Enrolling New Middle School Students

All Parents/Guardians of BUSD 5th graders must submit a Middle School Parent Preference Form (Spanish) (must be printed on legal size paper) to enroll in middle school.  Search by address to find your zone middle school on our Find Your BUSD Zone page.  Longfellow Magnet Middle School is open to all Berkeley resident middle schoolers; placement at the school is determined by random lottery.

Download the Middle School Enrollment Steps Checklist (PDF) here.

Key Dates for Middle School Enrollment

January – Registration and enrollment begins; Kindergarten and Middle School Information Nights

First Friday in February (2/1/13)– Enrollment forms and documents due to Admissions Office  (Applications for 2013-14 school year can be submitted to the Admissions Office starting in January.)

Mid-March – School Assignment Letters Sent

Last Business Day in March – Waitlist requests due

April through May – Provide required documentation and register at your new school

General Enrollment Guidelines:

BUSD 5th Grade Students:   Current fifth graders at all schools must fill out a preference form indicating their choices of middle school.  Middle School information nights are held at each of the district’s three middle schools in January.

Current Students: Berkeley residents who are presently attending a middle school will automatically be able to remain at their current school.  Students wishing to change schools must fill out a Parent Preference Form indicating their first, second and third choice of schools for the next year.  If space is not available at any of their choices, they will remain at their current school.

New Students:  Parents of students who are entering Berkeley’s schools must fill out an enrollment form and list their preferences for schools.  Along with the enrollment form, parents must submit the student’s birth certificate and three proofs of Berkeley residency.  Acceptable proofs include a PG&E bill, EBMUD bill, telephone bill, cable bill, a bank statement, and a driver’s license.  Each proof of residency, other than the driver’s license, must be less than two months old and have the parent’s name and address on it.  Home visits to verify addresses may be done on a random basis.  Under state law, parents may request any school in the district; however, first priority will be given to families who live in the school’s attendance zone.  Students transferring from another district should also submit a report card or transcript from the student’s previous school.

Non-Resident Students:  Students who are not Berkeley residents may request enrollment in Berkeley schools on an inter-district permit, if approved by the school district where they live and by BUSD.  Inter-district permits must be renewed each year.  However, no student attending on an inter-district permit will be placed until the permit renewal is received.  Under Berkeley’s enrollment system, priority for enrollment is given to all Berkeley residents before inter-district students are admitted.  Due to overcrowding, permits are limited.