Marin County Schools — Superior Rankings & Test Scores Abound
Marin County is blessed. Great weather. Low crime. Close to San Francisco. No bridge traffic. A couple hours from Tahoe. A short flight to Hawaii or Mexico. Hiking, biking, jogging, fishing, swimming and surfing. Virtually unlimited group sports, unbelievable parks, and dedicated open space at every turn. Hippies and yuppies living in harmony.
But, it’s the schools that make Marin County the destination of choice when it comes to San Francisco professionals seeking a place to land when the wonderment and joy of City living begin to fade. Moreover, even lifelong San Franciscans seeking the sun after retirement often choose to move a bit north into Marin. But, this article is about the schools.
Again, Marin out-paced nearly all counties in California on the State’s annual performance exams. Of the county’s 61 schools, 72% achieved a score above 800 (schools above 800 are considered “excellent”), including 3 high schools—Redwood, Tamalpais, and Sir Francis Drake (Novato High came in just under 800). Eighteen schools scored 900 or greater, including every school in Mill Valley (Edna Maguire 938, Old Mill 928, Park 916, Tam Valley 934, Strawberry Point 922, and Mill Valley Middle School 905). Novato’s Rancho Elementary and Tiburon’s Bel Aire Elementary tied for the highest score in the County at 951.
Other top-scoring schools included Ross Elementary, Brookside Elementary, Wade Thomas Elementary, Dixie Elementary, Vallecito, Bacich Elementary, Lu Sutton, Olive Elementary, Reed Elementary, and Glenwood to name a few. Twenty-five schools achieved the highest rank possible (a “10”).