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Early Learning and Care Professionals

Building the Educational Foundation

Early Childhood Education lays the foundation for a child’s lifelong learning and development. During the formative period from birth through age eight, families and educators play an essential role in in nurturing and facilitating the development of children, helping them build the skills and confidence they need for future success.

To support early childhood educators and families in San Mateo County, the County Office:

  • Supports the Early Education Workforce: The County Office provides professional development, business development, career assistance, and higher education programs for careers in early childhood education.
  • Enables Access to Equitable, High-Quality Programs: The County Office builds and maintains partnerships that support a variety of state and local programs that focus on equitable and high-quality education for young children and their families.
  • Communicates Early Learning Options and Access to Families: The County Office partners with other organizations to expand families' access to inviting, playful, developmental learning experiences and ensure children age 0-8 thrive in school and the community.

Prenatal to Third Grade (P-3) Alignment

Research shows that gaps in learning are more likely to develop when a student’s early childhood experiences are very different between preschool and early grades. 

With better coordination between these levels of instruction, teachers can provide smoother transitions and support positive outcomes to close opportunity, access, and achievement gaps.

Quality and Inclusion

The County Office of Education collaborates with county partners to enhance the capacity of early learning programs to serve all including children with special needs.

One key tool is Quality Counts San Mateo County, the local Quality Rating and Improvement System that measures and supports continuous improvement in early learning centers, family childcare homes, and alternative settings.

Dual Language Learners

The County Office of Education uses a comprehensive capacity-building model to help educators and elementary school district staff effectively support dual language learning children. These efforts have bolstered educators’ skills in engaging multilingual children and their families in authentic ways, promoting a strong sense of belonging, cultural identity, and self-worth – all of which are key factors in enhancing students’ learning experiences.

Universal PreKindergarten

San Mateo County is working to make sure all 4-year-olds have access to high-quality preschool through a mixed-delivery system, which offers a variety of early learning and care settings to allow parents and guardians an authentic choice to meet the needs of their families. Universal PreKindergarten, or UPK, provides a solid early start to education through equitable access to educational programs the year before Kindergarten. 

Career Pathways in Early Education and Care

Early childhood educators play a vital role in nurturing young children from birth to around eight years of age. Those who choose a career in early education can positively impact children while receiving financial supports and opportunities. The County Office of Education offers one-on-one support to anyone looking to navigate early education courses and degrees, permits requirements, and job searches. It also connects job seekers with professional development and higher education opportunities.

The Big Lift Collective Impact Initiative

The Big Lift serves preschool to third grade students from lower income families in seven school districts in San Mateo County to ensure children are reading proficiently by third grade. Led by the County of San Mateo, San Mateo County Libraries, and the County Office of Education, this bold collective impact effort includes several components, including high-quality preschool, summer learning programs, early elementary literacy instruction, and family engagement. 

Child Care Partnership Council

The San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council is a state-mandated local council under the shared leadership of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors and the San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools. It plans and advocates for quality care and early education for all children, from birth to age thirteen, in San Mateo County. This includes identifying local priorities for child care and early learning services and developing policies and strategies to meet those priorities.