Our Mission and Vision
Mission Statement
The mission of the Berkeley Unified School District, a diverse community deeply committed to public education, is to ensure that all students discover and develop their special talents, achieve their educational and career goals, become life long learners, and succeed in a rapidly changing society by:
- empowering students, parents and staff,
- providing a strong standards based curriculum, and
- offering alternative learning experiences in a racially integrated, multilingual environment.
Vision
Berkeley Unified School District creates a system that enables every student, including those with diverse needs, to meet or exceed rigorous standards for academic performance. All students will develop the attitudes, skills and habits of mind needed to succeed in and beyond the classroom. The members of this school community share a vision of educational excellence, an appreciation for the partnerships with local government agencies, community based organizations, businesses, institutions of higher education and will work collaboratively to realize this vision.
Welcome to the Berkeley Unified School District!
We serve a city founded on the ideal of quality public education. Since 1868 the proud home to a great public university, Berkeley established California’s first accredited high school, and in 1968 was the nation’s first school district to desegregate without a court order. Our goal is always to give each of our children an equal opportunity to achieve the productive and fulfilled life that education brings.
Our Community
Berkeley is a community as diverse as any in the nation—and our shared goal is to provide all students with the range of educational experiences that will inspire them to excel. Berkeley teachers are some of the state’s experts in teaching classrooms full of students with different achievement levels, learning styles, native languages, and family resources. Our schools feature
- a respected Early Literacy Program,
- a comprehensive arts and music instruction,
- enriched programs in science, English as a Second Language, and other disciplines, and
- an extensive athletic program. Berkeley High School boasts more team sports than any public school west of the Mississippi.
There is something for everyone here!
Berkeley schools enjoy the fervent support of our community. The Berkeley Schools Excellence Project, a special tax on residences and businesses, allows for small class sizes and a range of enrichment programs. Thanks to school construction bond measure, Berkeley is one of the few school districts in the state that has fully retrofitted its buildings for earthquake safety. Parents and community leaders participate in classrooms, immediate and long-range facilities planning and maintenance, and the many advisory board established at individual schools and by the School Board. Partnerships with local arts, business, and civic organizations give our children additional learning opportunities in an array of ways.
Our Schools
With an enrollment of nearly 9,000 students, Berkeley has 14 schools, from kindergarten through high school, plus extensive preschool and adult education programs. Its eleven elementary schools, with an average enrollment of about 375, are the product of an enduring community commitment to providing small, nurturing environments for our youngest students. Each school’s student body represents the full spectrum of Berkeley families, both culturally and economically.
Well over 90 percent of Berkeley teachers are qualified with full state-certified teaching credentials, and many have earned post-graduate degrees in their areas of expertise. There are three national board certified teachers in our district, including the first special education teacher to receive a national board certification.
To learn more about our schools and programs, please spend time visiting the rest of our Web site or visit our Contact page to send us a message.