BRADLEY — Bradley Union School District (BUSD) is a small, rural school district located in Bradley, about 20 minutes north of Paso Robles. As parent and BUSD Board Member June Yardley shared, “Bradley is a tiny, but fierce school district who strives to provide the best educational experience for every student.”
This message that Yardley speaks to is resonating with not just the residents of Bradley, but also in the surrounding communities as well. Enrollment at the Bradley Union School District has surged over the past two years.
“When you have a supportive school board, fantastic staff and a school community that wants what’s best for all students, great things happen,” said Josh Van Norman, BUSD superintendent.
Recent Census Day enrollment data for the district confirms what Van Norman has shared. On Oct. 2, California schools observed Census Day, the annual day when student enrollment numbers are officially counted. For Bradley, this year’s Census Day highlighted exciting news.
After seeing an enrollment increase last year for the first time in six years, Bradley’s Census Day enrollment rose again this year, marking a 43% growth over the past two years.
Notably, this is the first time in 12 years that the school has experienced back-to-back increases in student enrollment on Census Day, proving to be a positive sign of continued growth and progress for the school.
“As a small, rural school district, I am proud to see Bradley Union School District thriving and offering high-quality education that reflects the unique values and strengths of its community,” said Monterey County Superintendent of Schools Deneen Guss. “The school’s ability to provide personalized learning experiences, strong relationships between educators and families, and a safe, close-knit environment makes it a special place for students to grow and learn.”
For many schools and districts, the trend in public education is that enrollment is on the decline. With budgets being impacted by this trend, some districts are now considering closing schools and potentially reducing staff. Not at Bradley.
“It is inspiring to see that, here in Monterey County, under the leadership of Superintendent Josh Van Norman, we have a school district that is bucking the trend of declining enrollment in public education,” said Carolyn Swanson, speaking as an individual member of Pacific Grove Unified School Board and member of the Small School Board Advisory Workgroup of the California School Boards Association. “Public education is critical to our democracy and it is wonderful to have a trailblazing district within our County showcase the power of what a thriving school community can look like.”
Watch BUSD’s newest video (below) to learn more about Bradley School.
