The Big Lift initiative is a partnership between the SMCOE, San Mateo County, and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to ensure that local students are academically proficient and reading at grade-level by third grade. The initiative focuses resources on students from under-resourced communities. The Big Lift is working to support the academic success of San Mateo County’s youngest students by increasing access to high quality preschool, offering summer programs, engaging families, and working to reduce absenteeism. An evaluation of the first few years of implementation shows that students in Big Lift preschools are more likely to be ready for kindergarten than students who did not have the opportunity to go to preschool. It is exciting to see such great results, but we know there is much more lifting to do.