Which Schools are Diverse?

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  • Diverse, Progressive Private Elementary & Middle School Recs

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    Mar 20, 2022

    We're a family of four moving from the East Coast back to the West Coast, to the Oakland/Berkeley area. As such, we're looking for a strong elementary/middle private or charter school that's *diverse, *progressive and has *strong but not too demanding academics for our almost 10 yr old, who will be entering 5th grade in the fall (I know we're late in terms of application dates, but we just found out we're moving and are letting the kids finish school where we are vs moving them mid-year...we're hoping to get on a wait list, find a school with openings or that takes late applications). Our child has attended a very strong, large diverse public school on the East Coast and in doing so, teachers have very recently recommended that she move to a smaller or private setting as they believe she's being left behind and is falling through the cracks in the larger setting. She's an average learner who works more slowly and needs one-on-one instruction and explanation of concepts (we're currently testing her for a mild case of Dysgraphia). In addition, she's very sensitive and benefits from teachers who are better able to connect with her emotionally. (In contrast, her older sister navigates a large public school very well as she works independently and quickly/easily and as such, will be attending Oakland public schools).

    I've looked at Park Day and Redwood schools and while they seem wonderful, they don't seem all that diverse ... we're looking for a school that's more balanced in terms of race and ethnicity, i.e. having as many or almost as many students of color as they do Caucasian students (we're a multiracial family of Caucasian, Black and Latinx descent). Would love any recs that you all might have....thanks so much for reading and for your help!

    Mar 20, 2022

    St. Paul's near Lake Merritt in Oakland sounds like it might be just what you're looking for. (Despite the name, it's not a religious school.) St. Paul's has an incredibly diverse community that prioritizes creating safe and welcoming spaces for BIPOC students, staff, and leaders. (This year's admissions materials say the school is currently 70% students of color and 60% faculty of color, which sounds consistent with our experience.) It is an urban campus, and can't match the grounds of Redwood Day or Park Day. Instead, SPES leans into the Oakland community and actively uses nearby Lake Merritt and its surrounding parks as part of its program. My child is in the rising fifth grade cohort, and while I don't know if there will be openings, the class does have a range of learners who move at different paces, and the school has a learning specialist who supports students who need extra help. We've been very happy with the school both academically and with respect to the social-emotional supports. I also deeply appreciate the intentionality with which SPES approaches the curriculum to ensure that students hear a diversity of voices and stories and understand the links between what they are learning and the city around them. Good luck with your search!

    Mar 21, 2022

    We just went through the private school admissions process for my daughter and I recommend St. Paul's as well. We also considered Redwood Day and Park Day and found St. Paul's to be, by far, the most diverse (although all of those schools have very inclusive, progressive approaches). For what it's worth, my daughter has a similar-sounded personality to yours as well as some mild academic challenges where she benefits from more teacher attention (hence our move to private), and we've chosen Julia Morgan School for Girls. It's middle school only so wouldn't help you for this fall but worth exploring in the future!

    Mar 23, 2022

    You should also have a look at St. Paul's in Oakland and Prospect Sierra in El Cerrito. (Prospect offers transportation from various locations in Oakland/Berkeley.) And Black Pine Circle in Berkeley. All 3 are K-8 progressive private schools.

    I have a 7th grader at Prospect Sierra and can't say enough good things about it. It meets a lot of what you are looking for. Have friends at St. Paul's and they think it's pretty great. Staff and student body are more diverse than your average East Bay private school.

    Mar 23, 2022

    I suggest you consider a school like School of the Madeleine in Berkeley. Whether it could be considered progressive as a catholic school is up for debate, but I do think you're more likely to find the diversity you're looking for than at a secular private school (which often don't have a significant population of Latinx students.)

    Mar 23, 2022

    Do you want diverse or do you want private? Pick one ;-). Private schools in the Bay Area are not diverse. You may find more diversity than average at St. Paul's, as one parent mentioned.  One of my kids went to St. Paul's for elementary school and this attracted me to the school at first.  But the kids of color at St. Paul's tended to be the children of doctors, lawyers, and celebrities. To me that seems like a kind of cosmetic diversity. 

    If you want to walk into a school and see diversity, visit any public school in Oakland or Berkeley. You'll see not only plenty of brown and black faces in the mix, but also kids whose parents come from every corner of the earth, from all income levels and with different customs and languages and viewpoints. What you won't see is a homogenous blend of privileged kids who happen to be different shades of color.  My kids went to Berkeley public middle school and they had a great experience and made lifelong friends with a diverse group of kids. We found many excellent teachers and terrific support for learning differences at our local public school. 

    Mar 23, 2022

    Check out Northern Light in Oakland. It’s tiny, but awesome. Most students of color, very warm and inclusive and welcoming vibe.

    May 4, 2022

    Crestmont school in Richmond has been great for us.  Very small, very individualized learning setting which has worked well for my multiracial child.  My child's class of 10 was 70% kids of color and the BIPOC kids ran the spectrum (some mixed race, some asian, some latinx).  There were also 2 gender nonbinary kids out of the group of 10.  It has a strong and diverse parent community (it is technically a coop) and the voices and roles of many parents of color have been strong and in front at times, and at other times less so.  The teaching staff is small (I think about 12 total) and I think 5 or 6 are BIPOC. 

    St. Paul definitely has a reputation for its racial diversity too and worth checking out.

    May 5, 2022

  • School with diversity and strong academics

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    Jan 27, 2021

    For the last few years we’ve been very fortunate to be a part of a small private school community that has emphasis on diversity and social justice. While it’s been wonderful to have a school reflect the values that we feel strongly about and teach at home it’s frustrating that the academics aren’t equally strong. We’ve had these feelings pre pandemic and the pandemic has really reinforced our feelings. We are parents of a soon to be middle schooler and we are very concerned that the middle school program doesn’t adequately prepare our child for high school, be it a small private school or a large public school. We are seeing Math, Science, and English take a back seat to Cultural Studies and Social Justice classes. For example,  Cultural Studies is every day for 45 minutes. Math and Science are only once a week for 30 minutes. Is it possible to find a school that is academically rigorous and includes our values in the curriculum? Also is there a school with openings for sixth grade next fall? 

    Any parent recommendations? 

    Jan 27, 2021

    I have a fifth grader at Prospect Sierra and feel like the academics are stronger than our local public option (I can't speak to comparison with other private schools), and there is a strong commitment to diversity weaving in the entire curriculum. (OK, maybe I haven't seen it in math or PE... ha ha.)

    Jan 30, 2021

    We are a progresssive family of color, and my daughter is in middle school at Park Day School.  I continue to be very impressed with their committment to social justice as well as foundational academics.  All tought to be critical thinkers vs rote learners.  

    Feb 1, 2021

    Why not just let your child live the curriculum in a diverse public school?

    Feb 1, 2021

    Public schools always have openings. 

    Feb 1, 2021

    We have a child at The Academy. The Academy has a very strong academic program, especially in the middle school. Also there is a lot of diversity in the school. In 6th grade, students take Pre-Algebra  (5x/week for 50 min each session), Science (4x/week for 50 min sessions), Latin (3x/week for 50 min sessions), French (3x/week for 50 min session), English (5x/week for 50 min sessions), History (4x week for 50 min sessions), Music (2x week for 50 min sessions), Art (2x week for 50 min sessions), PE (3x week). The classes are small but most importantly you should have your child visit to make sure it's a good fit for them. Also, just FYI...they do get a lot of homework in middle school.

    Feb 1, 2021

    My son is currently a 7th grader at The Academy in Berkeley and we can't say enough about the school. Our oldest also attended from 6-8th grade and is currently in HS doing very well, and we're confident it's due to the preparation he received in middle school. The rigorous academics at The Academy is actually one of the top reasons we were attracted to the school and we have not been disappointed. The teachers are so committed and dedicated to the students. The curriculum is focused on making sure the students are adequately prepared for the next level. We also love the community and the school has definitely focused on creating diversity as part of its culture, which is also very important to us. Even through the pandemic, the school did a great job being prepared for distance learning, making it an easy transition for us, as parents, and the students. It's a small school but so well rounded and has been a perfect fit for both our boys. I definitely recommend it. Here is the school link if you'd like more information, https://theacademyschool.org.  Best wishes!

    Feb 2, 2021

    Prospect Sierra school fits the bill.  My child was a student in Prospect Sierra for 9 years, from K-8.  As you already know, Prospect Sierra places a big emphasis on social emotional learning and diversity.  It is also very strong in academics, at least during the 9 years we were there.  I can come up with two major differences between Prospect Sierra and public schools: 1) they teach kids how to learn, not just content but soft skills of learning; 2) they provided sufficient flexibility to students who have superior academic abilities.  My child graduated a couple of years ago from PS and went to a top private high school known for vigorous academics.  Even in this setting, my student got to the top of the class easily. In retrospect, my student commented that PS did a great job preparing its students for high school and beyond. Many projects and activities they do in high schools (private and public) have already been done in 7th and 8th grades in PS. More importantly, PS graduates are already well trained in study skills that make them easier to adapt to high schools. It is perhaps the best school (K-12) in the area.  We were lucky to be a part of it. 

    Feb 3, 2021

    Hello. If you're looking for a school that prides itself on its academic rigor AND its commitment to social engagement, then the Academy in Berkeley is the school for you. We have been parents there for over ten years and we can't say enough great things about the teachers as well as the small but mighty administration that supports them. Classes are no more than 15 people (yep, 15!) and yet the student body is extremely diverse. Coursework ranges from a comprehensive STEAM program to learning Latin, debating historical perspectives and reading and performing a Shakespeare play. We are also lucky enough to have an incredible Music & Arts curriculum that is meant to enhance studies of rhythm, history & world culture.

    Our first child graduated in 2019 and could not have been more prepared as she entered University High School in San Francisco (another quite challenging program). Our second child will be entering 6th grade next year and has had a different but equally rewarding tenure there. Though schooling-from-home last year was tough on our young student, the school adapted in the fastest and safest way possible to bring the kids back into the classroom putting strict testing protocols into play and insisting on no contact between students. And, of course, masks. All this is to say, reach out to the Academy if you're looking for a unicorn of a school that challenges the student while still supporting the student's socio-emotional well-being.

    By mrkendal on Feb 3, 2021

    Feb 5, 2021

  • Switching to private middle school: academics & diversity

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    Jan 11, 2021

    We've been in BUSD/public school for 6 years. We are now considering Prospect Sierra and Head Royce for 2021-22 (our kid will be entering 6th grade, is a solid student, this year has been a disaster with distance learning) and are wondering about:

    1. The overall culture. Is there a good mix of families in terms of socioeconomic status? Sending our kid to private school would be a big financial stretch for us even with financial aid but we think it's the right move at this point. Both schools claim that they value diversity but are the communities truly diverse and welcoming? We want to make sure our kid will not feel like an outsider just because we are a family of moderate income.

    2. If you've made the move from public to private, were there significant differences in terms of academics and overall student experience? Are the above schools really "better" compared to BUSD middle schools? 

    Any insights would be appreciated. 

    Jan 11, 2021

    We have a child in middle school at PS, and I would consider us a moderate income family. Due to remote learning, etc etc I think the welcome aspect was probably less than normal but we have been both reached out to by individual classmate's families as well as met warmly when we reached out. Other families clearly have more means than ours, which we expected and have discussed with our child. It is an ongoing adjustment.

    I can't speak to BUSD middle schools per se, but yes we consider this academic experience to be superior (deeper, more engaging, more rigourous in humanities at least, maybe not math this year) to the alternative in our local public school option. (We have an older child who went through public so we have a point of comparison.)

    We are very happy with PS so far even despite all the ups and downs of this remote year.

    Jan 13, 2021

    I'd say it really depends on the peer group. In general, our experience at PS was a mixed bag: good in some ways but not good in other important ways, and the reasons were in part due to the peer group and also to variability in the teaching. With respect to the peer group and inclusivity, we never felt like income was a determining factor, but there were definitely cliques (among both boys and girls) at the school that were unhealthy and made our kids feel uncomfortable. Unfortunately, I think the best way for your kid to get a sense of that is via an in-person visit, which is tough this year. I'd simply ask around a lot more, and I'd encourage you to look at other schools like BPC, Redwood Day, or the Berkeley School, too.

    Jan 18, 2021

    Our child is a new 6th grader at PS, and we are a moderate-income family (think: just barely into 6 figures for a family of 4; we are only able to send our child to PS because a grandparent is paying for it). Our child came to PS from a public school. You can take everything I'm saying with a grain of salt, because of the pandemic. But for what it's worth... I think PS walks the walk in terms of having racial/ethnic/gender diversity and very explicitly valuing that. I'm so impressed with how much time and effort they have spent on building community and building a culture where all individuals are valued. And I'm impressed with the way they've put a lot of effort into translating that into a mostly-online school year. Overall, we're very happy with the school and think it has a very healthy social/emotional culture. Our child loves it.

    In terms of socio-economic diversity... ehhh, that's a bit of a different story. I think there's just no escaping the fact that it's not a fully socioeconomically diverse school, nor can it be. My child is already quite aware that many of their classmates have had fabulous European vacations, live in houses much bigger than ours, etc. I haven't had too many opportunities to interact with the parent community, but so far my impression is that everyone is so very, very kind and welcoming. Truly lovely. And I have also witnessed a few moments that I would describe as tone deaf in terms of awareness that not everyone is swimming in the luxury pool, you know? But honestly, that same thing was a regular occurrence at my child's public elementary school (where there was a significant subset of very affluent families who often were in positions of leadership on the PTA, etc.) I think it's less a function of PS' parent culture and more just part of the reality of living in the Bay Area in 2021. While our child notices the differences in income between our family and some of their classmates, our child has definitely never felt unwelcome or like an outsider because of that. I think that's OK. And it has honestly led us into some really interesting conversations about status, privilege, class, and our own choice to be part of this community right now. So on balance, we feel like it's working for us.

    I definitely think our child is having a richer academic experience than their former classmates who are at our local public middle school (we are in touch with many of them). Some of this is due to the pandemic. PS has been able to adjust and be creative much more rapidly than the public school district has. All of last spring, while public schools were effectively doing nothing, PS was experimenting with online learning and figuring out what works and what doesn't. They continue to do that, and the result is that my child is having a very different experience from her public school peers. This is a freaking tragedy and mostly fills me with rage, but that's a post for another time. Good luck making your decision!

    Jan 19, 2021

    We had a very difficult experience at Prospect Sierra.  Our child was racially profiled.  My child has dark hair and skin.  They went to PS only for 6th grade.  At no other school in her entire life had she ever not been seen as an incredibly bright and enthusiastic student and person.  As a matter of fact, at her public school, one of her teachers convinced us she should skip a grade, which she did.  At PS, we got an alarmed call home saying "your child has taken a bite of another child's cookie" (this was pre-pandemic).  I was asked to come pick her up.  Another call, "your daughter has sneezed very loudly and disturbed others" I was asked to come pick her up.  Only one teacher there acknowledged that she had any academic skills or high intellect.  The admin at PS even said to me, "skipping a grade in a public school does not mean much given the school population".  If you read that sentence again you will understand the true philosophy and values of PS.  The school went so far as to recommend "a full evaluation" of my daughter.  I am her Mom, I knew 100% they were wrong.  We took her out and she went to another private middle school and another highly regarded private high school.  She is now attending a top Ivy League College.  My child had never and has never experienced such intense racial profiling as at Prospect Sierra.  If you have a child of color please be very careful.

    Jan 25, 2021

  • Teachers of color in OUSD

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    Nov 9, 2018

    In touring kindergartens this fall it’s become clear to us that our child would thrive under the guidance of a teacher of color, particularly a brown or black one. Does anyone have recommendations for elementary schools in OUSD where the teachers reflect the population of students? Schools where a decent percentage of teachers are black and brown?

    Nov 9, 2018

    My kids go to Chabot, which is a big school and has room to accept kids from all over the district. Of our 22 classroom teachers, 10 are white women, one is a white man, 6 are women of color and 5 are men of color. Of the teachers of color, three are African-American, two are Asian American, and the others are either Latinx, mixed, or middle Eastern in origin. So... it would be pretty unlikely for your child to go all the way through with teachers of color, but he/she would definitely get black or brown teachers at some point. (I know my kids have.)

    Importantly, Chabot has a principal who is tuned in to the importance for kids of color (especially African-American kids) to have teachers that look like them at some point in their lives. It's been my experience that our principal is also quite responsive to parent insights into what kind of educational environment (i.e., what kind of teacher) will help their kid thrive. So... maybe Chabot is worth a visit? It's a great school in general as well. 

    Nov 14, 2018

         I would strongly consider touring St Pauls Episcopol School. There are several non white educators in the lower school. All but one grade in the lower school has at least one person of color educator.  And the other teachers who are not, are well versed and committed to diversity issues. One of the main reasons we chose the school was due to seeing an incredibly gifted African American male educating the 4th grade kids  w/respect, skill, kindness, and challenge.   We are fortunate to have actually gotten him for our child’s 4th grade year and he has yet to disappoint! And all the educators that  we have had so far, regardless of their own race/ethnicity have been wonderful educators who are committed to fairness and diversity .  

    St Pauls has much to offer in many ways  Feel free to contact me If you would like more information.   

    Nov 14, 2018

    One of the things we love about the school that our child attends is the diversity. St. Paul's Episcopal is in Oakland, and the teachers are a very diverse bunch. They have a great ratio of both male and female teachers of color, something you don't see very often. You should contact the school for a tour. I promise you won't be disappointed! You can also checkout the website at www.spes.org .

    Nov 15, 2018

  • Diverse East Bay Areas for Muslim/Hispanic mixed children

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    May 19, 2017

    Hi BPN members,  I've been researching on my own for months and I feel like I need some advice on questions that a realtor just can't answer...

    our family of 4 is looking to move to the East Bay in roughly a year.  We work in the alameda area, bay farm island, next to the OAK Airport and currently live on the peninsula.  Looking to decrease travel time and increase family time.

    looking for a 4 bedroom house up to $1.5M, prefer a two story house, good schools - (great schools rating 8 and higher please) - safe area with entertainment activities that would appeal to our kids as they grow.  Our children are heading into middle school years and I want them to be able to have some independence as they get older and I'll of course feel more comfortable if entertainment like movie cinema, etc is relatively close by and safe.

    my husband and I both grew up in very urban settings with urban problems and we'd like a safer environment for our kids.  We're originally from the east coast but we've moved around a lot.

    our kids are great students, really kind people, on their way to being great citizens I hope!  Here's one of my biggest concerns though and something I can't really speak freely to a realtor about.  We are Muslim and my kids are currently the only muslims in their respective classrooms at school.  We are very liberal and progressive but as our children get older they make comments telling us that all of their classmates are Christian and they don't want to tell people they're Muslim, it concerns me, I want them to feel comfortable in their own skin.  

    I am a white hispanic and my husband is of a mixed Indian and Arab origin.  I speak Spanish and our current school is heavily Latino so most people assume our children are Latino but they don't speak Spanish.  They understand some Urdu, Arabic, and Spanish because of grandparents visiting for extended stays but they only speak English.  I feel like the middle and high school years are really tough and I want my children to feel like they fit, right now they feel like outsiders.  One of our children looks more like mom - white/Hispanic and the other looks just like dad - people often Assume Afghan or Persian.

    i've looked in Piedmont and Montclair but I just don't know if these are a good fit even though the commute would be easy and the schools seem good...  any advice would be very much appreciated.  Anyone in the same boat????

     The only other family I know that shares our mix homeschools, ha!

    May 19, 2017

    I've read your post a few times now and still can't quite tell what you're prioritizing. Do you want 1) an ethnically mixed school, where your kids' mixed race won't stand out? 2) to be part of a progressive/liberal high-income Muslim community? 3) to be in Alameda? 4) to be in a very high ranked school? 5) to connect with (or live near) other families who are Hispanic/white/Arab/Indian? I feel like you and your spouse should try to nail down which of these in the big picture are your top 2 or 3, and then hone in on areas that meet those needs first. Off the top of my head, I'd think the Peninsula might be a good bet, or Fremont/SJ, but I am not super familiar with those areas, nor with the progressive Muslim community.

    My kids go to an extremely ethnically diverse public school (WCCUSD) and it's great, but it is truly very mixed, about third Asian, third Latino, sixth Af-Am, and sixth white. It's also low-income, which may correlate with ethnic diversity. Is that okay with you? As I'm sure you know, these Census-based ethnic categories do not ask what one's faith is, so there's no way of measuring "Muslim" population as they may self-report as any race/ethnicity. You may want to attend Muslim cultural events in the East Bay/Alameda, and ask around where the kids go to school.

    In the meantime, as far as the East Bay goes, if I wanted cultural/ethnic diversity in my public school, and was looking in the $1.5M range for a 4-bedroom, I'd certainly look into Berkeley (can you still get a 4-bd there for under $2M?), or the hidden gem of Point Richmond, with bayfront views, a neighborhood which feeds to Korematsu JH in EC and ECHS, both quite ethnically diverse and academically solid if not the 8 you have targeted. Or you could try to get your kids into application-based magnet high school Middle College HS in Richmond, which is a 10 and can get your kids college credit as high schoolers. (Obviously a high score on GreatSchools does not mean a welcoming school to everyone, just check recent news articles about Albany High and Piedmont High.)

    Or move to Alameda next to your work, and spend more time volunteering at the schools and bringing the diversity personally.

    Lots of options once you figure out what's most important to you.

    May 21, 2017

    For commuting to Bay Farm Island and diverse with Muslims as well, maybe look at San Leandro or Fremont. Seriously don't worry about the schools being 8 or higher, the higher ranking typically the less diverse the school; all the schools, even schools that are a 5, will have at least 20% of the students being high-performing and have challenging classes.

    May 22, 2017

    I'd recommend Berkeley - the schools are probably a 7/8 (not that great IMO) but the inclusiveness and diversity is unparalleled.

    May 24, 2017

    Have you fully explored the middle and high school options on the main island of Alameda?  The west end schools may have some of what you are looking for in terms of diversity of both religion and ethnicity.  It also has some really good schools.  And it is a nice combination of suburban and urban.  As another poster said, it may be helpful to figure out priorities.

    May 24, 2017

    What about Alameda? It would be a great commute for you, Alameda has highly rated and diverse schools. The main island probably has more of the diversity you're looking for - you could check in with our Islamic Center for thoughts. Encinal High seems somewhat more diverse than Alameda High, but you will certainly find other Muslim students at either, and at our several charter schools (Nea, ACLC, ASTI).  As far as housing goes, you could find a nice 4 bedroom house in that price range. Kids in my kids' classes speak several languages, are from many countries, and practice many religions. None of it phases any of the kids. Good luck with your search!

    May 24, 2017

    Hi! You don't say how old your kids are, but my kids go to Mira Vista in East Richmond Heights, where you would def find a beautiful 4-bedroom for that price range, and literally, literally I have a mom-friend at school who is a Spanish-speaking Muslim. Our school is diverse and has a healthy-sized Muslim population, plus a healthy-sized Latino population. I saw that someone else pointed out that some schools score lower precisely because they are more diverse, and that is true for MV. We wear that badge proudly. And the Muslim population is diverse even within itself, people are from all over, many different countries and traditions. 

    We are Jewish and my kids also have that thing of feeling like the only ones in in the school, especially since we are so near Tehiyah, which eats up all the Jewish kids around here. It's painful for them! But that diversity is also valuable. When they complain about being the only ones not celebrating Christmas, I can at least say "Our Muslim friends are in the same boat." I really recommend you look around here. We are very near the Del Norte station of Bart which makes for easy commutes. And tho Richmond proper has some urban problems, honestly, I don't feel unsafe here (I lived in Brooklyn for 20 years - real Brooklyn, not hipster Brooklyn).

    Also, the "hidden jewel" of Point Richmond is right near the refinery, you're much better off up in these hills. And we're zoned for El Cerrito High, though honestly I would prefer it if the local parents would just force the issue and send their kids to Richmond and JFK to make them better schools but that's another story for another day. :D You can contact me thru this site if you want to talk further. I wish I had your budget, there are some houses for sale here that I'm drooling over. 

    Oh yeah, San Leandro is also a good place to look at! 

    May 24, 2017

    We're in Rockridge and our kids are at Peralta Elementary and Claremont Middle School.  There have been a fair number of Muslim kids at both schools throughout our time there (9 years at Peralta, 3 at Claremont).  The school communities are pretty diverse, both ethnically and economically (more so at Claremont than Peralta, but I'm aware of more Muslim families at Peralta than Claremont), and I would be shocked at kids in either school commenting on your kids' religion - most of the people we know at both schools either aren't religious at all, or if they are they tend to be liberal Jews or Christians.  I think you can still get a house in the $1.5 mil range in the Peralta/Claremont districts.  Good luck!

    May 24, 2017

    There is a vibrant Muslim community in Berkeley. In my son's kindergarten class at Malcolm X, 3 of the 18 students are Muslim. There was a 4th Muslim student but her family moved back to Yemen. Many of these families are second-generation Berkeley residents, so they are a longstanding part of our city's community. 

    May 24, 2017

    We are an interracial family,  live in El Cerrito and LOVE it.  My oldest is in first grade at Fairmont Elementary, where there is a HUGE diversity of students - Latino, Chinese, Nepali, Black, White, etc.  I haven't asked but would guess that many of the families are Muslim.  Several speak Urdu.  We have an annual multicultural community potluck/performance/celebration - the diversity is what many of our families love about Fairmont.

    Obviously my kids are much younger than yours, but I have read recently that Korematsu Middle School is the 6th most diverse school in California.  In terms of ratings, Fairmont, Korematsu, and El Cerrito High are all rated a 6.  Harding Elementary, also in El Cerrito, is a 7.  I think these lower ratings may have to do with having a high population of English Language Learners, as all the parents I've spoken with are very satisfied with the academics.  

    Close by, Kensington and Berkeley schools have 8+ greatschools ratings, and Albany, right next door, has 10 for all their schools.  I don't know anything about their diversity.

    Good luck in your search!  Feel free to contact me if you have more questions.  And I'll be curious to hear what you decide!

    ~Alison

    May 24, 2017

    I know this may offend some people, but if you want great schools with high great school scores (which, really only tells you about the demographics and income of the family for the most part) you would find those schools in places like Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga, Danville *but* those communities are definitely not mixed race communities. I agree to try Berkeley, but that may be too urban for you. Great schools plus Muslim communities = Pleasanton, San Ramon or Fremont. Im sure those are too far out for your commute, but its what youre asking for.

    PS Piedmont and Montclair will have good schools but mixed race is questionable as well, but will be better than Orinda, Lafayette etc

    May 24, 2017

    All of their classmates are Christians? I sincerely doubt that. Maybe they all put up "Christmas" trees in December, but that really has nothing to do with Christianity. It is a pagan custom adopted by the Christians. I bet that many of the kids have parents who are atheists or agnostics. Jews and Buddhists, too. How about you ask the teacher if you could come in and teach comparative religion for an hour. I bet that would open up conversations between the kids. 

    I suggest that you move to Bay Farm Island. Easy commute. 

    May 24, 2017

    I don't think you will find much diversity in Piedmont. We live in Montclair and it feels pretty ethnically diverse, if not socioeconomically, but the great schools don't continue on into the middle and high school years and many families leave or go private. Maybe you could spend less on a house and budget more for private schools for 6-12 grade if you want to go the Oakland Hills route. Although Oakland Tech could be a great option for high school -- lots of strong programs.

    May 24, 2017

    Typically the higher the Great Schools score, the the more white and affluent the school is, because those scores reflect the standardized tests aggregates (which for a million reasons, aren't geared for the success of minorities or less affluent kids). So if high scores are you thing, maybe you should prioritize that.

    if you're looking for a truly diverse student body, there are plenty of schools in the East Bay that will fit your needs. Look at the ethnic composition of Glenview Elementary in Oakland, for instance. It won't tell you how many Muslims there are, but my daughter goes there and there are quite a few students in hijab in her grade alone.

    May 24, 2017

    I've lived in the East Bay for 30 years, and I'm not sure I can think of a single neighborhood that meets all your requirements, but here are some ideas to explore: If you want walkability, restaurants and entertainment, Elmwood in Berkeley is nice. It's an urban neighborhood, though, and comes with the accompanying challenges, although I let my middle school kids roam there because they know the area well.

    If you want an ethnically diverse school where your kids will be able to find their crowd and won't be the only ones of any category they might fall into, we've had good experiences at Montera Middle School in Montclair, and Montclair isn't too bad a commute to Bay Farm Island. Montera isn't an 8 on the school score card, but the scores don't tell the whole story of any school - I'd urge you to check out any school you're considering in person rather than just going by what's online. As another commenter noted, any school that's big enough to be diverse is going to have both high-performing kids and struggling kids. Next year Montera is moving to an International Baccalaureate model, which should add even more interesting classes and rigorous academics, as well as an emphasis on diversity and cooperation.

    On the downside, Montclair doesn't have a lot of stuff for teens to do. For safety and a small-town feel where the kids can go to movies, etc., you can't beat Alameda - but I don't know how diverse it is; it's been a long time since I lived there. If you have time, it would be great to spend some family time in the places you're considering and see what feels most like home to you. Good luck with your search!

    May 25, 2017

    Hi, just wanted to thank all of you who replied.  We haven't been in the area very long so you've all given me so much info and lots of new areas to explore.  Thanks again

    May 26, 2017

    There are many hispanic families and also families from the middle-east in BUSD. Some from working-class families and some from professional families. In high school the professional Muslim families tend to enroll their students in BIHS (the IB program.)

    May 26, 2017

  • Ethnically Diverse School?

    –
    Mar 16, 2017

    Hello BPN, My son is currently in the 4th grade here in Berkeley. Although we overall like his school it has been emotionally taxing as he is the only kid of color in his class every year. As I was raised in the south, Atlanta to be exact, I understand the importance of being around people who look like you. Any suggestions on a diverse school either for 5th grade or for middle and or high school? Thank you.

    Mar 16, 2017

    Are you looking for Berkeley public schools, private schools, and/or public schools in another city? El Cerrito public elementary schools go up to 6th grade; Harding, Fairmont, Korematsu, and ECHS are very diverse, as is El Cerrito-Richmond's public Mira Vista is K-8.

    You can look up the diversity statistics for any public school at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sd/cb/dataquest.asp

    Mar 22, 2017

    If you're willing to drive a few miles north, check out Crestmont School in Richmond (www.crestmontschool.org).  My daughter is in second grade there, and we've been very impressed by the school's commitment to diversity. Historically a K-5 school, we're adding sixth grade starting this coming school year, and the plan is to be K-8 by 2019.  Feel free to contact me if you have questions, or want to talk to other Crestmont parents of kids of color.  Sue 

    Apr 12, 2017

  • Socioeconomic diversity at Aurora and Redwood Day?

    –
    Oct 7, 2016

    Our family is thinking of applying to Aurora and Redwood Day for our incoming kindergartener (currently in TK). Our son is a gentle kid, dislikes calling attention to himself, and tends to be more of an observer until he feels comfortable about his environment. He is getting more confident and willing to try new things, but we're worried about sending him to our neighborhood school next year. It's great in many ways, but the class sizes are huge and we're worried about him getting lost in the crowd. We've heard that Aurora School and Redwood Day are both good at emphasizing social emotional development, so are considering applying. We're a biracial family and feel like we'd be going into the private school conversation with our eyes open in terms of issues of race, but we know much less about the socioeconomic diversity of places like Aurora and Redwood Day. Are families solidly middle/upper-middle class, or is there a range of families (more than a token "scholarship kid")? Will kids be arranging play dates from Rockridge, Montclair, etc? We could pay for private school but it would be a stretch, and we definitely already get pitying looks from Berkeley/Oakland residents when we tell them that we live in Hayward (I swear, parts of it are nice!). Thanks in advance for your comments.

    Oct 7, 2016

    I just wanted to chime in on the looks of pity you receive when you say you live in Hayward. If you were to tell me you live in Hayward and are looking at these private schools in Berkeley you'd get a look of pity not because I feel sorry for you that you live in Hayward, but because of the horrendous commute that your family will have to endure every day! Just consider that this may be why people respond as they do. Nobody thinks that commuting is fun!

    Oct 12, 2016

    As for Redwood Day, you'll probably find more racial diversity than you expect.  I have friends at Montclair and Chabot who both say my kids' classes have WAY more racial diversity than their kids' classes.  As for socio-econonomic, you'll find a lot of upper class and upper middle class families, and a fair number of middle class families.  There are also a few lower middle class families (by Bay Area standards, at least!) and a number of single parent families (who, by default, end up with less money than dual income families).   I think the reason there aren't more lower middle/lower class families isn't  because the aid isn't available, but because private school is not on their radar.  If it's on your radar and you have the money to contribute to schooling (although not to pay for it entirely), I think you'll feel just fine - mostly because this is us!  And a number of families I know! Yes, there are people who do to Hawaii,skiing, etc for every break, but there are PLENTY of us who don't.  I don't know anyone coming from Hayward, but at Redwood Day most families are from Oakland, and then some from Alameda, Berkeley, San Leandro, Castro Valley, and Walnut Creek. AND, most importantly, Redwood Day is just an AMAZING school.  We could NOT be happier.  Social/emotional is fantastic, as is academic, and most importantly, my kids love school and love to learn!  There are plenty of families who would be happy to talk to you about all of the above if you contact Katrina in admissions. They are so good at honestly and directly answering questions just like this.     

    Oct 12, 2016

    My son just started in kinder at Aurora and he's biracial. We live in the flat lands of oakland and sending our son to a private school is definitely a financial sacrifice. Our son actually started the year at a public school but we felt it wasn't the right fit for him due to some of the issues you mentioned. So far we've been very happy with the Aurora community and the staffs. We had some reservations about pulling our son out of his school few weeks into the school year and starting over at a brand new school. But the kids and teachers have been so welcoming and supportive that it made his transition a lot easier than we expected. I encourage you go on a tour at Aurora and see for yourself. I will be happy to answer any other questions you might have. 

    Oct 15, 2016

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Questions

Diverse Berkeley school for South Asian family

Dec 2014

I am hoping someone can give me advice on diversity at Berkeley private schools. We currently live on the east coast and are applying to schools in Berkeley remotely for next fall 2015. We will be renting and not sure where we will end up within the city (but definitely will be Berkeley), so are focusing on private schools for my daughter who will be entering first grade in September 2015. I have read all the school reviews on BPN, but I am still concerned about racial/ethnic diversity (or lack thereof) at private schools (she currently attends a very diverse public kindergarten; we are South Asian and there are two other South Asian families in her class alone). I would really appreciate any advice on how to get information on diversity at private schools in Berkeley, particularly percentages of minority students in the class, and in particular if there are any South Asian families in attendance at Berkwood Hedge; The Berkeley School; Walden; Black Pine Circle, or other schools in Berkeley. Thanks very much!


My son goes to Prospect Sierra in El Cerrito (we live in Berkeley and work on campus). He is hispanic and we are a multiracial family. His class has several south Asian students and other hispanics, as well as several Asians and mixed race kids. The school has a wonderful commitment to diversity and incorporates this into the curriculum. He has been happy there (and is getting a great education!). rainbow mom


I don't know much about private schools in Berkeley, but I'm assuming the diversity is similar to Oakland, which leads me to...you should definitely look into Oakland private schools. I toured many and saw a lot of diversity, but to speak to my son's school (Redwood Day), there's fantastic diversity. In her grade there are 32 kids (2 classes) and there are: 2 South Asian kids, 8 African American kids, and 5 Asian kids. I think you'll find quite a bit of diversity in the private schools. happy with diversity


Not sure why you'd want a private school in Berkeley. People move to (or pretend to) Berkeley just for the schools. Anyway, to answer your question you should look at Montessori Family School in El Cerrito. There are more So. Asians there than most of the private schools, this due to the lower elementary teacher who is also So. Asian. They have a bus that brings kids from the Preschool next to the university if you don't want to do the drive (about 15-20 minutes on surface streets). anon


Hello, I know you were wondering about diversity at private schools in Berkeley. However, I wondered why you were not considering Berkeley Public Schools. Our son is a first grader at one of the BUSD schools and we are so happy to have him there. We considered private when he was entering kindergarten, especially because I am a teacher at a private elementary in the area. Ultimately we decided that true diversity, not just a percentage of non-whites at a school, was just as valuable as the academic education he would receive. He has had two exceptional teachers (in the opinion of this very experienced teacher in both private and public) and wonderful connections with a variety of kids. And we have an active parent community at our school as well. I think it's the best of all worlds. Good luck with your search. Happy BUSD Parent


Hi! I'm a parent of a 3rd grader at Black Pine Circle. I asked a couple of school administrators about your question and got a few numbers. My family is caucasian but it turns out we're in the minority in the lower school (K-5) of BPS: 52% of families self-report as non-white. When you include the upper school (6-8) the percentage goes to 44% as non-white. There are a lot of multiracial families here; 31% describe their families this way. This is something I've noticed, the most common type of family here is where the parents are different races. As far as South Asian in particular, that category isn't broken out in the figures I got, but when I asked a mom of Pakistani origin what she thought, she guessed there are maybe 3-4 South Asian families in the lower school. (Overall Asian is 7%.) This sounds small...but it's also a small school with one class per grade. The social environment among the families is, in my experience, very Berkeley-feeling; that is, accepting and desirous of diversity. I'm sure you can get more details by checking out the website and calling the admissions office. Good luck in your school search! Livin' in 2040


OK, this is going to be overly general, but this is what I would tell you if you were my South Asian friend moving to Berkeley from the East Coast. As background, my 3 kids have attended a variety of public and private schools in Berkeley and Oakland over the past 15 years, and I know lots of parents, including South Asian parents, in nearby cities.

First of all, there are not that many South Asian families in Berkeley. UC Berkeley attracts scholars from all over the world, so there is a LOT of diversity in the city. I imagine everybody in Berkeley knows at least one South Asian family but there is not a preponderance of your particular diversity in Berkeley. If you are looking for SF Bay cities that have a large South Asian community then you want to live closer to the Silicon Valley, say Fremont and south. Or, in the suburban areas along 680, like San Ramon and Danville.

As a result, you are unlikely to find any schools in Berkeley that have a very big South Asian student population. Most of the larger schools, both public and private, will have some representation, say one or two kids per grade level. Smaller schools like the ones you listed, not so much. One of my kids went to one of the small private schools you mentioned. Of 80 kids total, there were two families in the entire school where one (not both) of the parents was South Asian. I imagine that is typical of Berkeley private schools. So if you really want to go private, and you want more than a couple of South Asian families, then you need to be looking at the really big private schools that are K-8 and K-12 with at least two classes for every grade. Those are going to be in Oakland, El Cerrito, and other nearby cities. And it's still going to be hit or miss, varying from year to year, with not much diversity overall. Based on private schools my kids have attended or I have visited, I'd say virtually all private schools in the area are 85-90% white/European, maybe 8-10% East Asian, and the remaining 2-7% are African American, Hispanic, South Asian, and other nationalities. Catholic schools tend to be more diverse than this, but still not close to what you'll find in public schools.

Public schools in Berkeley are much, much more diverse than any private schools in the area. My kid's public middle school looks like the United Nations. At a recent "Culture Fair" night, it seemed like every country in the world was represented. You really should visit in person before making your decision.

Again, sorry for the over-generalization, but that's pretty much the picture here in Berkeley! Local Mom

Truly socioeconomically diverse private school?

March 2014

I am not sure that such a school exists, but maybe you can enlighten me. My husband and I have taught at private schools in the Bay Area, and in the process have seen firsthand how so many of them are ''pressure cookers'' filled with kids whose parents earn astronomical amounts of money. Though this is not the case for all families, and I do not begrudge them their fortune, it is not the type of environment we would like to send our own children to. On the other hand, we have been equally unimpressed with the public schools in our city (we live in Oakland) and cannot afford to live in Berkeley, where I have heard that some are slightly better. And we do see that for the most part children tend to get more individuated and creative instruction at private schools (not a reflection on the teaching capabilities of public school teachers, just a matter of time and resources differences). So we are researching private schools in the area, but are really wanting to find one that is sincerely committed to economic diversity. Where it is not just a way of marketing their commitment to diversity, but rather an integral part of the school's philosophy and raison d'etre. I guess that would mean either exceptionally low tuition or exceptionally high amounts of financial aid? I'm not quite sure, and we are still in the nascent stages of exploration, but can the BPN community enlighten me here. I know we are not alone in a) barely making it financially in the Bay Area and b) being appalled at the rising inequality between the ''haves'' and the ''have nots'' in the world and this region in particular and c) wanting a stimulating social-justice-oriented and *reflective* environment for our children to thrive in intellectually and socially.


Your instincts are correct...there are no truly socio-economically diverse private schools in the east bay (the exception being parochial schools, perhaps?), because in order to do that they could not survive. Do you REALLY value socio-economic diversity as part of your child's educational experience or just theoretically? Because if you REALLY do and you are sincere about 'b' and 'c' of your post, then donate the $25K+ a year tuition and your time/resources to your child's public school and truly change the lives of dozens of children. You are obviously very well educated. You are just the sort of person our public schools need. Please get involved in changing public schools. Please speak for those who can't.

Sorry to sound so harsh, but I'm just tired of people in the east bay wanting it both ways -- i.e., getting an educational experience catering to their child's every need, while easing their conscience about the inequity inherent in sending their child to private school. Give your public school a chance!


While we don't have experience in the OUSD, I would encourage you to investigate your local Catholic Schools. One thing you said really struck a chord ''wanting a stimulating social-justice-oriented and *reflective* environment for our children to thrive in intellectually and socially'' - that is truly at the heart of Catholic education - and while some of the schools may be more homogeneous, MANY of the Oakland catholic schools are incredibly diverse. Catholic schools educate the whole child, and that sounds like it might be a good fit for your family and worth investigating. I would encourage you to research some online and make an appointment to see them - you can visit www.csdo.org to find out more. Best to you! Happy Catholic School Parent


With all due respect I think when you visited the schools you may have seen a beautiful campus and kids with name brand clothing and parents with name brand cars - what you may not have seen are the individual children. You did not see my daughter, for example, when you visited the campus. If you had truly seen my daughter you would have noticed the 1999 Saturn wagon we drive so that we can afford for her to be there. You would also see 5 - 15 year old Hondas driven by parents and teachers alike.

My daughter attends one of the ''beautiful schools'' with ''wealthy'' families. What I know is that we are on a 75% scholarship. Many of the teachers teach at and are committed to the school so their own children can attend with a large reduction in tuition. Our daughter has friends and classmates that live in multi-million dollar homes, but it may be that the overwhelming majority of the families at the ''beautiful school'' give up family vacations, drive old cars with over 100,000 miles, eat pasta rather than steak, make due with older clothes and shoes because they value the educational opportunities their children are given.

The scholarship committee asks us every year to provide the information needed to grant our scholarship. Every year as we decide to go camping for a week instead of staying in a hotel, we are grateful for the opportunity our daughter has been given. When we see the foreign languages, the arts classes, the depth of the English classes with rich discussions because all students have arrived prepared and ready to discuss the material, the science labs and the depths of knowledge in history and current events we know we have made the right choice.

And like many other families who have made similar choices we would sell our home and live in an apartment to continue to give this experience to our daughter because in the end we know the difference. Our daughter was in one of the ''hills schools'' in Oakland in which the PTA raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and yet nothing compares to being in a class in which every student is working hard to his or her full potential and is prepared for the material that is presented. Nothing compares to having teachers who know the material they teach with such depth and complexity that they do not have to think about differentiating, it is just a natural part of the learning process for all students.

So before you take a wide lens through the whole school, take a magnifying glass instead. Look at my daughter and the boys and girls she plays soccer with at lunch. Watch as they sit not 'three under a tree for the diversity shot'' but their knees tucked up as they sit in the floor in the hall and discuss life in South Africa's apartheid and then tell me what you see. Four Languages and Five Science Labs for my Daughter


If you are open to being outside the East Bay, check out Live Oak School and San Francisco School (both in SF). I'm partial to Live Oak because my daughter went there - it is an amazing, nurturing place with a strong commitment to social justice. They give tuition assistance across a broad spectrum so their range of socioeconomic and racial diversity is wider than most private schools. I'm pretty sure SF School is even more diverse in both aspects but don't have first-hand experience with them. We still found that most families were above our income level (teacher and social worker), but nothing like what you see at many of the private schools, including the high schools where our kids go now. Even if SF is not an option for you, it might be worth a call to them to talk about the issue. The head of school at Live Oak is Virginia Pak. Julie


You say you are ''appalled at the rising inequality between the 'haves' and the 'have nots' in the world and this region in particular''. Private schools charge appalling amounts of money to provide an education that all students should be entitled to in a functioning democracy. No school that charges significant tuition is going to be ''committed to socioeconomic diversity.'' It just is not. Private schools are enclaves of privilege. Most will claim to offer lots of scholarships and value diversity, but they have a bottom line. I don't think there are any that have a need/blind admissions policy.

Public schools actually are committed to socioeconomic diversity. They are filled with teachers and parents who are committed to providing the best education possible to kids no matter the resources of the child's family.

If you are truly appalled, I recommend you do not feed the economic disparity monster. I love our neighborhood elementary school and have worked shoulder to shoulder with a great group of parents for years to keep it going strong. I am now in the midst of watching a big chunk of the students in the top economic crust of our local public school peel off and head to private middle schools. It is painful. It seems obvious to me that private schools are not just a symptom of the increasing economic disparities in our society, but a significant driver of these disparities. I advise anyone like you who is appalled at the rising inequality to jump into a public school and be the change you have been waiting for. Involved parents and families drive the improvement of our public neighborhood schools. Within our communities we have great power, if we choose to use it. Buying a path out of the public institutions may appear to be in the short term interest of your child, but I believe the long term interests of your child and my child and of all children are better served by parents who use their resources to help build functioning local institutions and who model a commitment to the whole community. Public Primary Education Fan


I don't know of any specific schools, but I have some ideas for questions to ask admissions directors.

1) How many children at your school would qualify for free or reduced lunch if this was a public school? If you're from a family of four and earn under 43k, you can get reduced lunch, 30k income makes lunch free.

Income guidelines here: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/rs/scales1213.asp

For reference, BUSD schools, which are very balanced, have between 30 to 60 percent free/reduced-lunch students.

2) Is there diversity of parental education level? If there is socioeconomic diversity but everyone's parents are college graduates and above, there won't be as much of a climate of diversity.

3) Does the school have students who are English Language Learners? Does the school provide materials to parents in Spanish or other languages?

Have you considered Catholic schools? They seem to be way more diverse than the independent schools I'm familiar with, and of course tuition is dramatically lower. -A mom


It would probably be a geographic stretch for you, but I think the school you are looking for is Crestmont School in Richmond on the El Cerrito border. It is a parent coop; we have accredited teachers and a director, but other than that parents are in charge of keeping the school functioning. The coop model allows us to keep tuition much lower than is typical of private schools. Like other private schools, we offer financial aid to help make Crestmont accessible to low-income families. But as opposed to most other private schools, Crestmont tuition is doable for many middle class families -- those who would not qualify for financial aid but would still be hard pressed to pay a typical private school tuition. Crestmont also offers families opportunities to offset part of their tuition, for instance by serving on the board or participating in the classroom. Our school is committed to economic diversity and has a structure that allows us make this ideal a reality. Crestmont parent


Dear Apalled - If you are truly apalled by the lack of diversity at private schools, then I would strongly recommend that you go the public route. We are so blessed with numerous options in this area, so there is no question of needing to fit a square peg through a round hole, so to speak. My two kids went public for elementary and are now private middle school. I chose this route for various reasons, all of which were the result of my own children's individual needs, which I won't detail here as it's not relevant for you. It has been a good decision, and has worked out better than expected. It is also a stretch, financially. Of course, I do wish the schools were more socio-economically diverse, but as a realist, I understand that is not their mission. Their mission is to provide the best education possible as well as to remain viable financially, and to do so means charging a lot of money and that knocks a lot of people out of the running. Don't blame the private schools, blame our lack of public funding (prop 13!).

I'm not a public school booster, like so many people I know, who would only see the good in public school and the bad in private school. I see the good and bad in both. And c'mon, there is good and bad in both! But seriously, I don't think public middle school in Oakland (where I live) is terrible. Quite the opposite. I know many kids having positive experiences there. But if the economic diversity is a top value to you, and I 'get' why, then private school is probably not best for you. Give public a try first, it might pleasantly surprise you. Public/private, can't we all just get along?


You mention 3 things where you know you are not alone: a) barely making it financially in the Bay Area and b) being appalled at the rising inequality between the ''haves'' and the ''have nots'' in the world and this region in particular and c) wanting a stimulating social-justice-oriented and *reflective* environment for your children to thrive in intellectually and socially. Well, guess what, in Oakland, you can be barely making it financially, be appalled at rising inequality (and DO something about it!!!), and have a stimulating social-justice-oriented environment for your children to thrive in. And you can do it in public school, right here in Oakland. I know because I've got 3 kids in public school here. I can't speak to all of the elementary schools in Oakland and I won't tell you the name of ours because I value my anonymity, but there are lots of schools in Oakland that you would fall in love with and then quietly say to yourself, Sheesh, I can't believe I was ready to pay thousands of dollars for something I can get for free! One responder explained very clearly why one cannot find truly socioeconomically-diverse private schools: it's just not their model. Period. And as to the sad state of public funding: remember that every single child who enrolls in private takes valuable resources out of the public school pot. Yes, public funding in California is an embarrassment to all of us Californians, but every child who enrolls in private rather than public is sending California public education further into crisis. The money leaves the public school with the departing students. And the departing students are almost always the ones with financial resources as well as higher test scores and personal connections that would lift up almost every student in public school, including those who come from homes where no one has attended college. Parents with means donate to the PTA, and every kid at that school benefits from music, art, social/emotional education, field trips, etc, even those whose parents didn''t contribute a dime. Even children in poor families deserve to be enriched. For every child that goes to private school, there''s another field trip not offered, another art teacher given a pink slip, and another school psychologist who is asked to reduce her hours and carry a heavier load.

I AM a public school booster, but I also do see the good and bad in both private and public schools. My children attend public in Oakland (elementary and middle), but many of our friends are in private. Yes, we do all just get along, but that doesn''t mean I agree with their decision to educate only their own children, while everyone else fights for diminishing resources. My middle-class white children will survive, go on to college, and be productive members of society, but what about those kids with far fewer resources than mine? Truly, the BEST solution to rising inequality between the ''haves'' and the ''have nots'' in the world and in this region in particular is PUBLIC EDUCATION, but only if it is supported by all of us. anon

 

Diverse private school for Hispanic daughter

April 2010

We are looking for a k-8 private school in the Berkeley area. Our daughter is adopted from Guatemala and therefore diversity and other Hispanic students being part of the student body are both top priorities. A bilingual program is a plus but not necessary. Any recommendations for good schools which are k-8? Curious to hear other parents experiences and recommendations. Thank you very much.


I suggest you look at Archway School, a k-8 private school located in both Oakland and Berkeley. Diversity is reprensented in both its faculty and student body and children thrive and grow under the guideance of some of the best teachers in the east bay. (FYI- the spanish teacher is a native speaker and spanish begins in the lower grades). If your child is entering k-4 contact their Oakland campus at 510-547-4747, and contact their Berkeley Campus at 510-849-4747 if entering 5-8. I think you will find the Archway community a good fit. a happy Archway School parent


My two children (half hispanic) are at Black Pine Circle (BPC) and we could not be happier. Diversity at the school has increased dramatically in the past few years. Spanish is begun in kindergarten and integrated into the curriculum. BPC is a wonderful K-8 school, strong academics, lots of art and music (strings are begun in kindergarten), with a strong parent community. Check it out. BPC parent


We have been very pleased with The Berkeley School (formerly Berkeley Montessori) for the diversity of the students and their families and their support of adoptive families. Our two girls were adopted from Cambodia and both have felt the support of students, faculty and staff and the sense that their cultures are celebrated and honored. Throughout the years, the girls brought presentations of Cambodian culture and holidays and their adoption stories to the classroom.

While there is no bilingual program, Spanish is integrated at the Early Childhood Center and in all levels of elementary and middle school. There are TBS families whose first language is Spanish (among many languages represented in the school community). Finally, the flexibility of the progressive education at TBS gives teachers the opportunity to spend time exploring a particular culture and issues that develop around adoption and family. We have been very lucky to have a teacher for the past three years who is also an adoptee.

The Berkeley School is a respectful community where differences are celebrated - I hope you'll give them a look. Catherine


Hi, If your top priority is diversity and/or the presence of other Hispanic students, I'm afraid you will be disappointed with the local private schools. A few private schools are still conducting tours - please visit and you'll see what I mean. At best, you might see one or two Hispanic kids for every 30 or so students at some of the bigger private schools.

Where you will find diversity is in your local public schools. Possibly a parochial school. Good luck! Mom of 3