Venetia Valley K-8, San Rafael CA

Original Research by School Decision on Venetia Valley K-8

Venetia Valley K-8 is a public elementary and middle school in San Rafael serving kindergarten through eighth grade. The school is part of San Rafael City Elementary, a district serving the area with an enrollment base of moderate size across its schools.

The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial majority of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a school community with significant economic need. The school's enrollment is stable across its grade span, with healthy numbers in the early grades and sustained enrollment through the middle school years.

State test results from the most recent year show proficiency rates that are notably low across both English language arts and mathematics. In English language arts, proficiency ranges from the low-to-mid teens in third grade and seventh grade up to the mid-30s in fifth grade, with most grades hovering in the low-to-mid 20s. Math proficiency is similarly distributed, ranging from the high teens in seventh grade to the mid-30s in fifth and eighth grades. Science proficiency data available for fifth and eighth grades shows comparable patterns, both in the low-to-mid 20s. These results place the school in the bottom quartile of schools in Marin County by overall proficiency index. A parent may want to look into what targeted interventions or programs the school is employing to address these gaps, particularly in the middle grades where seventh-grade results dip notably lower.

The school offers organized athletics in basketball, soccer, and volleyball, providing some extracurricular engagement for students.

The broader context matters significantly. The district approved a parcel tax in 2021 to sustain academic programs and teacher retention, which means families in the catchment area see a property tax addition, though seniors have an exemption available. More immediately, the district's bond-funded modernization program is entering a major construction phase in summer 2026, with Venetia Valley among the schools undergoing simultaneous upgrades. The district indicates that most campuses will be under construction at the same time, which means families should expect substantial near-term disruption and facility changes through the fall of 2026 and potentially beyond.

Housing in the San Rafael zip code is expensive relative to the national average, and monthly rent represents a significant portion of household income. The community reflects broader affordability pressures in Marin County.

Venetia Valley serves a student population with substantial academic support needs. The low state proficiency rates suggest the school is working with students who require intensive intervention. For families considering this school, the immediate context includes major construction activity alongside efforts to improve both academics and facilities through district investments.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 320%

School 20% · District 39% · ▼ 19 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 43 pts below county median

Grade 430%

School 30% · District 43% · ▼ 13 pts below district

▼ 7 pts below state median · ▼ 28 pts below county median

Grade 534%

School 34% · District 35% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 3 pts above state median · ▼ 24 pts below county median

Grade 622%

School 22% · District 26% · ▼ 3 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 34 pts below county median

Grade 718%

School 18% · District 32% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 12 pts below state median · ▼ 38 pts below county median

Grade 832%

School 32% · District 32% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▼ 19 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 318%

School 18% · District 33% · ▼ 14 pts below district

▼ 22 pts below state median · ▼ 42 pts below county median

Grade 424%

School 24% · District 40% · ▼ 16 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 38 pts below county median

Grade 537%

School 37% · District 43% · ▼ 5 pts below district

▼ 8 pts below state median · ▼ 38 pts below county median

Grade 621%

School 21% · District 39% · ▼ 18 pts below district

▼ 23 pts below state median · ▼ 51 pts below county median

Grade 720%

School 20% · District 41% · ▼ 21 pts below district

▼ 25 pts below state median · ▼ 49 pts below county median

Grade 827%

School 27% · District 42% · ▼ 15 pts below district

▼ 18 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Science

Grade 526%

School 26% · District 27% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▼ 2 pts below state median · ▼ 29 pts below county median

Grade 815%

School 15% · District 26% · ▼ 11 pts below district

▼ 11 pts below state median · ▼ 33 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 870%

School 70% · District 66% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 21 pts above state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

This schoolSan Rafael City Elementary, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.