Original Research by School Decision on Bullis Charter District
Bullis Charter District is a small charter district in Santa Clara County serving kindergarten through eighth grade. Its single school, Bullis Charter, enrolls a modest number of students across those nine grades. The enrollment is relatively balanced in the lower grades, with slightly smaller cohorts at the seventh and eighth grade levels.
The student body is predominantly Asian, reflecting the demographic makeup of the broader Silicon Valley region. A substantial share of students identify as white or multiracial. The enrollment includes very small numbers of students from Black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native backgrounds. Data on free-or-reduced-price meal eligibility, English learner status, and special education were not available.
State testing data and graduation rates are not reported for this entity, which is typical for a district serving only elementary and middle grades. Without that information, a parent or resident cannot assess academic proficiency directly from state assessments. The school's website and district communications would be the primary sources for understanding academic approach and student outcomes.
One metric does stand out: Bullis Charter's chronic absenteeism rate places it in the top quartile among Santa Clara County's districts, meaning students attend school at notably higher rates than the typical district in the county. This suggests strong daily engagement or a student population with fewer barriers to regular attendance.
The district's per-pupil current spending is in the lower range compared to other Santa Clara County districts, which may reflect the charter model's cost structure or staffing choices.
Bullis Charter faces substantial operational change. The school currently operates in portable classrooms split between two junior high school campuses, an arrangement that has persisted for years. The district plans to build a permanent dedicated campus at a San Antonio site in Mountain View, with Bullis designated as the first occupant and an expected opening in fall 2028. The school has contested whether the planned facility will be large enough for its current enrollment.
Connected to that move, the district is shifting to a middle school model beginning fall 2028 where sixth through eighth graders would be housed together. Under that plan, Bullis would be removed entirely from one current host campus and split between the other and the new San Antonio facility. These changes will reshape where grades attend and how the charter school's students are distributed across district facilities. The current facilities agreement with Bullis expires in June 2027, adding urgency to these transitions.
Bullis Charter's charter was renewed in August 2024 by the Santa Clara County Office of Education, but with conditions tied to diversity and equity. The school must continue efforts to increase enrollment of historically underserved students, set and report measurable goals, disclose its lottery process annually, and remove any cap on preferences for low-income applicants. The school previously adopted an enrollment preference for in-district students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a change made after county questions about the school's racial and economic composition. Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, Bullis also expanded Transitional Kindergarten eligibility to any child turning four by September 1, broadening early-entry access.
These overlapping policy changes suggest both the school's strength in attracting enrollment and ongoing public scrutiny of who gets in. Families considering Bullis should understand that the lottery is competitive, that income-based and in-district preferences now apply, and that the school's physical location and configuration will change substantially within the next few years. The strong attendance rate and county-level approval of charter renewal indicate operational stability, but the transition to a new campus and middle school district structure will be a major shift for enrolled families.
See more original research from School Decision →