2024 Best School Districts with IB Programs in the San Francisco Bay Area

• San Mateo, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.16 out of 5  73 reviews

Senior: The San Mateo Union High School District is great. There are many friendly students and teachers that are willing and ready to help you succeed. Attending 2 different high schools in this district, I can say that there are many caring and helpful teachers who have the best intentions of teaching students as best they can. They are very supportive and seek to improve the quality in which we learn. In addition, there is a lot of spirit and pride within each school. We love showing out and competing with one another. On the other hand, while most of the student populations of each school are diverse, there are schools that are not. Attending one of these schools myself, I did not find myself enjoying the environment I learned in. This decreased my quality of learning. Unable to really relate or connect to anyone around me, I found school to be a dreadful place. It took a toll on my performance. As a result, I dislike the schools whose student populations aren’t really diverse.... Read 73 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 8

• Students 9,093

• Redwood City, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4 out of 5  82 reviews

Senior: From my experience as a Carlmont High School student, I can say that the majority of teachers have an earnest passion for the subjects they teach. There is a strive to provide students with a great education. Overall, there is a positive environment that encourages students to take advantage of the abundant educational resources provided by staff. In the future, I would like to see more teachers available for AP and honors courses.... Read 82 reviews

• grade A+

• Total schools 6

• Students 8,743

• Berkeley, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 4.02 out of 5  65 reviews

Alum: Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD), in Berkeley, California, is a progressive and diverse educational system, celebrated for its commitment to equity and academic excellence. The district's focus on diversity and inclusivity creates a vibrant learning environment. Academically, BUSD emphasizes project-based learning, offers advanced courses like AP and IB, and promotes STEAM education. Committed educators instill values of social justice in their curriculum. Community involvement is encouraged, and a plethora of extracurricular activities and arts programs are available. BUSD also champions sustainability and environmental education. Despite budget constraints and high living costs in Berkeley, the district remains a model of progressive public education.... Read 65 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 17

• Students 9,177

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.85 out of 5  40 reviews

Senior: The Campbell Union High School District fosters a welcoming environment to all students, staff members, families, and visitors. At my school, Leigh High School, I've been able to attend the numerous events thrown, such as dances, sporting events, and noontime activities. Every student and staff member I've encountered has been very welcoming and friendly. The environment that is created within the district encourages students to not only learn, but to have fun while learning. One change I would like to see would be more representation of diversity.... Read 40 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 6

• Students 8,583

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.82 out of 5  217 reviews

Sophomore: I like that most of the teachers are really kind and honest with the students. The teachers incorporate their own personalities and emotions into teaching, and treat students like adults. However, some teachers are incompetent and there are rumors on campus about them. There’s also a drug problem at my school, which is why they closed down all the bathrooms and forced us to have another ‘supervisor’ on campus, who doesn’t really do much. Instead of advocating for and installing more opportunities and support programs for students, that money went towards another supervisor, who are way more than what is necessary. Also, my school doesn’t have simple things - like air conditioning in the gym, which is necessary for when we are doing PE. Students get so sweaty and hot that we are in danger of getting heatstroke, but nobody listens to our complaints, and we are forced to suffer in the heat. Our campus is very dirty - we have gum stuck everywhere (floor, walls) and trash floating around.... Read 217 reviews

• grade A

• Total schools 16

• Students 21,844

• Livermore, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.88 out of 5  41 reviews

Alum: I had a well rounded education, with opportunities to study my passion, music, at every grade level from K through 12. At Granada High, there were course offerings to challenge me academically. The district now offers International Baccalaureate (IB) courses at Joe Michell (grades TK-8) and Granada (grades 9-12), along with a dual immersion program at Junction (TK-8), Green Engineering Program at Livermore High, and strong athletic programs across the district. The city is home to two National Science Laboratories, a strong ranching community, over 50 wineries, a bustling and charming downtown, an increasingly diverse demographic, and it's all easily bike-able.... Read 41 reviews

• grade A minus

• Total schools 18

• Students 13,006

• San Jose, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.78 out of 5  170 reviews

Alum: The best experiences were the clubs and the multiple schools I attended offered International Baccalaureate instead of AP classes which helped me be prepared for college. The worse part about it was the administration felt unorganized at times. Though my time in clubs was a highlight when it got to being a leader in the clubs and partaking in duties with the administration felt like they were unprepared or not always on the same page. I would get different answers from different people on the same questions and the operation for activities as a club would change at random. The meetings that they had for clubs were uninformative which led to clubs that weren't closely attached to admins in the dark of school activities and opportunities.... Read 170 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 42

• Students 25,677

• Concord, CA•

• School District

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  Rating 3.84 out of 5  95 reviews

Senior: I have been part of the Mount Diablo school district my whole life, and one part that I feel this district is really good at creating good diversity. There are people of every ethnicity and religion and we are encouraged to share with other if comfortable with each other I feel like that created a good welcoming community within the district.... Read 95 reviews

• grade B+

• Total schools 53

• Students 29,141