Ross School District

What Ross School District does

Ross School District is a single-site, K-8 public school district headquartered at 9 Lagunitas Road in the Town of Ross, Marin County, California. It serves approximately 340 students from kindergarten through 8th grade with a faculty and staff of roughly 61, achieving an average class size of 18 students and a 13:1 student-to-teacher ratio. Instruction is delivered on-campus through classroom teachers (K-5) and a rotation of core subjects plus electives in grades 6-8, supplemented by enrichment specialists in music, visual arts, physical education, Spanish, technology/STEM, robotics, and athletics. The district also operates a before- and after-school care program (Kid's Club) in partnership with Ross Recreation and provides universal free breakfast and lunch via a tri-district NSLP partnership with Reed Union School District and Kentfield School District, with Dee's Organic as the shared meal vendor.

The operating stack combines a district-controlled curriculum aligned with Common Core State Standards against third-party educational platforms: Finalsite for the district website and parent communications, Follett Destiny and Sora for library and digital reading, Arbiter for athletics management, Google Workspace for document management, Aeries for student information and enrollment, Frontline (Applitrack) for employment applications, and the Marin County Office of Education for substitute teacher registration. The technology footprint is conventional consumer-grade ed-tech, with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, proprietary systems, or significant software development activity.

The district is a government state entity under California Education Code, governed by an elected five-member Board of Trustees and led day-to-day by a Superintendent. Revenue is non-commercial: the operating budget is funded primarily through California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) based on Average Daily Attendance, local parcel taxes (with senior exemptions), community-supported bond measures, inter-district developer fees, and federal meal reimbursement. Approximately $1.25 million per year — roughly 30% of the operating budget — is contributed voluntarily by the Ross School Foundation, the Ross School PTO, and the Ross School Endowment Fund (which itself holds over $1.2 million in capital and disburses $50,000 per year to the school). Distribution is entirely direct on-campus to families residing within the district's legal boundaries; enrollment requires affidavit proof of residency, and the district does not sell services, licenses, or out-of-district educational products.

Name

Ross School District

Legal name

Ross School District

Website

https://rossbears.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ross School District is a single-site K-8 California public school district serving approximately 340 students in the Town of Ross, Marin County, with 61 staff, a 13:1 student-to-teacher ratio, and ~30% of its operating budget funded by community Foundation, PTO, and Endowment contributions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB)

Keywords

• Public K-8 education
• Common Core curriculum
• Enrichment programs
• School athletics program
• Before after school care

Headquarters

HQ city

Ross

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public School Funding: As a California public school district, Ross School receives state funding based on Average Daily Attendance (ADA) and Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). This represents the primary operational funding source.
2. Local Parcel Taxes: The district benefits from community-supported parcel tax measures. Property owners in the district pay parcel taxes that fund school operations. Senior exemptions are available for property owners age 65 and older.
3. Community Contributions: The district receives approximately $1.25 million annually from the Ross School Foundation, PTO, and Endowment combined, covering nearly 30% of the operating budget. These are voluntary contributions from parents and community members.
4. Bond Measures: The district has received community support through bond measures for capital improvements and facilities.
5. Developer Fees: As a small elementary school district in Marin County, Ross captures a portion of developer fees collected by the Tamalpais Union High School District. Residential additions are charged $3.48 per square foot, with 70% retained by Ross School District.
6. Federal Meal Reimbursement: Through participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) via partnership with Reed Union School District, the district receives federal reimbursement for meals served under California's Universal Meals Program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Ross School District is a single-site public K-8 school district serving approximately 340 students in Ross, California. It provides free, comprehensive Common Core-aligned public education supported by enrichment programs in music, visual arts, physical education, Spanish, technology, and STEM, along with athletics, library services, social-emotional learning, and before/after-school care. Operational funding comes from California's LCFF, parcel taxes, federal meal reimbursement, and approximately $1.25 million in annual community contributions.

Product overview

Ross School District is a single-site public K-8 school district serving approximately 340 students in Ross, California. The district operates its primary digital presence through its Finalsite-powered website, which serves as the central hub for parent communication, student learning resources, and administrative services. The district's educational offerings include a comprehensive academic program aligned with Common Core standards, supplemented by enrichment programs in music (choral, band, orchestra, strings, guitar), visual arts, physical education, Spanish language, technology/STEM, robotics, and athletics. Operational services include library services (with Follett Destiny catalog and Sora digital reading platform), school meal programs, before/after school care, and a weekly ePocket digital newsletter. The school utilizes various third-party platforms including Arbiter for athletics management, Applitrack for employment, and Google Workspace for document management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ross School Library Services Library program serving students K-8 with weekly visits, book checkouts, read-alouds, and research instruction. Includes digital catalog access via Follett Destiny and Sora ebook/audiobook platform.
• Middle School Athletics Program
• Kid's Club Aftercare
• School Meal Program
• Technology Program

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Reed Union School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participation. Reed serves as the host district for NSLP compliance, with Ross and Kentfield functioning as satellite schools. This arrangement allows Ross to receive federal meal reimbursement while reducing administrative burden. Ross and Kentfield use Dee's Organic as the shared meal vendor.
• Kentfield School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participation. Kentfield and Ross both function as satellite schools to Reed Union School District for NSLP compliance, allowing all three districts to share vendor (Dee's Organic) and reduce administrative costs while receiving federal meal reimbursement.
• Dee's OrganiccoreOthersOrganic lunch program vendor providing meals to Ross School under the California Universal Meals Program. Dee's Organic is a premiere lunch program used by multiple Marin County school districts.
• Marin County Office of Education (MCOE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level educational agency providing substitute teacher registration and listing services. Substitutes must first be registered with MCOE and be active on the County's Substitute list before applying to Ross School District.
• Ross School FoundationcoreOthersParent and community foundation providing significant annual donations to the school. One of three community organizations (along with PTO and Endowment) contributing approximately $1.25 million annually, covering nearly 30% of operating budget.
• Ross School PTOcoreOthersParent-Teacher Organization funding school enrichment programs including art, music, field trips, library books, and staff recognition. Co-led by Amy Lewis and Melissa Rohde (2026-2027). One of three community organizations contributing approximately $1.25 million annually.
• Ross School Endowment FundcoreOthersEndowment fund with mission to retain excellent faculty, maintain small class sizes, and provide excellent academic programs. Fund currently exceeds $1.2 million and provides $50,000 annual donation to the school. Board includes community members and ex-officio representatives.
• Marin County Office of Education (MCOE)minorOthersCounty office of education providing resources, professional development, and coordination for Marin County school districts including Ross School.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Larkspur-Corte Madera School District: A nearby K-8 public school district with comparable instructional, enrichment, athletics, and student-support offerings. It provides a close geographic benchmark for Ross's community-based operating model.
• Rocketship Public Schools: A public charter elementary school network built around campus-based instruction, digital learning, and enrichment. It shares Ross's elementary-education and technology-enabled school model, though it is not a single-town public district.
• KIPP: A nonprofit public charter school network delivering K-12 education, enrichment, and student support to families through a school-based model. It is comparable to Ross in instructional delivery and family mission, although it operates across multiple regions.
• Aspire Public Schools: A public charter K-12 network with school campuses, academic programs, enrichment, and family and community engagement. It is comparable as a school operator, while its multi-state charter structure is broader than Ross's single-site district.
• San Rafael City Schools: A public K-12 district in Marin County that provides a comparable mix of elementary, middle-school, enrichment, athletics, and student-support services. Its larger scale makes it a broader local benchmark.
• Mill Valley School District: A Marin County K-8 public school district serving similar local families with core academics, enrichment, and extracurricular activities. It is a useful local benchmark for Ross's small-school, community-funded model.
• Ross Valley School District: A nearby K-8 public district serving families in the same county and operating a broadly similar school-campus model. It competes for local reputation and household satisfaction despite serving a different town.
• Kentfield School District: A nearby K-8 public district in Marin County offering a comparable public-school model and participating in the same meal-service arrangement. Its direct partnership with Ross underscores the similarity in scale, governance, and student support.
• Reed Union School District: A nearby California K-8 public school district with a similar core instruction, enrichment, and family-service mission. Ross already relies on Reed Union as its NSLP host, making the operating model directly comparable.

Broad incumbents

• Tamalpais Union High School District: A public K-12 education system in Marin County and a likely higher-school destination for Ross graduates. It overlaps in public education, enrichment, athletics, and county-level partnerships, but serves grades 9-12 rather than K-8.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ross-school-district
• Instagraminstagram.com/rossschoolbears

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ross School District