Education Options

The Cupertino Union School District has 17 neighborhood elementary schools and five neighborhood middle schools. Each of these programs offers a standardized core curriculum.

Every address in the District is assigned to a neighborhood elementary and middle school. Please use the Cupertino Union School District's Address Locator to determine the neighborhood schools assigned to a particular address in the District.

The Cupertino Union School District currently maintains four alternative programs. The Board of Trustees is committed to offering parents residing in the District a choice of schools in which to enroll their children, and to providing parents diverse educational options from which they may select a program that best meets their child’s needs. The four alternative program choices in the District are:

• Faria Elementary School – A structured teacher-directed program placing emphasis on the basics in a traditional classroom environment.
   
• McAuliffe School – A progressive Kindergarten - Grade 8 parent participation, experiential program based on a developmental education philosophy that emphasizes the needs of the whole child.
   
• Murdock-Portal Elementary School – A program in which students are grouped in open, multi-age villages with teams of teachers using a balance of basic skills and project-based strategies.
   
• Cupertino Language Immersion Program (CLIP) (Elementary | Middle) – A Mandarin language immersion program for Kindergarten through Grade 8 students. The program provides core curriculum in English and Mandarin.

Since 1989, CUSD has offered an optional District-home partnership in the form of a Home Study (independent study) program for families of TK-Grade 8 students who wish to teach their children at home with professional guidance from supervising teachers and District administrators.

Absences Due to Family Travel and Vacations 

The District does not support the practice of taking trips/vacations on school days. Absences due to family trips are unexcused unless the absence is pre-arranged and a short-term independent study contract has been approved by the school principal. The District will not hold a student’s seat at a school after a ten-day absence, with or without a Short-term independent study contract, without pre-approval due to extenuating circumstances. The Student Assignment Office will work with families upon their return to confirm residency and school assignment when an absence is more than ten days and is not pre-approved.

Short-Term Independent Study During Travel

Parents may request a Short-Term Independent Study provided the student will return to school at least five (5) days prior to the last day of school. Such absences are unexcused unless it is prearranged and a short-term independent study contract has been approved by the school principal. Requests for Short-Term Independent Study will be evaluated by the school principal on a case-by-case basis after consideration of the criteria set forth below:

1. Requests must be made at least ten (10) school days in advance of the planned absence
2. The student must be in attendance at their assigned school for at least three (3) weeks prior to the commencement of the independent study
3. Absences for this purpose must be for a minimum of five (5) consecutive school days and a maximum of ten (10) consecutive school days per school year and shall not occur during the Spring assessment period
4. The student has not been declared habitually truant, receiving five (5) unexcused absences of 30 minutes or more in a school year
5. The student possesses the necessary motivation, commitment, organizational skills, and academic skills to complete the work assigned

Student assignments under short-term independent study contracts are due on the first school day immediately following the student's return to school.

Report of Absence Form and Short-Term Independent Study Request Procedures

1. A Report of Absence form should be filled out by the parent/guardian for any planned student absences. The school will work with parents to determine if the planned student absence is considered an excused or unexcused absence. Contact your school office. 
2. The Report of Absence form will be filed in the student’s cumulative file.
3. At least ten (10) school days prior to the start of the absence, the parent/guardian may request a short-term independent study in the school site office by completing their portion of the Short-Term Independent Study Agreement. Short-Term Independent Study Agreements are available in all school offices. 
4. The secretary will inform the parent/guardian that the principal will review the request for a short-term independent study and has the right to deny this request. The parent will be notified within 48 hours only if the short-term independent study is denied. 
5. Once the principal has reviewed the Short-Term Independent Study Agreement and signed the approval, it will be given to the classroom teacher for a signature.
6. The signed and completed independent study will be available to be picked up the last day of school before the absence is to begin.
7. If the student is absent on the last day of school before the contract begins (whether excused or unexcused) the work will be available to be picked up for the student in the office between lunch and the end of the day. Work will not be faxed or sent to the student; it must be picked up in person by the parent/guardian.
8. Independent Study work must be turned in on the day the student returns to school in order to be graded and calculated for attendance purposes. 
9. Report card grades may be affected due to incomplete Independent Study work.