Programs

BUSD offers a robust CTE program at Benicia High School.  These programs are designed to provide students with the academic and technical skills to be successful in careers post High School.  All CTE classes are offered in a two course sequence, called a pathway. Pathways offered at Benicia High School range from Medical Careers to Construction Trades.  There are pathways in Robotics, Digital Media and Dance. For a complete listing and description of the CTE Pathways offered, please visit the Benicia High School website and view the course catalogue.

High School students in BUSD develop a 10 year plan that enables them to connect their academic achievement to post secondary goals. This plan is created in a Freshman course called, Get Focused, Stay Focused.  Each year the plan is revisited, revised and new modules introduced.

A College and Career Counselor provides service to Benicia Middle School, Liberty High School and Benicia High School.  Through the College and Career Center, students can access field trips to colleges, attend visiting college sessions, obtain college information, get help with essay writing and FAFSA forms.

BUSD offers research-based programs and support services for English Learners. Students are identified through the Home Language Survey and the ELPAC assessment. 

Once identified, English Learners access the common core academic content standards as part of their core instructional program. This includes differentiated instruction within the general education classroom setting and small group instruction to ensure English Learner students acquire full proficiency in English as rapidly and effectively as possible. Our primary focus is closing the achievement gap between English Learners and their native English-speaking peers as well as celebrating multilingual students and their cultures.

BUSD’s Instructional Model has several components. At the elementary schools, students  will receive small group service using guided reading, Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) strategies, as well as Imagine Learning computer-based instruction.

Middle and High School students who receive English Language acquisition support may attend a period of intensive instruction. These classes are in addition to their regular English classes.

Parents of English Learners are encouraged to participate in their schools English Learner Advisory Committees and our District committee (DELAC.) Parent voice in the DELAC is valued and appreciated.  It is through this partnership that the District can strengthen it’s programming for English Learners and their families.

The DELAC meeting dates  for the 2021-22 school year can be found on the District “Upcoming Events” calendar on the District Homepage. 

The agendas and minutes for the DELAC meetings are archived on this page. 

Translation services are available for parent meetings and events at the school sites.  If parents are in need of such services, please contact the site principal to make arrangements.

BUSD offers a variety of enrichment programs based on critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills.

Elementary STEAM Wheel: All elementary school students in grade 3-5 participate in a STEAM Wheel (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) for 15 weeks either in the fall or spring semesters. STEAM education allows students to apply and expand their learning opportunities  in all content areas. The STEAM Wheel is a collaboration between BUSD and local organizations and businesses such as Brickspace, Berkeley Chess Club, CodeBee, Arts Benicia, Flying Monkey Theatre, and Voena.These STEAM professionals facilitate lessons alongside the classroom teacher each week.  The STEAM Wheel program is made possible with generous support from Valero. 

After School Enrichment:  BUSD offers after school enrichment programs such as Odyssey of the Mind (ODM) program, math competitions and robotics as opportunities for students to participate in robust collaborative problem solving challenges.  The program offerings may change year to year based on interest. BUSD is committed to providing all students with opportunities to develop their talents, stretch their skills and demonstrate higher level thinking skills beyond the school day.

BUSD offers a targeted intervention model based on specific identified needs of each student. This  model of support offers a wide range of programs and services. Students are identified based on multiple measures and offer differentiated instruction within the classroom as well as pull out programs, before/after school tutorials and companion courses that are specifically designed to ensure academic success for all students and reduce the achievement gap.

A district intervention team established specific criteria for each identified program including the process for identifying students who are in need of support, progress monitoring assessments and metrics for measuring success. The intervention team meets monthly to monitor student progress, identify needs and make program adjustments.

Introducing Paper – Live Tutoring Service for All BHS/LHS Students

Title 1 is a Federally Funded program that supports schools to ensure that students have equitable opportunities to access high quality educational experiences.  The Title 1 funding, in addition to the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) supplemental funding  provides supplemental funds to school districts to assist schools with the highest student concentrations of poverty to meet school educational goals.

Five schools in BUSD are identified as Title 1 schools: Mary Farmar Elementary, Robert Semple Elementary, Benicia Middle School, Liberty High School and Community Day School.  Through the Title I and LCFF Supplemental Funds, additional targeted services are provided to these schools that include: additional intervention instruction, scholarships for Outdoor Education, Counseling, English Learner Support, additional sections for math support, and focused professional development.  For a complete description of Title 1 and Supplemental Services please refer to the District’s Strategic Plan-LCAP.

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