Dedicated to San Mateo County children reading proficiently by third grade.

L
o
a
d
i
n
g
.
.
.
Inspiring Summers Registration Now Open!

Venture. Transform. Succeed.

We are a bold social venture working to transform early learning so that all of San Mateo County's children succeed.

the cover image for the video

All of San Mateo County behind all of our kids.

Thank you to the agencies who make this initiative possible

County of San Mateo logo
Silicon Valley Community Foundation logo
San Mateo County Office of Education logo
an image of a young girl playing on playground equipment at a park

2012-2014

2015-2021

2022+

Phase 1
Start-Up

Phase 2
Pilot

Phase 3
Countywide

Our Approach

Our early learning transformation is focused on four key pillars: providing high-quality preschool and summer learning, reducing absenteeism, and increasing family engagement. The Big Lift initiative starts with 2 years of high-quality preschool, followed by 3 years of “inspiring summers” programs. Family engagement initiatives support students’ literacy skills, and collaborative interventions promote the importance of school attendance.

Learn More

Key Pillars to Success

Our model includes four evidence-based key programs that work together from preschool to third grade to improve the development of San Mateo students’ reading proficiency level.

Learn More

High-Quality Preschool

Two years of high-quality preschool for children from families with limited resources.

Inspiring Summers

Evidenced-based summer learning programs enabling kids to build on academic success’.

Family Engagement

Supporting family engagement strategies that promote family-school partnering, literacy, and kindergarten readiness.

Attendance

Collaborative efforts helping families understand the importance of preschool to early elementary school attendance.

Preschool

3rd Grade

Success!

Serving San Mateo County Youth

The Big Lift serves 3,000 children each year in seven San Mateo County communities. Over 300 organizations and people partner with The Big Lift in supporting the children of San Mateo County to be confident and successful readers by the end of third-grade.

Learn More

map-w-markers

High-Quality Preschool

0%22

More likely to be ready for kindergarten than kids without preschool

Inspiring Summer

03.5

Months of gained reading skills

Family Engagement

0%70

of Big Lift families read together at least four times per week

Attendance

07300

Increased days of school attendance

Impact

Big Lift children are more likely to be ready for kindergarten, gain academic skills during the summer, read more, and have fewer absences compared to children who don’t attend Big Lift programming.

Learn More

an image taken from a low vantage point of a young girl standing outside with the bright blue sky behind her
Top