Great We Grow

Preparing Our Youngest Children for Kindergarten & Life

Education starts at birth, with 90% or more of all brain development occurring before age 5. When children are ready for kindergarten and can read proficiently in third grade, they are more likely to graduate from high school, earn higher wages, stay out of the criminal justice system and live healthier lives. But today, 48% of our children in Hillsborough County are not prepared for kindergarten.

About Great We Grow

Great We Grow is a strategic collaboration, funded and facilitated by the Conn Memorial Foundation, to reimagine how we support our youngest children from the moment they are born. We bring together families, preschools, elementary schools, out-of-school time providers and community partners to break down silos and improve children’s educational journey.

Great We Grow is a replicable partnership model that’s designed to bring positive outcomes to more communities. Today, we are funding partners in three areas to improve kindergarten readiness and transition:

• Through the Tampa Preschool Partnership, partner schools work together to help families choose the best option for their child’s elementary school and ensure they’re ready when they start kindergarten.
• Pilot projects in Town and Country empower local schools to work together to develop better feeder patterns from preschool to elementary school and improve kindergarten readiness.

2024-25 Great We Grow Highlights

• As part of the Tampa Preschool Partnership (TPP), 63% of 4-year-olds demonstrated achievement on the end-of-year STAR assessment, while 77% of partner VPK students achieved a learning gains score of 55% or higher. Also of note, 94% of 4-year-olds at Catholic partner preschools stayed for kindergarten.
• In Town and Country, partner schools are working to ensure that at least 70% of VPK students and 30% of PEEPS students are ready for kindergarten based on end-of-year STAR assessment results. During the 2024-25 school year, 66% of 4-year-olds demonstrated achievement, with 2 of 5 classrooms meeting or exceeding our objectives.

Explore Our Partners’ Impact

Meet our Great We Grow partners, see their strategies and outcomes, and find out what the results mean for future action.