When Menlo Park originally became a City in the late 1920’s, the eastern part of the community was still referred to by its original name of Ravenswood, which dates back to the early 1800’s. Two school districts formed separately to address the needs of families in these two areas all the way back into the early 1900’s.Several schools draw students from the Belle Haven neighborhood, such as Belle Haven and Willow Oaks Elementary Schools. These schools are part of the Ravenswood School District, while other Menlo Park neighborhoods are part of the Menlo Park City School District. Students from the whole city come together to attend high school at Menlo-Atherton High School beginning in 9th grade.
The Tinsley court-ordered desegregation program allows students of color living in the Ravenswood City School District attendance area who will be entering kindergarten, first or second grade in the following school year to apply for transfers to the following seven districts: Belmont-Redwood Shores, Las Lomitas, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, San Carlos and Woodside. Non-minority students in those seven districts and Redwood City may apply for transfers to Ravenswood.