Best Public Schools in Berkeley, CA

Berkeley, California is served by the high-performing Berkeley Unified school district, which includes 17 public schools—12 elementary, 3 middle, and 2 high schools—educating around 9,000 students in a diverse, academically strong community.

The district as a whole excels, consistently outperforming state averages in test scores, graduation rates, and attendance. Standout schools include Ruth Acty Elementary and Willard Middle, which rank among the top in the state, while Berkeley High achieves excellent results for its large student population. In contrast, Berkeley Technology Academy faces significant academic and attendance challenges despite high per-student spending.

Key takeaways show a strong link between regular attendance and high achievement, and reveal interesting patterns in resource allocation, with some schools achieving great outcomes with lower spending. While most Berkeley schools are highly rated, the performance gap between the highest and lowest achieving schools indicates that targeted support could help ensure all students benefit from the district's overall strength.