This year reminded us that collaboration isn’t just a value. It’s a force. When we come together for all kids, change becomes possible.
Across Marin, we’ve seen what happens when families, educators, and organizations align around a shared goal for equity. Whether it’s partners building a countywide data dashboard to close early learning gaps or Canal residents shaping a Promise Neighborhood, we’re not just recovering from the challenges of past years but rebuilding stronger systems for the future.
Every story in this update is a reflection of your work and our shared promise to support every student, in every neighborhood, to thrive and achieve their full potential. Thank you for helping move that promise forward.
Grateful for your partnership,
– Richard Raya, CEO
DATA / EARLY LEARNING
Early Childhood Data Like Never Before
For the first time in Marin County, we will soon have a shared developmental data dashboard to see how our youngest kids are growing before they enter school.
This dashboard will gather data from Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ), a tool that tracks developmental progress from birth to 66 months. Right now, ASQ results live within individual organizations, such as early-learning providers, school districts, and family-serving agencies. The new dashboard will securely bring together ASQ data from across the county, helping partners see patterns, identify needs earlier, and coordinate supports more effectively.
This effort reflects over a year of collaboration with Help Me Grow Marin, First 5 Marin, Marin Promise Partnership, Future State, and Marin Community Clinics, and the long-held vision of Susanne Kreuzer (Manager/Child Development Specialist at Help Me Grow Marin) to strengthen early developmental data in Marin.
Why does this matter? The early years are everything. By shining a light on children’s growth before kindergarten, the ASQ Dashboard will allow communities to act earlier, smarter, and more equitably.
- For families, it means fewer dead ends and a more connected system, from pediatricians, to early intervention, to preschool.
- For providers, this means earlier identification, streamlined referrals, and shared insights across agencies.
The development of the ASQ dashboard is a major milestone for early learning in Marin and one that will help guide planning and support well beyond 2025. The dashboard is currently in design and testing, with a first release anticipated early in the new year. Stay tuned for training and walkthroughs as we prepare to launch this new data dashboard!
PROMISE NEIGHBORHOODS / PLACE-BASED
Promise Neighborhood Momentum Growing Across Marin
This fall, the Canal community took bold steps toward becoming Marin’s first Promise Neighborhood, a collaborative model where residents, schools, organizations, and civic leaders from a defined area design solutions together that help children and families thrive.
Over the past few months, the Canal Promise Neighborhood has made real progress:
Resident leaders from the Nuestro Canal Nuestro Futuro (NCNF) hosted their final community fair of the year in October. These events have been key in lifting resident voices and surfacing barriers that stand in the way of student success.
The San Rafael/Canal Early Learning Collaborative Action Network (ELCAN) has continued to meet regularly and is actively shaping strategies to strengthen early learning opportunities.
- A new College & Career Readiness Action Team launched last month, bringing together 15 leaders from 11 local organizations to align efforts around postsecondary enrollment, degree completion, and workforce connections.
Across California, Promise Neighborhoods have proven that this type of coordinated, place-based collaboration drives measurable change. A recent statewide report found improved kindergarten readiness, stronger attendance, and higher graduation rates in Promise Neighborhood communities. The Canal is now adding Marin’s voice to that progress, demonstrating how local partnerships can drive similar results close to home.
And the Canal is just the beginning. Conversations are already underway about what it would take to bring this approach to other parts of the county. Marin’s first Promise Neighborhood is helping lay the foundation for a countywide movement centered on equity, collaboration, and community-driven change.
CRADLE TO CAREER MILESTONES / SYSTEMS CHANGE
Stronger Systems, Better Outcomes for Marin’s Students
Marin County is seeing steady signs of recovery across the cradle-to-career milestones we track. Six of the seven outcomes have improved when comparing the past two years to the height of the pandemic, showing that our local systems are regaining strength. While recovery is still in progress, Marin is one of the few partnerships in StriveTogether’s national network showing consistent improvement since that time — a sign of strong local infrastructure and deep cross-sector collaboration.
Recent statewide results reinforce this momentum. Third grade reading and eighth grade math both improved again this past year, pointing to steady gains as systems align around what students need most.
Partners across Marin have been working together in ways that make these milestone improvements possible. Click through to read a few examples:
Early learning access expanded.
State investments like Universal Pre-K, TK expansion, and the California State Preschool Program opened more early learning options across Marin. District–Preschool Partnerships in Shoreline, Bolinas-Stinson, Sausalito-Marin City, and Lagunitas helped integrate preschools into the public school system, reducing waitlists and stabilizing the early learning workforce.
Schools strengthened whole-child and family supports.
Many schools expanded relationship-based roles, mental health services, tiered supports, and basic-needs referrals. Five districts also secured Community Schools grants, helping them build more holistic systems that respond to the broader needs of children and families.
College access partnerships remained strong.
Partners continued long-standing work around financial aid completion through monthly meetings, shared data, and coordinated FAFSA and CADAA support. Strong pathways between schools, college access programs, and College of Marin helped students move into higher education with clearer plans.
Collaboration became more place-based.
More partners and funders are organizing staff and strategies around the communities facing the greatest disparities and tailoring programs to local needs. This shift has led to more personalized support and stronger relationships between residents and the people serving them.
These gains show that Marin’s recovery isn’t about returning to where we were, but about building stronger, more connected systems that can support every child’s success in the long term. If you’d like to explore these trends in more detail, you can view all of our milestone data on the Milestones Over Time page.
Partner Spotlights
As Sarah Hobson prepares to retire as CEO of West Marin Fund, we celebrate her years of leadership and partnership in West Marin. Sarah has been a steady champion for collaboration in West Marin, helping expand early learning opportunities and strengthen the relationships that make community-led work possible. Her leadership has shaped the way partners show up for children and families across West Marin, and her impact will continue to be felt for years to come.
About the Partnership
Mission
Close educational equity gaps at every stage along a student’s journey from cradle to career.
Vision
Every child in Marin can reach their full educational potential regardless of their race, ethnicity, income, background, or zip code.
