A recent Sacramento State grad, Brandon Bailey became the first person in his family to graduate from college.
Ally Markovich
Ally Markovich, who covers the school beat for Berkeleyside, is a former high school English teacher. Her work has appeared in The Oaklandside, The New York Times, Huffington Post and Washington Post, among other publications. You can spot her running on the trails in Tilden Park.
Posted inSchools
Flush with state cash, BUSD budget will be largest ever next year
District leaders emphasized student well-being and supporting struggling learners while cutting Virtual Academy and a handful of teaching positions.
Posted inCity
Berkeley to cut ties with Russian sister cities until war’s end
Mayor Arreguín introduced a resolution to suspend diplomatic relations with Russia at the urging of Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Posted inSchools
Berkeley school board votes to desegregate middle schools with new enrollment policy
Starting in fall 2023, students will be enrolled at Longfellow Middle School based on where they live. A map showing how students will be assigned their school has yet to be finalized.
Posted inSchools
BUSD puts staff vaccine mandate on hold, rescinds student vax-or-test rule
Reversing course, the Berkeley school board rescinded a vaccine-or-test policy for students and put a vaccine mandate for employees on hold at its Wednesday meeting.
Posted inSchools
Black and Latino students in Berkeley Unified are overrepresented in special ed
Twenty-eight percent of Black students are in special ed, compared to 7% of white students. Berkeleyside digs into BUSD’s plan to address the disparity.
Posted inSchools
Berkeley science teacher wins Time magazine innovative teaching award
Neelam Patil is one of 10 teachers chosen by Time for her work using “pocket forests” to help students see they can make a difference in climate change.
Posted inSchools
It took 9 days to arrest suspect in mass shooting plot at Berkeley High. Police explain why
A BHS student who amassed parts to build explosives and assault rifles got them legally, police say, and was not ready to carry out an attack.
Posted inSchools
Berkeley school district faces 2 more child sex abuse lawsuits
The lawsuits claim staff members at two elementary schools sexually abused students in 1967 and 1995 and the schools failed to stop it.
Posted inSchools
Berkeley school board members Ty Alper, Julie Sinai won’t seek re-election
Alper and Sinai have already endorsed their picks among the candidates running for the three at-large school board seats on the ballot in November.
Posted inSchools
Kids rally to keep beloved 5th grade teacher at Cragmont
Kemal Stewart, the school’s only Black male teacher, is being moved from the school due to falling enrollment.
Posted inSchools
Berkeley High crew qualifies five boats for nationals
The longest-running high school rowing program in Northern California heads to the Scholastic Rowing Association of America national championships.