Nancy Magee

The 2023-24 school year has been transformative for the San Mateo County Office of Education. Since launching a new strategic plan in the fall to carry us forward over the next five years, we have been actively working to deepen and enhance learning environments that support the whole child; expand career pathways across the education sector, including early learning and classified support positions; strengthen advocacy and partnerships in education that lift up community voices; and further align our organization’s policies and practices with our vision, mission, and core practices. Together with school districts and our community partners, we have launched several new initiatives this year aligned with our goals. These include the Anne Campbell Child Development Center, Education Employment Recruitment Fair, Partnerships in Education Summit, United for Youth, and Afrofuturism Student Conference – all of which you will learn more about in this report. 

This Report to the Community highlights on our work over the past year, focusing on our impact on public education, and shines a light on our county’s students. I want to express my deep appreciation to our dedicated educators, support staff, families, and community partners for their tireless efforts to bring excellence and equity to education. 

– Nancy Magee, Superintendent of Schools

County Office of Education

The role of county offices of education has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic. As administrative units of the State, their budgets largely consist of staff expenses to support programs and services that are essential to local school districts and that can be offered more efficiently and economically at the county level. 

Vision

Excellence in Education
Every Student • Every Educator • Every School

Mission

  • Inspiring Students
  • Investing in Teachers
  • Invigorating Leaders
  • Involving Communities

Learn more about the San Mateo County Office of Education.


The County Office of Education roughly oversees $117 million in revenue and expenditures annually. Below is a breakdown of the County Office of Education's 2023-24 second interim budget. View an interactive tool displaying the 2023-24 budget information or download an accessible version of the budget

A woman stands on stage

Launching the 2023-28 Strategic Plan

In August 2023, the County Office of Education launched its 2023-28 Strategic Plan, which centers around four goals that strengthen public education in San Mateo County. Since launching the plan, the County Office of Education has deepened its work in each goal area to build an education system that supports all students in their journey from birth to career.

Goal One: Support Whole-Child Student Outcomes

The County Office of Education fosters positive relationships and learning environments countywide to help all students achieve personal and academic success. It is improving systems to support better outcomes for youth enrolled in the County Office of Education's Court and Community and Special Education school programs.

2023-24 School Year Accomplishments:

Students participate in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day

Goal Two: Build the Workforce for Student Success

To support students in realizing their full potential, the County Office of Education prioritizes creating a well-prepared education workforce that is student-centered and sustainable, culturally and linguistically diverse, and committed to equitable and antiracist practices.

2023-24 School Year Accomplishments:

Goal Three: Strengthen Advocacy and Partnership

The County Office of Education is strengthening its advocacy work and partnerships to support student achievement, lift up community voices, and address disparities and inequities in education.

2023-24 School Year Accomplishments:
  • Supported the development of community schools to meet families' needs and improve student outcomes
  • Partnered across school districts and agencies to increase collective impact, including helping lead a new strategic plan for The Big Lift
  • Elevated and celebrated best practices for establishing community partnerships through the inaugural Partnerships in Education Summit
  • Hired a Director, Grants, Partnerships, and Operations to help address public school funding inequities
  • Launched United for Youth to develop a countywide strategic plan of action to meet the social-emotional and behavioral health needs of youth
  • Advocated for policies that support TK-12 and early learning student needs
  • Refined the Equity Index Tool to help prioritize the needs of specific districts and their student populations when delivering services

A group of adults stand in a circle talking

Goal Four: Embody OneSMCOE Vision and Values

The County Office of Education promotes an organizational culture of community, collaboration, and belonging, one where all staff are committed to serving students in an authentic, culturally-responsive, and impactful way.

Accomplishments During the 2023-24 School Year:
  • Piloted an onboarding series for new employees, addressing equity, education, and a variety of topics to inform staff and create a welcoming environment
  • Offered new professional development opportunities to encourage and promote career growth
  • Organized healthy ways for employees to connect and celebrate their work
  • Conducted a Classification and Compensation study, to be completed in summer 2024

Two women stand on stage

School District Highlights

2023 Special Awards

Thirty Schools Receive 2023 California Distinguished Schools Award

Thirty San Mateo County elementary schools received a 2023 California Distinguished School Award. The California Distinguished School Award program honors schools based on their performance on several State indicators displayed on the 2022 California School Dashboard.

2023 Green Ribbon Schools Award Winners

On April 20, 2023, the California Department of Education announced that Redwood High School, an alternative continuation school in the Sequoia Union High School District, and the Cabrillo Unified School District received a 2023 California Green Ribbon Schools Award for environmental excellence. 

2024 Special Awards

Five Middle Schools Receive 2024 California Distinguished Schools Award

Five middle schools from districts across San Mateo County received a 2024 California Distinguished School Award from the California Department of Education for their progress in supporting student success, based on their performance on several State indicators displayed on the 2023 California School Dashboard.

2024 Green Ribbon Schools Award Winners

The California Department of Education awarded the Cabrillo Unified School District (CUSD) a 2024 California Green Ribbon School award, Green Achievers level. CUSD also received U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) recognition.

The web app below displays each district’s legal boundaries and summary performance data from the 2022-23 school year, as reported on the California School Dashboard. The different colors represent the different unified and high school districts in our county. Simply click on a district to see its summary information. If you click on a smaller district that is one of several of the same color, you will see a small box in the pop-up window that says “1 of 2.” Clicking the arrows inside that box will toggle between the information for the elementary school district and the larger high school district it feeds into. To see more detailed district performance data from the California Dashboard, scroll down to the row that says “Link to CDE Dashboard” and click “View.” Download an accessible version of the data.