1308 Buckingham Pl
Richardson, TX 75081

My daughter graduated 3 years ago and she was lucky. She is smart and driven but just the other day she lamented how poorly Berkner prepared her for college. She was blessed to get a 95% fully covered tuition to an East Coast Baby Ivy and she will tell you she had to learn to study because Berkner was insanely easy, teachers gave out As like candy and this kid took 14 AP classes. The sports teams are underfunded and under coached. The school is diverse and so diverse it is actually tribal. Those that attend know that the school is very segregated by ethnic groups. My daughter at first thought the diversity was fun but later she realized it was actually felt like a very small school because how the students separate into clans. She knows this because she transferred from Marcus High School also diverse but a school with a high level of spirit and identity with being a part of the campus at a level that Berkner kids and parents could not understand if Berkner is all they know. Of the 4 RISD HS, Berkner is the bottom of the barrel in academics and sports. Sadly, Berkner 20 years ago was highly rated and had a proud history of academics and sport and other extracurricular activities but all that is gone. Drive to the school mid-day and see students wandering the campus grounds like zombies. My daughter said the school knows kids wander around but about 1/3rd of the students are ignored and forgotten. If your kids is a top 5% kid, taking all AP, the best teachers are teaching the few that take the AP classes so you can do make do. Worst part is the entire RISD system is losing ground quickly to their ISD peers across the state. An ISD that not long ago was A rated is falling very fast so Berkner is at the bottom of an ISD falling from Exceptional to Below average compared to all public schools in Texas.

The only good things that ever came out of that school for me were my great friends and some nice teachers. The school was a fight club when I was attending it, fights every week or so. Not to mention the racism and homophobia/transphobia. Really not that good of a place, yes, my younger sibling says it's better now, but I'd still be very cautious about it.

I love and adore this school. My children have been challenged academically since kindergarten. They score high on standardized tests and outperform the majority of the children in their grade level in the district according to their MAP and STAAR testing. Teachers and principals have come and gone over the years, but I can truly say that I have had excellent experiences with the majority of their teachers and principals. If you research deeper into this school, you will see that this little gem scores better than many of the elementary schools in RISD. This is a very diverse school, which I believe is what makes it so unique and valuable. Your children will gain a solid education and build relationships with students of cultures all over the world. It is truly beautiful. Another thing, you can't beat the front office staff. They are a group of the most caring, compassionate, and helpful people. It's a guarantee you will receive a kind and warm voice when you call the school. You will also feel the positive energy when you visit the school. Don't let the negative comments deter you. Not everyone values diversity.