Forbes Magazine Calls Marin County Schools “Best For The Money”

There are lots of reasons people love Marin County, California—the proximity to San Francisco, the easy commute, the weather, the dedicated open space, the beaches, the Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge, the lack of crime, and the list goes on. But, for many, the biggest reason is the schools. It is well known that Marin schools are outstanding and have tremendous parental involvement.

As reported by the Marin Independent Journal, Forbes Magazine recently identified Marin County as providing the best education relative to per capita spending.  As noted by Forbes, “[m]ore spending doesn’t necessarily buy you better schools.” 

Forbes looked at property taxes across the country, per-pupil spending in public schools, and weighed them against student performance (factors such as college entrance exam scores, exam participation rates, and graduation rates.

“Marin County, Calif., provides the best bang for the buck,” declares Forbes. “In 2004 Marin spent an average of $9,356 ($6,579 adjusted for the cost of living relative to other metro areas in the U.S.) per pupil, among the lowest education expenditures in the country. But in return Marin delivered results above the national average: 96.8% of its seniors graduated, and 60.4% of them took the SAT college entrance exam and scored a mean 1133 (out of 1600).”

Marin County schools such as Del Mar, Glenwood, Bacich, Ross, and Rancho have achieved well deserved acclaim and notoriety. Many families moving to Marin seek out homes specifically for these schools. And there are many more great schools in Marin.  Click here for the Marin County Office of Education Public School Information Guide.  Santa Clara County was the only other California County to rank in Forbes’ top 20 nationwide.