Handcraft Studio School, 7002 Carol Ct, El Cerrito, CA 94530, US

Berkeley Arts Magnet, or BAM as it is called, has a history in the alternative-school movement of the 1960s and '70s. Of several alternative schools at Berkeley Unified sites in the early '70s, BAM emerged the sole survivor thanks largely to dedicated parents and staff who lobbied hard and won several state and private grants to keep it open. All students receive visual arts, drama, music and performing arts instruction weekly. BAM has been named a California Distinguished School four times, most recently in 2000. Its current self-described challenges include closing the achievement gap between white and Asian, Latino and black students, and meeting the improvement standards required by the federal "No Child Left Behind" Act. Kristin Collins is the principal.