College of Marin English-language instruction coming to San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood

College of Marin (COM) and Canal Alliance today announced a deepening of their longstanding partnership; together the two organizations will bring COM English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood, broadening access to COM for San Rafael’s Canal residents and Marin County’s Latino community at large.   

Canal Alliance — a Latino-led, Latino-serving agency located in the Canal area of San Rafael — has offered robust ESL instruction since 1982: in person, fully remote during the Covid-19 pandemic, and via hybrid programming. Partnering with COM to offer ESL programming moving forward comes as part of a phased initiative to scale programs and improve efficiency. 

“By strengthening our partnership with College of Marin, we’re taking a significant step toward breaking down barriers and empowering the Latino community. This strategic collaboration will allow us to leverage our combined resources and expertise to provide accessible and effective English language instruction. Together, we’re creating a pathway to education and economic opportunity for our students,” said Canal Alliance CEO Omar Carrera 

Dr. Jonathan Eldridge, College of Marin’s Superintendent and President shared this perspective, noting that, “College of Marin is thrilled to expand access to higher education through our partnership with Canal Alliance. By bringing learning opportunities to people where it is most convenient to them, we are better able to meet our mission as the community’s college.” 

Beginning in spring 2025, COM will teach six English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at Canal Alliance’s new 711 Grand Avenue headquarters site in San Rafael, with Canal Alliance staff providing case management and navigation support to clients enrolled in the classes. Earlier this fall, Canal Alliance’s team recruited over 180 adult students for the classes and is excited to enhance student experience by incorporating digital literacy into its enrichment programming. These complementary offerings will provide students with valuable skills to support their success in ESL classes and beyond, while also strengthening future recruitment efforts to engage even more members of the community. 

“I’m excited about the advantages of this partnership for our clients, who will benefit from being College of Marin students while also receiving enhanced support from Canal Alliance,” said Kate Rider, Senior Manager of Adult Education at Canal Alliance. “There has always been very high demand in the community for ESL classes, and this collaboration will allow us to respond to that need in a more strategic and comprehensive way.” 

According to Canal Alliance, this is just one of many new or expanded partnerships they aim to launch in an effort to bring more services to the community. The agency is also in exploratory discussions regarding additional partnerships with the Marin County Free Library to offer Citizenship Classes, Community Action Marin for Tax Services, and Tamalpais Adult School for GED programs.  

“By leveraging our newly expanded classrooms and collaborating with valued partners like College of Marin, we are poised to serve more students and clients, fostering their journey toward financial stability and upward mobility,” said Canal Alliance’s Director of Education James Sarria. 

To learn more about these programs, visit: canalalliance.org/services/learn-english