Transferring out of the Berkeley School District

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Parent Q&A

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  • Interdistrict transfer to Albany: high school placement exams?

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    Feb 2, 2023

    We are looking into transferring from Berkeley to Albany for high school.  He will be taking the placement exams for math and world language. How does timing work for the placement exams with regards to being released, accepted, etc.?  Albany does not notify you until the summer, so he will not be able to take Albany's placement exam.  If he gets released from Berkeley, I'm guessing Berkeley will not allow him to take the placement exams.  Albany enrollment starts March 1.  Is it better to get released sooner rather than later?

    Anyone who has gone through this process?

    Feb 2, 2023

    It sounds like your son is currently in 8th grade? You can take placement tests for Albany High in August, the week before school starts. I would apply for the transfer now/ASAP and worry about placement later. FYI there are only two choices for math classes in 9th grade at AHS and if your child hasn't been at AHS for math I would suggest just going with Math 1, ie., no need to take the math placement exam. (There is a path within Math 1 to prepare for Math 2+ as a soph) Yes to the language placement if you're wanting Language 2 instead of Language 1. Although my understanding is plenty of frosh take Language 1 again to ensure a high grade. The point being, don't stress about it!

    Feb 7, 2023

  • Will BUSD grant my transfer to another district?

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    Jan 23, 2022

    Hi! We are interested in transferring our child from a Berkeley public elementary school to another local district. What's the likelihood of Berkeley granting the transfer? Anything I can do to improve my odds (e.g. apply early, late, etc.)?

    Jan 23, 2022

    I do not think you will have a problem; the opposite direction (into BUSD) is almost always the request. If the receiving school district accepts your child, BUSD should grant the transfer.

    Jan 26, 2022

  • Transfer out of BUSD to West Contra Costa for Mandarin?

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    May 29, 2020

    Hello Berkeley Parents,

    I hope you read this in good health. We currently have a daughter in Kindergarten at a BUSD school. However, we would like for her to learn in a mandarin immersion setting. We are looking into transferring OUT of Berkeley Unified and applying to a district which has a mandarin immersion school, West Contra Costa Unified. Does anyone have any experience in this?

    I have emailed both BUSD Admissions and WCCUSD transfer office, but both are closed due to COVID19. I understand the demand for public immersion programs are high, and we would not be a priority getting in, but we would like to at least see the process through.

    Any insight and feedback greatly appreciated. 

    May 29, 2020

    The WCCUSD transfer office staff is working remotely, so our understanding is things are getting processed but it's slower than usual (which is saying something). While I can't speak to the BUSD side, my crystal ball says WCCUSD is probably going to be happy to have more students - however, you will have to follow up closer to the start of the school year. Don't expect to hear anything until early August at the very earliest, and it's more like the week before school starts. Just keep calling and emailing starting the Monday before WCCUSD school starts.

    May 30, 2020

    You might also consider Yu Ming, which is a Mandarin-immersion charter school. It's in North Oakland, so maybe not as convenient as Richmond, but you wouldn't need to do an interdistrict transfer. No idea how hard it is to do a late application for first grade, though, or how much Mandarin proficiency (if any) your child needs.

    Jun 2, 2020

    The Mandarin school is a gem.  It is diverse and vibrant. Active parent community. Pursue it.  Contact the principal Eric Peterson who can help to facilitate. 

    Jun 3, 2020

    You may want to email the WCMS principal, Dr. Peterson. He's very responsive and might be able to give you some guidance.

    Jun 3, 2020

    If you do decide to transfer on the basis of a specific program, start closely following the new district’s public discussion and announcements about budget cuts.  The cuts coming to California public schools are severe and debilitating, beyond anything we’ve seen in recent years.  You should not assume any particular program is safe.  Districts will be forced to consider cuts they never would have thought possible just to avoid bankruptcy, and whatever horrible cuts they make immediately will not be the end.  Most districts learned of the magnitude of the cuts past the deadline to to lay off teachers for Fall 2020.  Layoffs are more likely to initially focus on other staff (along with reducing through voluntary teacher vacancies).  So just because the program survives into 2020-21 doesn’t mean it will be there in 2021-22, when districts will have time to give contractually required notice of teacher layoffs. So my advice is to understand the ground is shifting right now and stay informed.  

    Jun 3, 2020

    Our daughter goes to the mandarin immersion school at WCCUSD.  We are very happy with the school and the community, and how they have handled the challenges of this year.  Initially I think they took out of district transfers, but now the school is more established and has had a waiting list for all grades.  I think your chances for an intra district transfer would be slim, unless that is changed by parents keeping kids home to home school.

    You could certainly try to contact the WCMS office to discuss it with them, but I think to have a shot you would have to move to the the district, or look at other private school options.  

    Jun 3, 2020

    Thank you, Parents, for all of your feedback and contributions --- this is all helpful information for us to consider as we move forward in the process. Thank you!

    Jun 23, 2020

Archived Q&A and Reviews

 

Transferring from Berkeley to Albany

Oct 2004

I live in Berkeley but my son is enrolled in Albany preschool. A friend told me that, b/c he's already in a preschool in Albany, it would be possible to enroll him in Albany public schools. I went to Oakland/Berkeley public schools myself, and have mixed feelings about leaving Berkeley, but I've heard great things about Albany public schools. Any thoughts on this, or advice about what I'd need to do exactly to get into Albany rather than Berkeley schools? He will probably start kindergarten next year. Thanks! Katie

We transfered from Berkeley to Albany, and our daughter attended kindergarten in Albany. From our experience, the Albany schools are mediocre, at best. The Berkeley teachers seem much more inspired, have many more resources (the Albany schools are broke and receive little government funding), and more academic. Our daughter literally did not learn anything in kindergarten, and all of her Berkeley friends seemed to learn a lot more in kindergarten. I was not impressed at all. Yes, the Albany schools have high test scores, but this is NOT because of amazing teaching. It is because Albany typically has more middle class students, which is reflected in the test scores. Berkeley schools have a lot of parent involvement, more activities (art, music, and so on), and more resources. Also, it is wonderful for your child to go to the same school as his neighbors. If we could do it over again, I would. We did not send our second child to Albany schools, and transfered our daughter out of Albany in second grade (happily). I know it is scary, but I would at least try Berkeley for a year and see what you think. Also, Albany kindergarten is only three hours, and the aftercare for kindergarten is $500/month. If you are a working parent, this is something to consider. give berkeley a try.


Before you spend too much time worrying about whether to send your child to an Albany school, make sure you even have a choice. Your friend was misinformed: it is no longer the case that a child can get into an Albany elementary school just because he or she was in Albany Preschool. M.M.