Interdistrict transfer to Berkeley High
how likely is it that my child from a neighboring affluent district be granted an interdistrict transfer in to Berkeley High for the 21/22 school year? We've got no circumstances (no job in Berkeley, none of her family went there, etc) that would put her in a position to be admitted over any others who were applying. She's having a rough time in her district with feeling very different and some bullying in the past. She wants to be somewhere else and her mental health is suffering. She comes to Berkeley and feels at home there. Thank you.
Feb 8, 2021
Parent Replies
In the last year or two, everyone I know who applied on time to transfer from Albany to Berkeley was accepted. I think Berkeley is like a lot of districts with declining enrollment and associated budget problems, which usually makes districts more friendly to transfer. What I don’t know is how the pandemic will affect this. Districts will receive funds based on 2019-20 enrollment again next year but not after that, so I don’t know how long-term the thinking will be. I also don’t know how the push to keep classes less crowded for covid safety will interact with the budgetary drive to raise enrollment.
I think it’s really hard to know. With COVID, BHS may have seen a drop in enrollment and might be granting them. BHS is so huge tho - 3200 kids - I don’t see her feeling more at home there. Just because she likes Berkeley doesn’t mean she’ll like Berkeley High. It’s a bit of a zoo. It can be really hard to find your place. I say this as a mom of a current BHS student.
Currently enrollment is down in BUSD schools. I think usually they are impacted so it seems that now would be a great time to try for an intradistrict transfer.