The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in English language arts. The lowest is 60% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Brookside Elementary
Brookside Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in San Anselmo, a tree-lined, art- and family-oriented village in central Marin County. The school sits on Butterfield Road, one of several campuses in the Ross Valley School District dispersed across town's residential areas, separate from the downtown core where Wade Thomas Elementary anchors civic space closer to the library and Town Hall.
State test results from the most recent year show mixed performance across grade levels. In English language arts, proficiency across the school averages in the lower-to-mid range. Third grade shows lower proficiency, while fourth and fifth grades perform notably better. In math, fourth grade stands out with strong proficiency, but third and fifth grades show softer results, with fifth grade particularly low. A science test administered to fifth grade shows proficiency just under three-fifths. Across tested subjects and grade levels, Brookside sits above the median proficiency of districts countywide in Marin County, a positioning that reflects solid ground but not the highest tier.
The school's enrollment is small for an elementary campus, with about three hundred students across six grades. The student body is predominantly white, with Hispanic students forming a meaningful minority and other groups represented in smaller numbers. About one in ten students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a rate well below the county average and reflecting the generally affluent character of the town.
San Anselmo itself is a built-out, small community centered on an antique-lined, walkable downtown. The town is served by local bus transit and sits within commuting distance of regional tech and healthcare employment in San Rafael and beyond. Housing values are very high, and median rents are among the steepest in the region, factors that shape both the families the school draws and the economic pressures families face staying in the community.
The broader district context carries weight for any family considering Brookside. Ross Valley School District operates under significant fiscal strain. COVID-era federal funding has ended, state enrollment protections have expired, and the district faces a structural budget deficit that is projected to deepen. Per-pupil funding is among the lowest in Marin County and in the bottom tier statewide. Teachers agreed to a freeze in pay for the 2025-26 school year. In May 2025, a parcel tax measure failed to reach the supermajority California requires. The district subsequently placed another measure on the June 2026 ballot to renew and increase local parcel tax revenue. Without passage, the district has warned of cuts exceeding several million dollars over multiple years, including closure of two of its five elementary schools, elimination of middle-school electives, and layoffs of physical education and counseling staff. The outcome of that referendum will shape the district's trajectory and the school's resources.
These financial pressures sit in tension with the town's overall prosperity. San Anselmo is a desirable residential community with strong civic anchors including the library, parks, and community events. Families who move here do so for the walkable downtown, neighborhood feel, and proximity to open space. Whether and how the school district stabilizes its funding remains an open question that parents considering the area will want to track closely with the district.
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