School district · Alameda County

Berkeley Unified schools

Of Berkeley Unified’s 11 public elementary schools, 9 sit between the 81st and the 96th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Elementary · 11 schools

from 78th to 98th · among 5,726 California elementary schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier: 98th percentile, Strong
  • Ruth Acty Elementary: 96th percentile, Strong
  • Rosa Parks Environmental Science: 93rd percentile, Strong
  • Cragmont Elementary: 90th percentile, Strong
  • John Muir Elementary: 90th percentile, Strong
  • Washington Elementary: 88th percentile, Strong
  • Emerson Elementary: 88th percentile, Strong
  • Malcolm X Elementary: 86th percentile, Strong
  • Thousand Oaks Elementary: 85th percentile, Strong
  • Sylvia Mendez Elementary: 81st percentile, Strong
  • Oxford Elementary at West Campus: 78th percentile, Strong
0Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
11Strong

One dot per school.

Middle and high school pictures

Middle · 3 schools

from 86th to 95th · among 2,529 California middle schools we score · spring 2026 tests

  • Willard Middle: 95th percentile, Strong
  • Longfellow Arts and Technology Middle: 94th percentile, Strong
  • Martin Luther King Middle: 86th percentile, Strong
0Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
3Strong

High · 1 school

at 86th · among 1,498 California high schools we score · spring 2025 tests

  • Berkeley High: 86th percentile, Strong
0Needs Support
0Developing
0Solid
1Strong

One dot per school. Each stage is placed only among California schools at its own level.

  • 1 school not ranked statewide

Schools around Berkeley Unified

16 listed public schools with mapped locations.

Open full map →

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Percentile among California schools at the same level

  • Strong75th+
  • Solid50–74th
  • Developing25–49th
  • Needs Supportbelow 25th
  • Not scored

The school lists on this page are also available without the map.

Elementary schools

Which elementary schools in Berkeley Unified score highest?

Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier is highest, at the 98th percentile.

That’s higher than 98 in 100 of the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in Berkeley Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean

Show the other 8 elementary schools
Context

The average elementary school in Berkeley Unified had 12 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once.

Middle schools

Which middle schools in Berkeley Unified score highest?

Willard Middle is highest, at the 95th percentile.

That’s higher than 95 in 100 of the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests).

Highest in Berkeley Unified

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean

Context

The average middle school in Berkeley Unified had 10 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100.

High schools

Where does the high school we score in Berkeley Unified stand?

Berkeley High is at the 86th percentile.

That’s higher than 86 in 100 of the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). It’s the only public high school we score in Berkeley Unified.

Each percentile compares a school with California schools at its own level. What patterns mean

1 high school not ranked statewide

The district

Where does Berkeley Unified’s money go, and what does it plan?

Berkeley Unified spent $26,397 per student in the 2024–25 school year.

The typical California district spent $20,491. About 61 cents of every Berkeley Unified dollar went to classroom instruction.

Spending by function

Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from the district’s annual financial report (SACS) to the California Department of Education. District-wide: it includes central administration and costs never assigned to one campus.

Share by function, 2024–25

  • Instruction61%
  • Instruction support12%
  • Student services9%
  • Administration8%
  • Buildings & maintenance10%

Shares of the same spending total, by the report’s spending categories, rounded so they add up to 100. Names are simplified from the report’s own categories.

What the district plans

$14.0 million

planned in its 2026–27 plan for 34 funded actions in 5 goals. That’s 6% of its $250.0 million general fund budget. These are planned amounts; the district reports what it spent in a later plan.

The plan in short

Source: the district’s yearly spending plan (Local Control and Accountability Plan, or LCAP, 210 pages), as posted to the California School Dashboard.

Where the money goes

Three actions take 42% of the money. The plan itself puts 92% of it toward staff.

  • Response to Intervention and Instruction (RtI2) (TK- 8) $2.4 million
  • ELD Support at each School (TK-12) $2.0 million
  • Literacy Coaches (TK-8) $1.6 million
  • 31 other actions
Reading, math and catch-up help

11 of the plan’s 34 funded actions name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners in their titles.

Actions whose titles name reading, math, catch-up help or English learners
  • Reading $1.6 million
  • Math $0.5 million
  • Catch-up help $2.9 million
  • English learners $2.2 million

Largest of these

  • Response to Intervention and Instruction (RtI2) (TK- 8)$2.4 million
  • ELD Support at each School (TK-12)$2.0 million
  • Literacy Coaches (TK-8)$1.6 million
For high-need students (English learners, low-income students and foster youth) and what its goals measure
For high-need students

It plans $6.8 million in extra services for English learners, low-income students and foster youth. For 2025–26, it planned $7.5 million and estimates it spent $6.9 million, $0.6 million (8%) less than planned (our arithmetic).

Ask: Why did estimated spending on these services come in $0.6 million under the 2025–26 plan, and where does that money go in 2026–27?

What its goals measure

Read these state results for the district’s own schools as context for the goals they measure; results alone can’t show what the plan caused.

What its goals measure: state results, 2024–25 and 2025–26
Measure2024–252025–26Change
English, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 172%72%no change
Math, every tested grade: Proficient or Advanced in 2025–26, met or exceeded in 2024–25Goal 166%67%up 1 pt
Chronically absentCounted across all the district’s students, not averaged by schoolGoal 313 in 10013 in 100no change
Suspended at least onceGoal 31.6%1.7%up 0.1 pts

Goal 5 tracks named schools and Goals 2 and 4 track other measures, so they aren’t shown here.

Figures from CDE’s state test, chronic absence and suspension files. Test figures cover every grade the district tests (California tests grades 3–8 and 11), so they differ from a profile’s rated grades. We combined the district’s schools ourselves, weighted by students and leaving out charter schools. Chronically absent means a student missed 10% or more of school days.

The plan’s own titles and amounts
  • Response to Intervention and Instruction (RtI2) (TK- 8) · $2,401,943
  • ELD Support at each School (TK-12) · $1,986,686
  • Literacy Coaches (TK-8) · $1,556,895
The full plan5 goals, 42 measures and where the money goes

We calculate each action’s share of the plan by dividing its planned amount by the total of the plan’s funded actions ($14.0 million).

Where does the money go?

44% to Goal 2. Each box is one action, sized by its planned dollars. Tap a box to open its goal.

G1
G2
G3
G4

Every goal, in the plan’s order

Goal 1Provide high quality classroom curriculum and responsive instructional practices that are informed by data…$3.1 million22% of action budgets

“Provide high quality classroom curriculum and responsive instructional practices that are informed by data, promote college and career readiness and eliminate the achievement gap based on race and/​or program” p. 30 ↗

9 funded actions

Largest funded actions

  1. Literacy Coaches (TK-8)$1.6 millionaction 1.4 · p. 143 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $43,470 is state funding counted toward those services
  2. CTE Pathways (BHS)$0.4 millionaction 1.13 · p. 144 ↗
  3. Bridge Program (BHS)$0.4 millionaction 1.12 · p. 143 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  4. Teacher Induction Program$0.3 millionaction 1.1 · p. 143 ↗
  5. AVID (6-8)$0.2 millionaction 1.11 · p. 143 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $174,306 is state funding counted toward those services

4 more funded actions in this goal

  • Science Program · action 1.9 · p. 143 ↗$0.1 million
  • Ethnic Studies · action 1.10 · p. 143 ↗$0.1 million
  • Math Training for Certificated Staff (TK-8) · action 1.7 · p. 143 ↗under $0.1 million
  • Integrated ELD Training and Support · action 1.6 · p. 143 ↗under $0.1 million

How the plan measures it · 22 measures · 1 quoted

  • % of schools offering courses described in Ed. Code 51210 and Ed. Code 51220, as applicable p. 33 ↗
    Baseline
    100%
    Target for year 3
    100%

21 more measures in the plan’s table.

Goal 2Provide and monitor the necessary, timely and effective academic and behavioral interventions to accelerate…$6.1 million44% of action budgets

“Provide and monitor the necessary, timely and effective academic and behavioral interventions to accelerate outcomes and eliminate barriers to student success” p. 47 ↗

9 funded actions

Largest funded actions

  1. Response to Intervention and Instruction (RtI2) (TK- 8)$2.4 millionaction 2.1 · p. 144 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $1.4 million is state funding counted toward those services
  2. ELD Support at each School (TK-12)$2.0 millionaction 2.4 · p. 144 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. Special Day Class$0.8 millionaction 2.3 · p. 144 ↗
  4. Math Coaches and Support (TK-12)$0.3 millionaction 2.7 · p. 144 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $59,064 is state funding counted toward those services
  5. 504 Coordinator$0.2 millionaction 2.2 · p. 144 ↗

4 more funded actions in this goal

  • Math Support Classes (6-8) · action 2.8 · p. 144 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $88,596 is state funding counted toward those services$0.2 million
  • ELD Teacher on Special Assignment (TK-12) · action 2.5 · p. 144 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$0.1 million
  • Summer School for Incoming Seniors (BHS) · action 2.11 · p. 144 ↗$0.1 million
  • Support for Long Term Multilingual Language Learners (MLLs) · action 2.6 · p. 144 ↗under $0.1 million

How the plan measures it · 5 measures · 1 quoted

  • % of high school students who have dropped out of school p. 48 ↗
    Baseline
    6.7%
    Target for year 3
    All students will make at least a 3% total decrease over three years (see Appendix).

4 more measures in the plan’s table.

Goal 3Foster safe, welcoming and inclusive school climates that are humanizing, and culturally and linguistically…$2.8 million20% of action budgets

“Foster safe, welcoming and inclusive school climates that are humanizing, and culturally and linguistically responsive for students and their families, so that all students are ready to learn and fully engaged” p. 62 ↗

9 funded actions

Largest funded actions

  1. Counseling (6-8)$865,657action 3.9 · p. 145 ↗
  2. Behavioral Health Services (TK-5 & BTA)$500,000action 3.6 · p. 145 ↗
  3. Middle School Restorative Justice Counselors (6-8)$454,412action 3.7 · p. 145 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $391,892 is state funding counted toward those services
  4. LEAP Class (BHS)$398,287action 3.11 · p. 146 ↗
  5. Intervention Counseling (BHS)$181,525action 3.10 · p. 146 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

4 more funded actions in this goal

  • Intervention Services for Students Experiencing Homelessness · action 3.3 · p. 145 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$149,460
  • High School Restorative Justice Coordinators (BHS) · action 3.8 · p. 145 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services$97,745
  • Black/​African American Success Framework Implementation · action 3.1 · p. 145 ↗$91,506
  • ¡Adelante! Latinx Success Initiative · action 3.2 · p. 145 ↗$40,000

How the plan measures it · 7 measures · 3 quoted

  • District Attendance Rate (see Appendix for detailed results for multiple student groups) p. 62 ↗
    Baseline
    94.5%
    Target for year 3
    All students will maintain or attain an attendance rate of at least 95% (see Appendix).
  • % of students who are chronically absent (see Appendix for detailed results for multiple student groups) p. 62 ↗
    Baseline
    13.8%
    Target for year 3
    All students will make at least a 3% total decrease over three years (see Appendix).
  • % of students suspended once or more (see Appendix for detailed results for multiple student groups) p. 63 ↗
    Baseline
    1.8%
    Target for year 3
    All students will maintain or attain a suspension rate of less than 2% (see Appendix).

4 more measures in the plan’s table.

Goal 4Build authentic partnerships between families, school staff, and educational partners that leverage the…$1.9 million14% of action budgets

“Build authentic partnerships between families, school staff, and educational partners that leverage the strength of the diverse skills and talents in our community and build capacity to promote successful outcomes for our students” p. 78 ↗

6 funded actions

Largest funded actions

  1. Build Relational Trust$1.1 millionaction 4.1 · p. 146 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services · of which $869,676 is state funding counted toward those services
  2. Program Support and Evaluation$0.3 millionaction 4.6 · p. 146 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  3. Additional Supports and Services$0.3 millionaction 4.7 · p. 146 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  4. High School attendance$0.1 millionaction 4.4 · p. 146 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services
  5. Family Engagement Capacity Building$0.1 millionaction 4.3 · p. 146 ↗ · marked as contributing to high-need services

1 more funded action in this goal

  • Translation Costs · action 4.5 · p. 146 ↗under $0.1 million

How the plan measures it · 5 measures · 2 quoted

  • % of schools with appropriately constituted SSCs p. 78 ↗
    Baseline
    100%
    Target for year 3
    Maintain 100%
  • % of schools with appropriately constituted ELACs p. 79 ↗
    Baseline
    100%
    Target for year 3
    Maintain 100%

3 more measures in the plan’s table.

Goal 5 · Equity Multiplier Focus GoalWithin three years, all students, and particularly all students at Berkeley Technology Academy will…$65,000under 1% of action budgets

“Within three years, all students, and particularly all students at Berkeley Technology Academy will demonstrate growth towards being prepared for college or a career. (The CCI was Red in 2023 and improved to Orange in 2024 with 5.8% prepared and a 5.8% increase. Additionally both the African American Student Group and Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Student Group had a Red rating for Suspensions in 2024)” p. 90 ↗

1 funded action

Largest funded actions

  1. College/​Career Readiness Supports$65,000action 5.1 · p. 146 ↗

How the plan measures it · 3 measures · 3 quoted

  • Graduation Rate as measured by the CA School Dashboard p. 91 ↗
    Baseline
    97%
    Target for year 3
    Maintain 95% or higher
  • State College/Career Indicator - Percent Prepared *based on incorrect A-G completion p. 91 ↗
    Baseline
    Overall: 0% prepared …
    Target for year 3
    15%
  • CA School Dashboard - Suspension Rate p. 91 ↗
    Baseline
    Overall: 13.7% …
    Target for year 3
    5%

All amounts are planned. We read them from the PDF and added up each goal’s actions ourselves. Page links open the plan at that page.

Who goes to the district’s schools
Who attends

Student mix

2024–25 · October enrollment count, 9,162 students
1. White: 41%2. Hispanic or Latino: 22%3. Two or more races: 16%4. Black or African American: 11%5. Asian: 8%6. Filipino: <1%7. American Indian or Alaska Native: <1%8. Pacific Islander: <1%9. Not reported: <1%Student mix2024–25
  1. White41%
  2. Hispanic or Latino22%
  3. Two or more races16%
  4. Black or African American11%
  5. Asian8%
  6. Filipino<1%
  7. American Indian or Alaska Native<1%
  8. Pacific Islander<1%
  9. Not reported<1%
Shares use the district's own October enrollment counts from the CDE, including its charter schools. Rounded labels may not total 100%; segments use the original shares.

Free or reduced-price meals

29%

Across California, 63% of students qualify.

2024–25 · 2,638 of 9,116 students qualify, summed from the CDE’s meal counts for every school it lists under the district, charters included. It comes from a different CDE file than the student mix, so the two totals differ.

The district’s state records

Is the state giving the district extra help?

Berkeley Unified isn’t getting extra state help in 2026, only the standard support every district gets.

How English learners moved up on the state’s English test

From spring 2025 to spring 2026, 60% of the district’s English learners moved up at least one level on the state’s English test (ELPAC), or stayed at the top (217 of 359 students). California: 47%. It counts students moving up the test’s levels, so a student can count here before becoming fluent.

1 school getting state support, 2025–26

Cragmont Elementary (Extra targeted support)

This list covers the district’s own schools; each charter school’s page shows its record. Federal designation under the Every Student Succeeds Act, 2025–26.

Sources: District help (CDE) ↗ · English learner progress (CDE) ↗ · School support (CDE) ↗. State results from the 2026 California School Dashboard.

Which places nearby can you look at next?

Cities in the district

More places (4)

Districts nearby

Common questions

Which public schools in Berkeley Unified rank highest?

Elementary: Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier, 98th percentile (Strong). Middle: Willard Middle, 95th percentile (Strong). High: Berkeley High, 86th percentile (Strong). Each percentile is among the California schools at the same level we score. A rank doesn’t decide fit or whether a child can enroll.

Does living in the Berkeley Unified district decide which school my child attends?

Not by itself. Attendance boundaries, programs, transfers and space all matter. Confirm the school for your address, grade and program with the district.
More questions (5)

Are the public schools in Berkeley Unified good?

Berkeley Unified’s 11 public elementary schools run from the 78th to the 98th percentile among the 5,726 California elementary schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 11 Strong. Berkeley Unified’s 3 public middle schools run from the 86th to the 95th percentile among the 2,529 California middle schools we score (spring 2026 tests). By band: 3 Strong. Berkeley Unified has one public high school we score, Berkeley High, at the 86th percentile among the 1,498 California high schools we score (spring 2025 tests). By band: 1 Strong. A percentile compares a school with California public schools at the same level that we score. How we score schools.

How does chronic absence in Berkeley Unified compare with California?

The average elementary school in Berkeley Unified had 12 in 100 students chronically absent (missed 10% or more of school days) in 2025–26; the average California elementary school we score had 17 in 100. Both are averages of school rates, each school counted once. The average middle school in Berkeley Unified had 10 in 100 students chronically absent in 2025–26; the average California middle school we score had 18 in 100. These are averages of school rates: each school counts once, whatever its size.

How much does Berkeley Unified spend per student?

Berkeley Unified spent $26,397 per student in the 2024–25 school year. The typical California district spent $20,491. About 61 cents of every Berkeley Unified dollar went to classroom instruction. Day-to-day spending per student in average daily attendance, from its annual financial report to the California Department of Education. The district’s spending, by function.

What is in Berkeley Unified’s 2026–27 spending plan?

The district’s 2026–27 spending plan puts $14.0 million into 34 funded actions in 5 goals, 6% of its $250.0 million general fund budget. Its largest goal holds $6.1 million, 44% of the action budgets. The 2026–27 plan, goal by goal.

Where do these results come from?

California’s state tests (CAASPP): spring 2026 for elementary and middle schools, spring 2025 for high schools, and chronic-absence rates for 2025–26, published by the California Department of Education. Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s calculations. How we score schools.

Sources and methodology

This page lists the public schools governed and funded by Berkeley Unified, with the district’s spending and state accountability records.

Data source: California Department of Education · CAASPP 2025–26 elementary and middle school; 2024–25 high school

Percentiles, bands and Scope Scores are SchoolScope’s own calculations from these state files.

View CDE data ↗ (opens in a new tab)How Scope Scores work →

Download these schools (CSV)Free to use under CC BY 4.0 with attribution.