Family with ADHD Son Transfer to BUSD - Looking for Guidance
Hello BPN,
We live in San Francisco and will be transferring to the BUSD with our 8 year old son this coming Fall. Our son has ADHD, mild ASD with an IEP and is currently in a Special Day Class in SFUSD. We're hoping to connect with and get a little intel from parents who've gone through the process before of advocating for their kids in the inclusive classroom setting within BUSD.
Specifically:
- What are the challenges and opportunities of the inclusive program in BUSD?
- Which of the 11 Berkeley elementary schools are best equipped to handle kids with special needs and why? (staffing, administration, facilities, knowledge base and other)
- What are some of the processes to be mindful of, as the school transition happens?
- Do you know other parents that might be a resource to help answer the above questions?
We appreciate any thoughts/recommendations. Thank you for your help, in advance!
Parent Replies
Hi - our child has ADHD and we’re new to BUSD (3rd grade) and overall have been impressed. Our teacher is highly capable at handling our - whether that’s typical or not, I have no idea. The IEP assessment has been fairly well run, with capable evaluators. I’m very conscious that it’s in BUSD’s interest to not officially label someone as needing an IEP - and a diagnosis of ADHD doesn’t automatically qualify - but so far it seems well handled.
Overall: sample size of 1 child, 1 teacher, less than 1 year - but so far so good.
HI:
There is a Facebook Group called Berkeley Family Friends. Ask to join it. There are almost 3K members and most are parents with children attending BUSD. It's a great resource and I've seen these questions posed before. You will be assigned a BUSD based on your zone. All of the schools are great and that's why so many families are transferring/trying to buy a home in Berkeley.