Public schools in Berkeley, CA
18 open public schools with an address in Berkeley, operated by 1 education agency. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
18
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
9,116
17 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
20.9:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of Berkeley public schools
The federal directory lists 18 public schools in Berkeley, CA: 12 elementary, 3 middle, 2 high, 1 combined or other. The 17 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 9,116 students, an average of 536 per school. The largest campus is Berkeley High (3,218 students), and the largest elementary school is Malcolm X Elementary (469).
Every listed school belongs to Berkeley Unified. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 20.9:1, similar to the statewide school median of 21.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
Among 2 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 2 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 29% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Berkeley
Elementary schools in Berkeley
12| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley Arts Magnet at Whittier Berkeley Unified | KG–05 | 407 | 21.4:1 | |
| Berkeley Independent Study K-8 Berkeley Unified · Alternative School | KG–08 | 19 | 9.5:1 | |
| Cragmont Elementary Berkeley Unified | KG–05 | 290 | 21.5:1 | |
| Emerson Elementary Berkeley Unified | KG–05 | 283 | 21.8:1 | |
| John Muir Elementary Berkeley Unified | KG–05 | 293 | 20.9:1 | |
| Malcolm X Elementary Berkeley Unified | KG–05 | 469 | 20.4:1 | |
| Oxford Elementary at West Campus Berkeley Unified | KG–05 | 254 | 21.2:1 | |
| Rosa Parks Environmental Science Berkeley Unified | KG–05 | 393 | 20.4:1 | |
| Ruth Acty Elementary Berkeley Unified | KG–05 | 410 | 21.6:1 | |
| Sylvia Mendez Elementary Berkeley Unified | KG–05 | 379 | 21.1:1 | |
| Thousand Oaks Elementary Berkeley Unified | KG–05 | 337 | 21.1:1 | |
| Washington Elementary Berkeley Unified | KG–05 | 401 | 24.7:1 |
Middle schools in Berkeley
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longfellow Arts and Technology Middle Berkeley Unified | 06–08 | 462 | 14.5:1 | |
| Martin Luther King Middle Berkeley Unified | 06–08 | 851 | 18:1 | |
| Willard Middle Berkeley Unified | 06–08 | 596 | 17.3:1 |
High schools in Berkeley
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley High Berkeley Unified | 09–12 | 3,218 | 18.4:1 | |
| Berkeley Technology Academy Berkeley Unified · Alternative School | 10–12 | 54 | 9.1:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Berkeley
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley Special Education Preschool Berkeley Unified | Not reported | — | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White40.7%
- Hispanic22.3%
- Black11.2%
- Asian9.1%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial15.9%
Enrollment-weighted across 17 Berkeley schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (9,116 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Berkeley
How many public schools are in Berkeley, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 18 open public schools with a location address in Berkeley: 12 elementary, 3 middle, 2 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 9,116 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Berkeley?
All listed public schools with an address in Berkeley belong to Berkeley Unified. Mailing cities do not always match district boundaries, so confirm the district for a specific home address.
What is the largest public high school in Berkeley?
Berkeley High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Berkeley, with 3,218 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Berkeley?
No school with an address in Berkeley is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in California.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Berkeley schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Berkeley public schools is 20.9:1, similar to the California school median of 21.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Berkeley guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby California cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All California cities