The goals for South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness are to:
(1) provide parents with access to the support they might seek and want to strengthen their families and to promote the optimal development of their preschool children;
(2) increase comprehensive services so children have reduced risk for major physical, developmental, and learning problems;
(3) promote high-quality preschool programs that provide a healthy environment that will promote normal growth and development;
(4) provide services so all children receive the protection, nutrition, and health care needed to thrive in the early years of life so they arrive at school ready to succeed; and
(5) mobilize communities to focus efforts on providing enhanced services to support families and their young children so as to enable every child to reach school healthy and ready to succeed.
HISTORY: 1999 Act No. 99, Section 2; 2014 Act No. 287 (H.3428), Section 8, eff June 18, 2014.
Editor's Note
2018 Act No. 152, Section 8, provides as follows:
"SECTION 8. Section 20B. of Act 287 of 2014 [reauthorizing the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Act until July 1, 2016] is repealed. Act 99 of 1999, South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Act, as amended by this act, is reauthorized until June 30, 2025."
Effect of Amendment
2014 Act No. 287, Section 8, in paragraph (3), substituted "high-quality" for "high quality", and in paragraphs (4) and (5), substituted "ready to succeed" for "ready to learn".
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 152 - South Carolina First Steps To School Readiness
Section 59-152-10. First Steps to School Readiness initiative established.
Section 59-152-25. Definitions.
Section 59-152-32. Comprehensive long-range initiative.
Section 59-152-33. School readiness assessment.
Section 59-152-40. Board of Trustees to oversee initiative.
Section 59-152-50. Office of South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness established; duties.
Section 59-152-60. Local First Steps Partnership Boards.
Section 59-152-90. Local partnership boards; grant funding.
Section 59-152-100. Local partnership boards; use of grant funding.
Section 59-152-120. Local partnerships; funding use restrictions.
Section 59-152-130. Matching funds.
Section 59-152-140. Carrying funds forward into subsequent years.
Section 59-152-160. Internal evaluation policies and procedures.