Marin County Gets an A+

Marin County homeowners value education and life-long learning. From the earliest years of a child’s life to university and adult education, Marin has scores of choices that span a wide variety of interests.

Study Puts Marin Schools on Top
Parents in Marin County are in a privileged class. A recent study by the nonprofit Children Now shows that in 2007 Marin ranked number one in an assessment of counties in several key areas. For example, Marin County has the most children enrolled in preschool. An impressive 74 percent of Marin’s children attend pre-school compared to 42 percent statewide.

Marin also tops the list for the number of elementary school students meeting state targets in English Language Arts and in math. In the 2nd to 6th grade, 68 percent of Marin’s children were proficient or advanced in English Language arts while California’s average was 43 percent. Marin grade school students did even better in Math, with 72 percent testing as proficient or advanced, compared to 52 percent statewide.

Scores for student achievement in the 7th through 11th grade showed similar results. Eighty-eight percent of Marin’s 10th graders passed the California High School English and Math exit exams, surpassing statewide figures by more than 10 percent. Upon graduation, 51 percent of Marin’s high school students met University of California entrance requirements while 42 percent of students in the Greater Bay Area qualified and just 35 percent of students statewide made the grade.

Many school districts serve Marin County families with elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools. Each strives to meet the needs of its specific community. But, what they all have in common is a drive to deliver quality education to all children in Marin County. According to the Children Now report, they are collectively reaching this goal.

There are many choices for families owning homes in Marin. Clearly, Marin’s public schools are excelling, but the county also has numerous alternative schools, private schools and charter schools. According to the education study included in the 2007 California County Data Book, taken together, these educational resources produced impressive results. In 24 of 26 sub-categories in the Children Now report, Marin scored better than the Bay Area and surpassed state averages.

Moving to the Next Level
Higher education also thrives in Marin County. The College of Marin, part of the state’s community college system, has two campuses.  Dominican University of California in San Rafael offers more than 30 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Students may also choose to study at one of Marin’s two theological seminaries.

Marin home owners are very aware that learning continues for a lifetime. They have demonstrated this concept time and again as they’ve let local government know about their concern for the natural environment. Marin was an early adopter of strategies to fight global warming and is home to several preserves that guard at-risk species of flora and fauna. Thus, it’s natural that Marin offers a number of resources for environmental education. There are research centers and conservation programs, environmental activities for both adults and children, and a countywide focus on environmental education.

In Marin County, home owners and their families value education and support their schools. This personal connection and involvement shows clear and measurable, positive results.