’26-27 Equity Grants Awarded

Special education staff will use sensory tools and a specialized curriculum to help students learn how to manage their emotions and bodies.

Designed around Black culinary traditions, Black students and their classmates will learn nutrition and cultural traditions, culminating in a student-prepared family dinner.

Teachers and staff will pilot a "home visit" model with young students' families to build strong relationships and talk with families about their hopes for their children.

These regular family dinner nights help BEARS After School Program parents build supportive community networks and finetune student advocacy skills.

Teachers will purchase additional books in audio and multilingual formats to ensure all students can access the literacy curriculum.

These school nights bring families together to learn practical, research-based strategies for supporting their children in reading and math.

Fourth and fifth graders lead their own projects to celebrate LGBTQIA+ history and culture.

Teachers will "pre-teach" math concepts and vocabulary after school to help students feel more confident and become leaders in their regular classrooms.

Students will learn farmworker movement history through new classroom lessons and field trips to local commemorative sites in Berkeley.

Bilingual workshops will help families understand school testing processes and advocate for their children's academic success in Two Way Immersion programs.

Students will join monthly cultural affinity groups, including a new AAPI cohort, to explore their heritages through art and field trips.

Second grade students will build math skills through small-group practice and family events designed to help them master addition and subtraction up to 20.

First graders will receive targeted reading support using engaging books that they can also take home to practice with their families.

Teachers will visit each other’s classrooms to share the best ways to support students in math and science.

This club combines a safe affinity space for Black middle schoolers with bi-weekly progress checks and targeted literacy and math support.

Middle school students will form a "Lit Squad" to design their own reading challenges and lead culturally responsive book clubs.

LGBTQIA+ youth and allies will host weekly club meetings and coordinate community events to learn about, support, and celebrate LGBTQIA+ culture.

High school students will use a specialized peer-led framework to build leadership skills and work together to solve challenges in their community.

Partner: Berkeley High Development Group

Berkeley High students will navigate the library more independently thanks to new, multilingual signage designed with student input.

Partner: Berkeley High Development Group

High school students will work with a professional poet to find their personal voices and build confidence through slam poetry.

Partner: Berkeley High Development Group

First-generation college-bound students and their families will receive guided financial aid support and customized tours of university campuses.

Partner: Berkeley High Development Group

High school interns will team up with UC Berkeley mentors to do their own research and get a taste of college life.

Communication Arts and Sciences (CAS) students will participate in support groups focused on positive identity and social justice, guided by facilitators with shared lived experiences.

Incoming ninth graders will attend a comprehensive fair and campus tours led by current high school students to build early connections.

Partner: Berkeley High Development Group

BIS/BTA use a system of attendance goals and progress reports to earn reward field trips and college tours.

Partner: Berkeley High Development Group

Students will benefit from one-on-one tutoring sessions, carefully matched with teachers by a dedicated coordinator.

Partner: Berkeley High Development Group

Adult students learning English will use a Multilingual Learner curriculum to gain the vocabulary and skills needed for careers in the healthcare field.

Adult learners will write, edit, and publish a cross-departmental newsletter to share their unique stories and academic journeys.

Adult culinary students will gain real-world business skills by operating a mobile coffee cart and pop-up café at district events.

Preschoolers will use socioemotional materials and lessons to learn how to understand and manage their daily emotions.

Elementary teachers will receive training in "The Writing Revolution" method to help students become more confident and skilled writers.

This project provides high-interest books and family literacy tips to elementary students to prevent reading loss over the summer.

Fifth graders will prepare for middle school through community mentor visits and field trips that connect classroom learning to the real world.

Elementary students will learn academic skills like measurement and geometry through hands-on clothing design and sewing.

This spring transition fair helps fifth grade families navigate middle school systems through student panels and resource sessions.

This grant provides scholarships and mentorships for 40 students to attend an intensive one-week music camp during the summer.

Middle school teachers will use a data-driven system to provide short, focused math support for students who need it most.

This initiative hosts gatherings and wellness events to support and retain Black educators across the district.

This "train-the-trainer" program empowers parent leaders to run bilingual workshops on digital literacy and navigating the school district.

High school interns earn wages while managing on-campus food pantries and learning about leadership and community service.

Partner: Berkeley High Development Group

Targeted fourth and fifth grade students will receive free year-long music lessons, specialty instrument workshops, and audition training.

School libraries are expanding their collections to include more diverse books and audiobooks so every student sees their culture reflected in what they read.

This program provides financial support for district staff members who are working to earn their classroom teaching credentials.

This kick-off resource fair will help Black families and all BUSD families start the year connected.

Each month, students will meet in mentor-led groups to explore their shared interests and build a stronger school community.

School staff will receive specialized training on how to safely and calmly support students during crisis.

This project supports the transition to high school through community-building events, identity-affirming apparel, and a college science trip.