Third Annual Marin Educational Equity Week is a Success

Closing the Achievement Gap!

In Marin, race, ethnicity and socioeconomics limit students’ access to educational opportunity.  Marin is number one in the state in educational attainment but in the bottom third of the state in terms of educational equity.

Scholars throughout the country are calling our attention to the alarming educational disparities and the detriment to our future if public policy decisions and infrastructure fail to address educational progress as an urgent priority.

We can close the gap in Marin and we invite you to join us to ensure that all people of Marin have equal access to the full range of educational opportunities.

If not in Marin, then where?

Third Annual Educational Equity Week Highlights

Many thanks to our community partners including Dominican University of California, College of Marin and Book Passage our third annual Marin Educational Equity Week was a success. Highlights included a book event with Brian Copeland, a College for Kids tour, and a very well attended Blueprint for Education Taskforce, along with the a number of exciting community sponsored events including a Marin City Educational Equity Forum and BBQ, a Grassroots Leadership Network panel on Educational Equity and a youth rally, as well as a special appearance by Senator Barack Obama (IL).

Blueprint for Education Taskforce/Close the Gap

Over 75 community leaders, educators and concerned community members gathered at Book Passage for the Blueprint for Education Taskforce/Close the Gap. The meeting began with the voices of students, interviewed about their experiences in the educational systems. The day continued with community members illustrating the cultural complexity of Marin. Linda Murray, Superintendent in Residence at the Education Trust West, presented keynote remarks. Her remarks “Raising All Student’s Achievement: What does it take?” highlighted data and examples from throughout California to illustrate the achievement gap and effective strategies to close the gap. For a copy of the presentation visit www.EducationTrust.org.

Brian Copeland spoke about his new book Not a Genuine Black Man. His personal stories, experience and passion were very inspiring and challenged the audience to think about their own assumptions about people.

College for Kids College Day Tour

On Friday, 65 third graders from Bahia Vista Elementary School rode Marin Airporter buses to visit Dominican University for a special College for Kids tour. Thrilled to have a new blue “College Bound” t-shirt, these boys and girls were greeted by Chilly the Dominican mascot and escorted on tours around campus by current students.

Marin City Educational Equity Forum & BBQ
On Saturday, the Marin City collaboration hosted the Educational Equity Forum, “Saving the Next Generation—It Does Take a Village to Raise a Child”. This was very well attended with community leaders, parents and students along with Marin City/Sausalito and Tamalpais Union High schools superintendents, school board members, educators and MCF Trustees and staff.

Senator Barack Obama (IL) Comes to Marin

Marin Education Fund and Book Passage hosted the only Bay Area appearance of Senator Barack Obama where he talked about his new book, The Audacity of Hope and signed nearly 1,200 copies of his new book, as Marin Educational Equity Week. Proceeds from the event went to benefit student scholarships through Marin Education Fund. Event Coverage.