicated staff (thank you Ms. Manika!) who is very thorough and gives us a great report at the end of the day. The diversity is amazing - finally a school with a good racial mix, something that is difficult to find at other schools. There is a good anti-bullying campaign. The downside is a lack of parent participation due to it being more of a commuter school, but the PTO is very active and Cobb is on the rise.
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2013

Dr. William L Cobb (DWLC) Elem School is a little school with a big heart. I have visited 15 schools in our school district, as well as had my child attend kindergarten at another SFUSD school, and DWLC definitely stands out as truly one big family. I have been amazed at how DWLC loves on my special needs son, and how we as parents have been embraced (literally!). Ms. Scott, the new principal is firm yet loving - and has strong values of respect and care and she walks the talk. The campus is totally remodeled. The neighborhood is quiet and safe. Dr. Fagan (4th/5th grade teacher) gave up university teaching opportunities to teach at DWLC. She is just one example of the treasures we have at DWLC. After attending DWLC's annual African Am. History celeb., we were deeply impressed with the depth and soul of the presentations and felt proud that our child was learning such important historical and cultural lessons about our country. We are not African American ourselves - the school is in fact quite diverse ethnically. Don't just look at scores! I believe my child will be a more compassionate citizen because of his unique learning environment at Dr. William Cobb Elementary.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2013

Dr. Cobb is a wonderful school it is like a little heidden treasure my famiily felt so blessed to have our children it has an old fashion loving feeling about it. With the newest learning technology. my kids have prevailed at Dr. Cobb Also love that it is a uniform school
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2013

Wow Cobb GREAT GREAT GREAT. My kids love this school staff is great, they truly care about the children. my daughters love school so much they can't wait for the weekend to end. never experinced tis at othe schools. The principal is so great Miss Scott You rock. Miss Collier thanks for all you do