The Orinda Union School District is composed of four elementary schools; Del Rey, Glorietta, Sleepy Hollow and…More Wagner Ranch, and one middle school, Orinda Intermediate School. There are a total of 2,422 students at the five schools, with 131 full-time teachers assigned to teach them.</p> <p>Like most California school districts faced by increasingly severe budget cuts, Orinda has relied heavily on the generosity of local parent groups and educational foundations to keep many of its key programs alive and well. The Educational Foundation of Orinda (EFO) has proven to be an essential funding partner with Orinda's K-12 schools, with the foundation underwriting many of the programs that keep Orinda schools consistently ahead of the curve.</p> <p>Local parent clubs also provide significant funding in support of local schools. The district estimates that parent clubs will contribute more than $2 million in funding for school programs and services for the coming school year.</p> <p>District Superintendent Dr. Joe Jaconette has informed parents of Orinda students that despite tough economic times, the district expects to protect several core values in the new school year, including the hiring of experienced teachers, and keeping class size low.</p> <p>Superintendent Jaconette has also announced initiatives to strengthen the reading and writing skills of students as well as a district-wide technology plan. Currently, there are approximately 3.5 students per computer in the district, compared to a county-wide average of 4.5 students per machine.</p>

The Moraga School District is comprised of four local public schools, Camino Pablo Elementary, route:…More {:controller=>"listings", :action=>"show", :id=>"camino-pablo-school"} -->, Los Perales Elementary, <!-- name: Donald Rheem Elementary and Joaquin Moraga Intermediate in Moraga.</p> <p>Due to the relative affluence of the community it serves, the district has managed to offset many of the cuts in programs and services felt by other less fortunate districts throughout the state. Moraga School District students consistently score at advanced and proficient levels on the California standardized STAR test, and continue to master their grade level subject area content standards. Parents want this to continue, and have consistently approved measures to secure funding for the schools. The district is quick to cite the involvement of Moraga parents and families, local PTAs, the Moraga Education Foundation, and local businesses that have come out to support its programs and help keep the schools among the best in the state.</p>

Burton Valley Elementary School is part of the Lafayette School District and a public school educating students in…More grades K-5. An active Parent Teachers Association and other invested parent groups have come to the rescue for this school and others in the district in recent years, securing the funding to keep several threatened school programs alive and well. </p> <p>The affluence of the area and continued generosity of the school's supporters have given rise to some special considerations for busy parents. Like many of its counterpart schools, Burton Valley provides "Extended Day" programs for their 700 students, making it possible for working parents to drop off children before normal school hours, and to pick them up long after. School officials say the extended hours are part of the normal school curriculum and are not common after-school clubs or athletic programs.</p> <p>Burton Valley works hard to identify and encourage especially gifted students, testing for leadership and scholastic aptitude early in their academic career and cultivating their specific abilities with a variety of special programs. The "Gifted and Talented" program identifies aptitude in mathematics or language arts, leadership or creative thinking, and provides an environment where those skills can thrive.</p> <p>Burton Valley also provides services and training to students with moderate to severe mental and/or physical disabilities, and offers English as a second language instruction.</p>