Public schools in San Rafael, CA
20 open public schools with an address in San Rafael, operated by 5 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
20
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
9,128
20 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
21:1
California median 21.6:1
Charter schools
0
0 virtual
An overview of San Rafael public schools
The federal directory lists 20 public schools in San Rafael, CA: 11 elementary, 2 middle, 6 high, 1 combined or other. The 20 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 9,128 students, an average of 456 per school. The largest campus is San Rafael High (1,332 students), and the largest elementary school is Venetia Valley K-8 (748).
San Rafael City Elementary operates the most schools here (9), and 4 regular districts have at least one San Rafael campus, plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 21:1, similar to the statewide school median of 21.6:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
Among 5 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 2 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 2 of 6 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 58% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving San Rafael
San Rafael City Elementary
Public school district
9 schools in San Rafael
Miller Creek Elementary
Public school district
4 schools in San Rafael
Marin County Office of Education
Public school district
3 schools in San Rafael
San Rafael City High
Public school district
3 schools in San Rafael
Marin County ROP
Specialized public school district
1 school in San Rafael
Elementary schools in San Rafael
11| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bahia Vista Elementary San Rafael City Elementary | KG–05 | 552 | 24:1 | |
| Coleman Elementary San Rafael City Elementary | KG–05 | 378 | 22.2:1 | |
| Glenwood Elementary San Rafael City Elementary | KG–05 | 315 | 21:1 | |
| Laurel Dell Elementary San Rafael City Elementary | KG–05 | 287 | 23.9:1 | |
| Lucas Valley Elementary Miller Creek Elementary | KG–05 | 315 | 25.2:1 | |
| Mary E. Silveira Elementary Miller Creek Elementary | KG–05 | 412 | 24.2:1 | |
| San Pedro Elementary San Rafael City Elementary | KG–05 | 469 | 22.3:1 | |
| Short Elementary San Rafael City Elementary | KG–KG | 91 | 20.2:1 | |
| Sun Valley Elementary San Rafael City Elementary | KG–05 | 523 | 22.7:1 | |
| Vallecito Elementary Miller Creek Elementary | KG–05 | 408 | 25.5:1 | |
| Venetia Valley K-8 San Rafael City Elementary | KG–08 | 748 | 21:1 |
Middle schools in San Rafael
2| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| James B. Davidson Middle San Rafael City Elementary | 06–08 | 1,052 | 17.1:1 | |
| Miller Creek Middle Miller Creek Elementary | 06–08 | 620 | 17.7:1 |
High schools in San Rafael
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madrone High Continuation San Rafael City High · Alternative School | 09–12 | 96 | 10:1 | |
| Marin County Juvenile Court Marin County Office of Education · Alternative School | 07–12 | 3 | 3:1 | |
| Marin County ROP Marin County ROP · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| Marin's Community Marin County Office of Education · Alternative School | 07–12 | 64 | 18.7:1 | |
| San Rafael High San Rafael City High | 09–12 | 1,332 | 19.8:1 | |
| Terra Linda High San Rafael City High | 09–12 | 1,248 | 20.7:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in San Rafael
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marin County Special Education Marin County Office of Education · Special Education School | KG–12 | 215 | 7.4:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White29.1%
- Hispanic59.9%
- Black1.2%
- Asian3.7%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial5.3%
Enrollment-weighted across 19 San Rafael schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (9,128 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in San Rafael
How many public schools are in San Rafael, CA?
The current NCES directory lists 20 open public schools with a location address in San Rafael: 11 elementary, 2 middle, 6 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 9,128 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve San Rafael?
Schools with an address in San Rafael belong to 5 education agencies, led by San Rafael City Elementary (9 schools), Miller Creek Elementary (4 schools), Marin County Office of Education (3 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in San Rafael?
San Rafael High reported the largest high-school enrollment in San Rafael, with 1,332 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in San Rafael?
No school with an address in San Rafael is identified as a charter school in the current NCES directory. Families may still have charter or virtual options elsewhere in California.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in San Rafael schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across San Rafael public schools is 21:1, similar to the California school median of 21.6:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in San Rafael guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby California cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All California cities