After a months-long listening tour, Superintendent Enikia Ford Morthel said the district has “initiative fatigue” and needs data-backed audits of curriculum, starting with literacy.
Education Equity
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See how your Berkeley school did on state tests
An interactive graphic created by CalMatters allows you to see how test scores changed at every Berkeley school through the pandemic — broken down by race, grade and other factors.
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Berkeley students’ reading test scores stable through pandemic, math scores drop 4 points
High schoolers saw the biggest drop in scores. Achievement gaps, still a major crisis, didn’t dramatically worsen as many expected.
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Berkeley school board votes to desegregate middle schools with new enrollment policy
Starting in fall 2023, students will be enrolled at Longfellow Middle School based on where they live. A map showing how students will be assigned their school has yet to be finalized.
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Black and Latino students in Berkeley Unified are overrepresented in special ed
Twenty-eight percent of Black students are in special ed, compared to 7% of white students. Berkeleyside digs into BUSD’s plan to address the disparity.
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After years of delay, middle school enrollment recommendation expected in June
The Berkeley school board is set in five weeks to make a preliminary call on whether to overhaul how students are assigned a middle school — though further delay is possible.
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Meet the two candidates running for Alameda County superintendent
Incumbent L.K. Monroe and challenger Alysse Castro spoke about school funding, pandemic recovery, and the financial challenges facing local school districts.
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New club at Longfellow builds solidarity among Black girls
Led by Tanisha Walton and UC Berkeley student Skylynn Hayes, Black Girls United is in its first year. The duo hope to expand to more schools.
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Berkeley mandated ethnic studies 30 years ahead of California. Now the district’s going a step further.
In 1990, Berkeley High became one of the first schools in the nation to require ethnic studies. With the state following suit earlier this month, BUSD plans to expand ethnic studies to all grade levels.
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Berkeley debates multiple plans to desegregate its middle schools
Community members are invited to voice their opinions in a series of town halls. Students won’t see changes until 2023.
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Berkeley High scraps plan to change fall bell schedule
The school district will revert to the long-standing six-period day. Future changes are still on the table.
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‘Every waking minute’: The Berkeley educators who went above and beyond this year
Five Berkeley educators nominated by parents and principals for their perseverance and commitment to kids during the pandemic.