Schools

Do Berkeley Public Schools Have a Problem With Non-Resident Students?

A web project run by a Berkeley resident insisting on anonymity claims that many students are fraudulently enrolling in Berkeley's schools.

The website Berkeley Accountable Schools Project is trying to bring attention to students who are attending public schools here through deceptive means.

The man running the site says he was tired of hearing stories of "fraudulent enrollment" and decided to take a look at the numbers and see how prolific the problem was. The result was a website claiming that Berkeley schools enroll between 16 and 40 percent more students than reside in the city, and that unaccounted for out-of-district students strain resources and require local taxpayers to shoulder unnecessary burden.

The 16 to 40 percent figure is based on estimates and assumptions: The site compares the number of school-aged children counted in the 2010 census with district enrollment figures, estimates averages and makes assumptions about enrollment trends. Here’s the methodology. Check it out and comment below on whether you think it’s sound.

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The statistics are supplemented by a long list of anecdotes sent in by readers and supporters, describing instances where fraudulent enrollment was either expressed or implied. None of these anecdotes are attributed.

The man responsible for the project has requested to remain anonymous, stating that the content on the website should speak for itself. He says he is a Berkeley resident and claims to have no ties to the Berkeley Unified School District and no school-aged children, but is rather a "responsible citizen" who hopes to help instigate change for the good of the community, adding that he has always voted in favor of measures that benefit the Berkeley Unified School District and pays willingly. 

Find out what's happening in Berkeleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I think having a strong school district is in everybody’s interest," he said in a telephone interview with Berkeley Patch. "But this is no way for a community to expend its resources. It’s a terrible message to kids — if you cant get what you want by legitimate means, steal it. As far as social justice, it’s a travesty. The only people who are getting these resources are the people who have the connections to commit the fraud. All it does is reward people who are willing to break the rules."

The data presented by the Berkeley Accountable Schools Project has been sent to Berkeley School Board Member Josh Daniels, who says he is currently reviewing the information. 

The Berkeley Accountable Schools Project raises many questions about out-of-district students, both permitted and unpermitted. What do you think about the issue?

Should where you live dictate where your child can attend school? Should Berkeley residents pay taxes to educate out-of-district students? How should the Berkeley Unified School District respond to this issue?

[Updated Oct. 18] The number of legal transfer students in the Berkeley Unified School District can provide context to the debate about illegal out-of-district students.

In May, Melisandra Leonardos, the former manager of the Admissions Department, provided the following information about the number of legal incoming and outgoing transfer students. Although Concord does not have its own school district, Leonardos said that parents may have indicated "Concord" on the tranfer form instead of the Mount Diablo Unified School District.

Outgoing Transfers 2009-10 2010-11 Albany 103 5 Alameda 0 51 Alcalanes 0 4 Concord 6 4 Emeryville 0 11 Orinda 13 8 OUSD 35 48 Piedmont 32 28 San Francisco 5 8 San Leandro 0 4 San Ramon 7 6 Walnut Creek 0 6 WCCUSD 42 6 Incoming Transfers 2009-10 2010-11 Alameda 7 7 Albany 21 14 Antioch 8 9 Castro Valley 7 3 Concord 4 5 WCCUSD 349 274 Emeryville 20 21 Fairfield 5 2 Fremont 3 3 Hayward 8 4 Oakland 327 252 Piedmont 3 1 Pittsburg 8 7 San Francisco 9 5 San Leandro 15 12 Vallejo 10 6 Lafayette 2 0


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