This year, our public schools continue to face unprecedented challenges as they navigate the rules, requirements and associated costs of educating our kids during a pandemic. SchoolsRule-Marin and the 36,032 public school students that benefit from SchoolsRule funds are counting on our community to help fund the gap between what the state provides and what it actually costs to educate our kids.
SchoolsRule funds represent the largest single donation for most Marin public school foundations and represent 50% of the operational budgets for Marin’s largest districts, San Rafael and Novato, as well as the countywide Dedication to Special Education foundation. These foundations rely on SchoolsRule funds to keep vital programs alive, programs that are needed now more than ever.
Marin school foundations have always been essential partners for their districts, and their support has never been more critical than during these challenging times as they fund everything from virtual elementary art classes with take home art kits, to additional counselors and wellness check-ins for high school students, to Chromebooks necessary for virtual learning, to personal protective equipment required for a safe return to the classroom.
Just one example of SchoolsRule’s important role is in Novato, where SchoolsRule funds have transformed the literacy programs available to students at every grade level. “Before SchoolsRule, our district had zero budget for keeping the materials in the school libraries current,” said Susan Mathews, Executive Director for School Fuel, the Novato Foundation for Public Education. “This school year, SchoolsRule funds have allowed us to purchase additional materials and online resources for our school libraries including our ‘free book Thursday’ where any student can pick up a bag full of books to take home and enjoy at their own pace. SchoolsRule funding has been absolutely critical to our district in improving the opportunities for all students and addressing the opportunity gaps that exist in our community which have only been exacerbated as a result of the pandemic.”
SchoolsRule works in collaboration with Marin’s public school foundations, raising funds on behalf of all students countywide. Funds are distributed annually on a per-student basis to provide direct support for programs in the areas of literacy, the arts, technology and health, helping to ensure that high-quality educational programs are available to EVERY student regardless of socioeconomic status, today and in the future.
Sharing in SchoolsRule’s belief that all children deserve the best possible educational opportunities regardless of where they may live in our community, Make It Better Foundation’s founder, Susan Noyes, and two anonymous donors have stepped up to offer a $20,000 match for gifts made by December 31, 2020. “Make It Better” for Marin’s public school students by joining Susan and our grant donors and donate today when every dollar you give has double the impact.
How to Help
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