If you're buying or selling in San Jose right now, there's a decision already made in local schools that deserves a spot on your radar — even if you don't have kids in the system.
WHAT HAPPENED
San José Unified School District spent the 2025-26 school year running a process called "Schools of Tomorrow" to address a steep, sustained enrollment decline: down more than 6,000 students, or 20%, since 2017-18. The driver is demographic, not budgetary — declining birth rates combined with the Bay Area's cost of living have pushed families out of the district. SJUSD has been explicit that this was not a financially-motivated decision but one aimed at giving students at shrinking campuses the staffing and programming that larger schools can support.
On March 26, 2026, the SJUSD Board of Education voted 3-2 to adopt a final plan. This is no longer a proposal — it's implemented and already in effect for the current 2026-27 school year:
Closed after 2025-26, students reassigned for 2026-27:
- Empire Gardens Elementary → Anne Darling Elementary
- Lowell Elementary → Washington Elementary
- Gardner Elementary → Horace Mann Elementary
- Canoas Elementary → Ernesto Galarza Elementary
- Terrell Elementary → Rachel Carson Elementary
Hammer Montessori (previously at Galarza) also relocated, to the Gardner campus.
Separately, some East San Jose districts — including Alum Rock Union School District — have been redrawing boundaries too, but that's about how school board trustees are elected by area, not which school a child attends. Different process, and not directly relevant to buyers evaluating a specific address.
WHY THIS MATTERS FOR REAL ESTATE
School assignment is one of the more emotionally charged, and financially relevant, factors in a San Jose home purchase. A few things worth flagging for clients:
There are two boundary maps right now, and the right one depends on the situation. New attendance boundaries were adopted alongside the closures, but they only apply to new enrollees starting in the 2027-28 school year:
2026-27 School Locator — current boundaries. Use this for a family with a child already enrolled, or enrolling for the current school year.
2027-28 and Beyond Locator — the new boundaries that take effect for first-time enrollees starting in the 2027-28 school year. This is the one to check for a buyer whose kids won't start at a SJUSD elementary until next year or later.
Current enrollment is protected. A student enrolled at a school for 2026-27 can stay there through the rest of elementary school, even if that address falls into a different boundary once the new lines take effect. That's a meaningful reassurance for a family buying now with a child already in the system.
A property's "zoned school" today may not be its zoned school for a family enrolling next year. Anyone buying with a specific school in mind — especially if their child won't start until 2027-28 or later — should check both maps rather than assume the current boundary holds.
Some receiving schools gained real resources. Anne Darling, Ernesto Galarza, Horace Mann, Rachel Carson, and Washington Elementary — the five schools absorbing displaced students — added staffing this year, including additional site administrators, counselors, and speech/language support, and none of them will run combination classes in 2026-27. Worth knowing if one is looking at homes zoned for one of these campuses.
Sellers in affected neighborhoods should get ahead of the question. If a listing sits in a boundary tied to a school that closed or shifted, it's better for us to address it proactively with buyers than have it surface as a surprise during due diligence.
CHECK A SPECIFIC ADDRESS
Boundary lines can differ block by block, so always check both locator maps for a specific property rather than relying on general neighborhood reputation — especially in areas near Empire Gardens, Lowell, Gardner, Canoas, or Terrell.
OUR TAKE
The closures and boundary changes are finalized, but the transition is still playing out — and the 2027-28 boundaries won't take hold for new families until next year. None of this means don't buy or sell in an affected area. It means buyers and sellers should go in with current, accurate information rather than assumptions.
If you're evaluating a property near one of the affected schools, reach out to The Pulpan Brothers Group. We can help you understand exactly which boundary applies to your situation before you make a decision.
This post reflects the status of San Jose Unified’s Schools of Tomorrow planning process as of publication. Boundary decisions are subject to change pending board votes — confirm current zoning directly with the district before relying on it for a purchase decision
