Enrollment and Capacity Options for Growing BUSD Presented to School Board
On the agenda for the Berkeley School Board meeting of November 5, 2014, is the introduction of a variety of options to address the overcrowding that is expected to worsen over the coming years. The documentation for 11 possible options envisioned by the BUSD staff is included in the meetings packet; the section dedicated to this agenda item is linked below. This item is to be the foundation for discussions by the Board and comments from the public for developing short- and long-term solutions to the coming growth in student population, estimated to be 252 additional students in the next four school years.
Following is a summary of the slides from the documentation; there is more detail and supporting information in the staff presentation. The full packet is available on the School Board Meeting SIte:
Berkeley Public Schools
Enrollment and Capacity / Challenges and Ideas
[Summary of Slide Presentation in BUSD Board Packet for 11/5/2014 Meeting]
Slide 1: Enrollement and Capacity
Includes following information:
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Challenges Described Oct. 8 meeting
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252 additional students between now and 2017-2018 year
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4-6 additional classrooms SY15-16
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3-4 additional classrooms SY16-17
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1-2 additional classrooms SY17-18
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Timeline [for decision[
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Oct 8 - Problem Defined
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Nov 5 - Options introduced
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Dec ? - Board narrows options
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Dec-Jan - Discussion and decision
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Structure of This Presentation
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Ideas presented short term -> long term
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Costs and impacts preliminary
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First Look ideas; further enhancement/narrowing through discussions
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[NOTE: The original slides include advantages and disadvantages of each option in more detail]
Slide 2: Option 1 - Utilize increased number of flex rooms or enrichment spaces
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Uses classrooms currently being used for other services and programs to accommodate additional classes
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Timeline: August 2015
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Facilities Cost: Minor Costs
Slide 3: Option 2 - Increase class size 24:1 K through 3
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All K in year 1, K-1 year 2, K-2 year 3, K-3 year 4
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Timeline: August 2015
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Facilities Cost: None
Slide 4: Option 3 - Consolidation of Transitional Kindergarten Programs
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Place all or majority of TK classrooms in dedicated site; Hopkins - up to 6 classrooms, Franklin and King - up to 8 classrooms
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Timeline: Fall 2015
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Facilities Cost: Small (unless portables needed)
Slide 5: Option 4 - Use portable or modular classrooms to expand capacity at multiple school sites
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6 portables on NW Corner of LeConte / 2-5 on Muir blacktop / 2-5 at TO near park / 1 at Hopkins (TK only)
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Timeline: August 2016
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Facilities Cost: $3,7 - $8 million
Slide 6: LeConte Expansion / TK Consolidation Alternatives
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6 portable or modular classrooms at NW corner could either
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Expand LeConte’s general education TWI program/capacity
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Create a dedicated TK site housed on LeConte property
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Slide 7: Option 5 - Adult School, Alternative School (BTA/B-Tech), and Independent Study share current Adult School campus; current Alternative School Site developed as Preschool - 5th Elementary SIte
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Multiphase project that results in an additional Elementary campus.
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Begins Fall 2015
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Facilities Cost: Preliminarily less than $1 million
Slide 8: [Pluses and Minuses of Option 5]
Slide 9: Option 6 - Adult School and Elementary School share current Adult School site.
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Presumption is that elementary school would use East wing of the site
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Timeline: Fall 2017
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Facilities Costs: State costs / repurposing approximately $2 million
Slide 10: Option 7 - Open Elementary School and Eliminate Dedicated Adult Ed Site
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Repurpose current Adult School site for a new dedicate elementary site
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Timeline: TBD
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Facilities Cost: Not Yet Calculated (approx. $1 million)
Slide 11: Option 8 - Permanent Additions to Existing Sites
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Permanent additions at LeConte, Muir, TO, BAM, and Washington could be considered
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Timeline: 4 years
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Facilities Cost: Not Yet Calculated (preliminarily $5-9 million per site)
Slide 12: Option 9 - New School at Oregon St. Facility
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Build new elementary school on site of current maintenance facilty; former site of Edison Jr. High
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Timeline: 5 years
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Facilities Cost: Elementary Only, $20 million
Slide 13: Option 10 - Relocate REALM, BTA and Adult School; Open New Elementary School at Franklin (current Adult School site)
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REALM, BTA, and BAS housed in some combination of West Campus and BTA
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Timeline: None given
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Facilities Cost: None given
Slide 14: Option 11 - Build new Elementary School Site in BUSD
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Timeline: 6 years
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Facilities Cost: $30 million
Slide 15: Additional Notes
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Not currently under consideration:
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Year-round, multi-track programs
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Leasing existing private or out-of-district school facilities
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Additional work and analysis:
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Staff will make a recommendation in January concerning the frequency of demographic studies and reports
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Preliminary plans for the development of education specifications being considered
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Slide 16: What are Education Specifications?
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Serve as a link between the educational program and schools facilities
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translates the physical requirements of the educational program into words
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enables architects, the public, and other interested parties to visualize the educational activity
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ensures that the architectural and building concepts and solutions support the stated educational program
Slide 17: Enrollment and Capacity - Timeline
[Number of supplemental attachments which include:
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B: Verified projections from 2014 demographic study
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C: Informational Requests = Responses to a number of queries from the Board
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Board Subcommittee meeting dates
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Current address verification process
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Enrollment in middle schools, BHS and B-Tech
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Zone growth projections from 2008/2009 compared to actual growth in 2014
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Historical information on schools
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Flexibility of bond and available funds
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The Charter HS (REALM) numbers and number of Berkeley residents enrolled
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Data related to Enrollment and Capacity Discussions
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