public schools -Albany, Berkeley or Piedmont?
Hello parents,
We are planning to move to the Berkeley area and want to send our kids to public schools. We have one kid in elementary, one in middle and one in high.
We are considering Albany, Berkeley and Piedmont neighborhoods for the schools.
I would like to know which school district offers more project based learning, hand on projects instead of just reports and tests. Additionally, we value STEAM and would also like the school offers music program. Can people let me know the focused area for each school district?
We would like to know anything about these schools for our decision if you are willing to share, or if you have been through this process in particular.
Thank you in advance
Feb 5, 2023
Parent Replies
I'm sorry to say that public schools must follow the state curriculum and project based learning doesn't really happen, unless you get lucky with some teachers who try to incorporate interesting projects. All three school districts are high performing with highly engaged parent community and offer music. Piedmont schools are extremely well resourced and are able to offer robust STEAM programs including music and arts with a plenty of interesting afterschool enrichment options. Some teachers will try to incorporate a more project based approach but your experience will depend on the particular teacher, as they do have to make sure that kids test at a certain level. If your heart is set on project based, hands-on learning, you may want to look into charter or private schools.