Oakland Unified School District vs Berkeley USD
My son was recently diagnosed with autism type 1 and ADHD. He spent kindergarten at private school, but they don't feel equipped to support him going forward. I'm torn between OUSD and BUSD as we could feasibly apply to either (2 households). We'd probably be in Malcolm X Elementary in Berkeley or Peralta in Oakland, at least if they both go by location. Does anyone have experience with either of these schools, especially if you have a very academically bright, high-functioning kid who is neurodivergent?
May 10, 2024
Parent Replies
As you probably know, Berkeley is a lottery so Malcolm X is not a guarantee. Definitely check out the other schools in your zone. I don’t have experience with a child with autism, but my experience in BUSD is that the elementary schools seem fairly well equipped to help kids, but it goes downhill from there.
BUSD does not go by location- they have geographical zones and a lottery. Peralta is a great school, but it might be full at this point for next year. I would pick BUSD over OUSD in terms of special education supports though.
Unfortunately in my experience neither BUSD nor Peralta have the resources to support a gifted neurodivergent kid. There is no gifted programming in OUSD or BUSD and support for challenges is only available for those with the most extreme difficulty with behavior or learning. And the available support is not great even if you do get it. Think 30 mins of OT per week if you’re lucky. Peralta has a great community and offers more art/music and creative programming, but is poorly funded compared to BUSD. BUSD assigns schools by zone so you may or may not get the school close to you. And your kid will most likely not have any school friends in the neighborhood which is a big drawback. Peralta is almost certainly full for next year at this point - it’s one of the most desirable schools in Oakland the application date is past. If you can afford private school I’d look for options there.