Our Story

Virginia Beach GrowSmart is the City of Virginia Beach's early childhood education initiative. GrowSmart was created in 2009 when the former "Ready to Learn" team​ of the Virginia Beach Public Libraries formed a strong partnership with the Virginia Beach Health Department's Healthy Families Virginia Beach program. Under the new name of GrowSmart, a team of practitioners, led by a full-time GrowSmart Coordinator, came together regularly to assess the state of early childhood in our city and region and to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated local early childhood system.

The GrowSmart office was strategically moved from the Department of Public Libraries to the Department of Economic Development in 2011. This important organizational shift represents our City's understanding that early childhood education is an important economic issue. Workforce development begins in the years prior to kindergarten, when brain development occurs most rapidly. By helping our youngest children to grow up healthy and ready to succeed in school, we do what is right not just for our citizens, but for our future economic vitality.


What we do

Who We Are

​​The work of Virginia Beach GrowSmart is the result of strong collaboration among many City, Schools, and community partners. By focusing on six strategic goals, the GrowSmart Team, Policy Board, and the Virginia Beach GrowSmart Foundation align efforts for maximized results.

Our Work

​​​​​Virginia Beach GrowSmart exists to promote and improve the healthy development, school readiness, and reading proficiency of young children, ages 0-8. If you are a parent or caregiver of a young child, please visit our "Parents" page for resources and information on raising healthy, happy, and school-ready children.

Our Results

We are Making a Difference in Virginia Beach! In 10 years, the percentage of Virginia Beach children entering kindergarten ready to learn has increased from 79% to 92%. Find out other ways we’re making a difference.

GrowSmart is...

Visionary

In 2012, the citizen group Envision Virginia Beach 2040 published its final report that articulated a vision for our city for the year 2040. Endorsed by the Virginia Beach City Council in May 2012, the vision has served as a guide for our City's strategic planning process for more than two years.

Learn More About Our Team

Visionary

In 2012, the citizen group Envision Virginia Beach 2040 published its final report that articulated a vision for our city for the year 2040. Endorsed by the Virginia Beach City Council in May 2012, the vision has served as a guide for our City's strategic planning process for more than two years.

Results!

GrowSmart's predecessor, Ready to Learn, recognized the importance of getting children ready for kindergarten as early as 1998. Virginia Beach was well ahead of our region and state in addressing this issue. Ready to Learn and now Virginia Beach GrowSmart has been making steady progress since the early 2000s, and we are extremely proud of our results.

Dedicated People

Under the new name of GrowSmart, a team of practitioners, led by a full-time GrowSmart Coordinator, came together regularly to assess the state of early childhood in our city and region and to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated local early childhood system.