Investing in Burlingame for 45 Years

BCE celebrates its milestone anniversary with a record $3.21 million grant to Burlingame School District, honoring a long legacy of community support.

Forty-five years ago, a group of Burlingame parents came together with a shared belief that every child deserved access to an exceptional public education. In the wake of California's school funding changes following Proposition 13, they recognized that state funding alone would no longer provide all of the opportunities they envisioned for local students. Rather than accept those limitations, they created the Burlingame Community for Education Foundation. That decision in 1981 has shaped generations of Burlingame students. The total funding raised to support Burlingame public schools since BCE’s inception has now reached $42.6 million.

Today, as BCE celebrates its 45th anniversary, the Foundation is proud to announce another historic milestone. BCE will award $3.21 million to the Burlingame School District for the 2026-27 school year, the largest annual grant in the Foundation's history. The total includes $3.185 million in funds raised through BCE's Annual Campaign, along with $25,000 distributed from the BCE Endowment Fund, continuing the Foundation's commitment to building both immediate impact and long-term sustainability. 

2025-26 and 2026-27 Board Members celebrate a record-breaking grant and 45 years of BCE impact.

What began as a small group of dedicated volunteers has grown into a community-wide effort powered by thousands of families, local businesses, educators, alumni, and donors who believe that excellent public schools are one of Burlingame's greatest strengths. "One of the things I love most about Burlingame is that people genuinely care about our schools. Families, businesses, neighbors, volunteers... Everyone understands that investing in students strengthens the entire community,” said BCE Executive Director Meredith Dunn. "That's been true for 45 years, and it's more true today than ever," she added.

Each year, BCE works closely with Burlingame School District to identify funding priorities that preserve the well-rounded educational experience families have come to expect. This year's grant will continue funding approximately 20 essential teaching positions, which includes funding for planned salary increases of approximately six percent, and programs in music, performing arts, physical education, world languages, and academic intervention, opportunities that are increasingly uncommon in California public schools, yet remain central to a Burlingame education.

For BCE Co-President Pooja Shah, the anniversary is both a celebration of the Foundation's history and an inspiration for its future. "This year, BCE and I are both turning 45, which makes me smile because we've grown up together. While I attended public schools elsewhere in the Bay Area, BCE has been serving Burlingame students for my entire lifetime,” she reflected.

“It's humbling to think about how many generations of families have been touched by neighbors investing in one another. For 45 years, as many of us have been growing up, building our lives, and now raising our own children, BCE has been helping make the Burlingame school experience even richer." -BCE Co-President Pooja Shah

The Foundation's continued growth reflects the remarkable generosity of the Burlingame community. Over the past several years, BCE has expanded its annual fundraising, welcomed a growing network of local business partners, engaged more parents through an expanded board, and reached a significant milestone with the growth of BCE’s endowment exceeding $3M and allowing for annual distributions to support each year's grant. Established in 2015, the Endowment was created to strengthen the Foundation's long-term financial sustainability. While the Endowment once again contributed to this year's grant, the Foundation intentionally made a smaller distribution than last year. Strong Annual Campaign fundraising allowed BCE to meet its funding goals while preserving more of the Endowment for future years, ensuring it remains a resource that can help support students through changing economic conditions and educational needs.

While the Foundation's impact has grown dramatically over four and a half decades, its mission has remained remarkably consistent. BCE exists because the community believes every student deserves access to a rich, well-rounded education that prepares them not only for academic success, but also for meaningful, healthy, and engaged lives. Today, that mission touches every TK through eighth grade student in Burlingame Public Schools.

"School districts today face a constantly changing landscape," said BSD Superintendent Marla Silversmith. "The reliability and flexibility of BCE's annual grant are critical because they allow us to respond to emerging needs, strengthen programs where they're needed most, and continue providing students with opportunities that would otherwise be difficult to sustain. The partnership means we can adapt while continuing to provide the well-rounded education our community expects for every student."

For Ron Burks, one of BCE's co-founders, the Foundation's 45th anniversary is both a celebration and a validation of the vision that inspired its creation. Looking back to 1981, Burks said he believed BCE could succeed if it remained rooted in the community. "Forty-five years ago, I thought it'd be here 45 years later if we could get local people involved, because they'll see the value. Local, local, local is the key."

That belief continues to guide BCE today. Burks said he is especially encouraged by the Foundation's investment in its Endowment Fund, which was created to strengthen BCE's long-term financial sustainability. "I just knew it was the key to the financial stability of BCE," he said. "I could not be more thrilled to learn about the amount of money we're able to pull from the Endowment for the annual campaign." Looking toward the future, his message to the community remains as simple today as it was 45 years ago. "I'd just encourage more people to get involved."

As BCE looks toward its next chapter, the Foundation remains focused on balancing today's needs with tomorrow's possibilities. Annual giving continues to provide immediate support for students in classrooms today, while the Endowment helps ensure that future generations will continue to benefit from the same educational opportunities that have become a hallmark of Burlingame schools.

"Celebrating 45 years while announcing our largest grant ever is an incredible reminder of what this community can accomplish together," said Dunn. "For almost half a century, families and community members have stepped forward to ensure Burlingame students have opportunities that extend beyond what state funding alone can provide. This grant is a celebration of everyone who has helped build that legacy."

Every July We Start Again

Looking back on 45 years reminds us how much a community can accomplish together. Looking ahead reminds us that the work is never finished. Every school year begins with a new goal, and every gift helps preserve the programs that make Burlingame schools extraordinary. As the 2026-27 Annual Campaign is now underway, we invite you to invest in the next generation of students and help ensure BCE's legacy continues for years to come.

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