“I was dealing with postpartum depression and really bad anxiety,” she said. “I thought, I’m not sure how to do this.”
unraveled .
a mom, her world
Child protective services connected Catherine and her daughter, Trinity, with Richland County First Steps and a free, voluntary program called Parents as Teachers (PAT). Backed by decades of research, PAT helps parents strengthen their skills and create safe, stable homes for their children.
Through First Steps, Catherine found the dedicated, one-on-one parenting support she wanted and needed.
Weekly visits from a trained parent educator helped her connect with her daughter Trinity and turn everyday moments into opportunities to learn and bond. Today, Trinity is thriving, and the family remains safely together.
Catherine’s story shows what happens when public and private partners align their strengths to serve children and families more efficiently and effectively.
The partnership between the Department of Social Services (DSS) and First Steps began in 2022 through a three-year, privately-funded pilot supported by The Duke Endowment and the Doris Duke Foundation.
The results were clear. Families received help before situations escalated, reducing the need for deeper government involvement. That success positioned DSS to secure federal approval in 2025 to launch a statewide community pathway for PAT under the Family First Prevention Services Act, the first of its kind in the Southeast. This new pathway leverages federal child-welfare funds to expand programs that keep families strong and reduce long-term costs to taxpayers.
Stories like Catherine’s are happening all across the state. Through First Steps, public and private partners are working together to strengthen families, expand opportunity, and give every child the foundation they need for a bright future.
Building a Brighter Future
Dear Families, Communities and Partner Organizations,
For more than 25 years, First Steps has worked with partners across South Carolina to strengthen families with young children by providing high-quality preschool, parent education programs, health and mental health supports, and early literacy programs.
There are roughly 280,000 children under age 5 living in South Carolina. Nearly 41% live in poverty or low-income households and are almost twice as likely to start school unprepared. Today, we reach about 1 in 11 of these children with intensive, evidence-based programs proven to improve school readiness. That’s progress, but not enough
We know that services and programs backed by decades of research make a difference. When parents receive the right type and frequency of coaching and support, they learn to provide nurturing interactions that help children thrive regardless of socioeconomic status.
An external study by Child Trends found that children whose families participated consistently in Parents as Teachers were twice as likely to be ready for school. This is just one example of why access to high-intensity, evidence-based programs matters.
Last fall, only 39% of students entering kindergarten achieved “demonstrated readiness” on the state’s Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA). This is not a test but a snapshot of how prepared children are to begin school.
If we invest more up front in family well-being, more children will arrive at kindergarten physically, emotionally and intellectually ready to succeed in school and throughout life. This is good news for our families, schools and employers.
With strong collaboration, sustainable funding and high-quality implementation, we can support a healthier and more productive South Carolina. First Steps and members of the Early Childhood Advisory Council are all in. Our shared goal for the next five years is to ensure that at least 75% of South Carolina children will enter kindergarten ready.
We will use data to refine our approach, strengthen training capacity, and deepen collaboration across all agencies and organizations serving young children.
With sincere gratitude for your partnership,
DAVID MORLEY Chair, Board of Trustees
ANN VANDERVLIET Agency Director
The Need
Too many South Carolina children begin school already behind. Economic hardship and other adverse experiences make it harder for them to develop the trusting relationships and foundational skills they need to learn.
In South Carolina
280,000
children birth to age 5
41%
live in poverty or lowincome households
Why It Matters
56,000
children enter kindergarten each year
of kindergartners demonstrated readiness 39%
Kindergarten readiness is one of the strongest predictors of lifelong success. Children who begin school with certain cognitive, motor, social, and behavioral skills are more likely to achieve positive outcomes in education, employment, and lifelong health.
Children who start school without these foundational skills are at higher risk of academic failure, unemployment, chronic illness, and involvement with social service and criminal justice systems. Addressing these challenges after school entry requires substantially greater public expenditure than early, evidence-based intervention.
is developed by age 5. 90% of the brain
In South Carolina last year, 30% of children in poverty demonstrated kindergarten readiness, compared to 55% of their higher-income peers, a 25-point gap that underscores the urgent need for strategic, results-driven investments from birth to age 5.
Kindergarten Readiness in South Carolina
The Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) measures a child’s readiness across four domains: language and literacy, mathematics, physical well-being and motor development, and social foundations. Administered to all students entering public kindergarten within the first 45 days of the school year, the KRA provides a statewide snapshot of school readiness and helps indicate where greater investment and support are needed most.
For kindergarten readiness by county, see Appendix B.
All In for South Carolina’s Youngest Children
The challenges facing South Carolina’s young children are complex, but the solution is clear. We must strengthen the system of individuals and organizations that care for and educate them.
This past year, we developed a new five-year strategic plan, launched July 1, 2025, to guide this work.
OUR GOAL: By 2030, at least 75% of South Carolina children will enter kindergarten ready.
The plan is data-driven, measurable, collaborative, aligned with legal mandates and available funding, and focused on serving South Carolina’s most economically vulnerable children.
For more on our new strategic plan, see Appendix A.
Local Partnerships
South Carolina First Steps is both a state agency and a nonprofit with a presence in all 46 counties. Each Local Partnership is a community-based nonprofit led by local leaders who understand their county’s unique needs and are deeply connected to the families they serve. Using a shared set of risk factors, Local Partnerships identify children most at risk of starting school unprepared and target resources where they will make the greatest impact.
At the state level, South Carolina First Steps provides funding, oversight, and technical assistance to ensure program quality and fiscal accountability. This state-local structure allows flexibility at the county level while maintaining a unified focus on what works: community-based programs that strengthen families, promote healthy development, and improve school readiness.
In FY25, First Steps Local Partnerships reached more children and families than ever before
Children and Families Served by Local Partnerships
Investing Where It Matters Most
First Steps Local Partnerships offer a range of programs that meet families where they are — at home, in pediatric settings, and in the community. Research shows the strongest, most lasting gains come when families receive consistent, relationship-based support over time. These are the evidence-based, high-intensity programs that are central to our strategic plan.
For descriptions of all local partnership programs, see Appendix E.
For more information on risk factors and detailed data on local partnership performance, programs, and finances, see the Appendix section of this report.
Strengthening Families, One Gathering at a Time
Every week, Alicia and Reggie Grice gather with other parents at Dillon County First Steps for a meal, conversation, and time to learn alongside their 1-yearold daughter, Amber Pearl.
Through the Nurturing Parenting program, families like the Grices have learned how to support their child’s development while caring for their own wellbeing. “You have to trust the process,” Alicia said.
The
resources and relationships you build are worth the time.”
IN FY25: $27 million $1.22
First Steps local partnerships raised a total of from sources outside state government, providing a match of for every state dollar invested.
Each session includes a shared family meal, provided through the generosity of local foundations and businesses that sponsor or donate weekly dinners. For Reggie, connecting with other fathers has been especially meaningful. “We can talk about what we’re going through and learn from each other,” he said.
Local investments like these make a big difference, helping First Steps Local Partnerships nurture strong families and resilient communities: one meal, one conversation, and one week at a time.
To learn how you can invest in South Carolina’s children and families, statewide or locally, see the inside back cover of this report.
The Grice Family
First Steps 4K
South Carolina’s preschool system is among the most accessible in the nation, and an example of how smart investments in early education deliver results for both children and working families.
First Steps 4K enables licensed child care centers, private schools, and charter schools to deliver high-quality, full-day prekindergarten for eligible 4-year-olds at no cost to families. As part of the state-funded Child Early Reading and Development Education Program (CERDEP), this model expands access and parent choice while simultaneously strengthening instructional quality across the state’s early learning system.
All First Steps 4K classrooms follow rigorous program standards and use state-approved, evidencebased curricula. To sustain high quality, First Steps 4K provides year-round professional development and individualized coaching for teachers and program directors, aligning classroom practice with proven early learning strategies.
More Children Served Each Year
Participation continues to grow steadily each year. Since the statewide expansion of CERDEP in 2021, First Steps 4K enrollment has increased by nearly 30%, reaching 4,278 children in 362 classrooms during the 2024–25 school year.
Trusted by Families
Families consistently report strong satisfaction with First Steps 4K. In a recent survey, 88% said they would highly recommend First Steps 4K to a friend or relative.
Retention rates tell a similar story of trust and stability, with 88% of children enrolled at Day 45 remaining enrolled through Day 135 of the school year.
Better Together
For Rebekah Andrews, affordable child care was the key to pursuing her goal of becoming a dental hygienist. She wanted her 4-year-old daughter, ZaMarii, to attend Small Impressions Child Development Center in Taylors, SC, a trusted community-based preschool. She also needed afterschool care for her 8-year-old, Zaliyah.
Through First Steps 4K, ZaMarii was able to attend Small Impressions’ full-day preschool program at no cost. Because the center participates in ABC Quality , the state’s quality rating and improvement system, it can also offer First Steps 4K+, a scholarship program funded through a partnership between First Steps and the Department of Social Services (DSS).
First Steps 4K+ scholarships cover extended care for 4K students as well as child care or after-school programs for their siblings. Since 2021, more than half of participating families have benefited from these DSS-funded scholarships, helping parents like Rebekah manage the hours between school, work, and child care.
In 2025, a First Steps 4K expansion grant enabled Small Impressions to open a second 4K classroom, expanding access to more families like the Andrews. Since 2020, more than $1.6 million in state-funded grants have helped open or grow 4K classrooms in underserved areas.
Having full-day care for both of my daughters makes it possible to pursue this career that is so important to my family.”
Rebekah
Andrews, First Steps 4K
parent
Rebekah Andrews and her daughter, ZaMarii, in one of the First Steps 4K classrooms at Small Impressions Child Development Center
LEADING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
Early Childhood Advisory Council
Through the Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC), elected officials, agency leaders, healthcare providers, members of the business, medical, and nonprofit sectors, early childhood educators, and parents come together to build and strengthen the state’s early childhood system .
Convened by South Carolina First Steps, the ECAC results in high levels of collaboration between:
Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
Children’s Trust of SC Department of Education Head Start
Department of Health and
Human Services
Department of Public Health
Department of Social Services
Together with other partners, the ECAC leads the state’s collaborative work to align efforts across early childhood programs. Its priorities include building shared data infrastructure, improving family access to services, coordinating communication and outreach, and advancing research and professional development.
Key initiatives include coordination of the Early Childhood Integrated Data System (ECIDS), a secure, connected data system linking information across agencies, and ongoing management of statewide portals that help families check eligibility and apply for programs.
HIGHLIGHTS
• The ECAC adopted a new data governance framework, establishing shared standards that support ECIDS development and pave the way for the launch of a public-facing Data Hub in 2026.
• Two statewide portals, First5SC.org and PalmettoPreK.org, served as “front doors” for more than 170,000 families seeking early learning and family support programs.
• The ECAC’s Ready for Kindergarten: A Guide for South Carolina Families was recognized as a Notable State Document by the South Carolina State Library.
• The 2024 SC Summit on Early Childhood brought together 400 early childhood professionals from across sectors to exchange ideas and strengthen partnerships.
Building Bridges
When Jase Vasquez was in preschool, his mother, Hanna, worried about how he would adjust to kindergarten. Most mornings, Jase refused to get out of the car. “It was stressful and upsetting,” Hanna says.
I was worried he wouldn’t even make it into the classroom.”
Thanks to South Carolina’s coordinated approach to school readiness, partners from First Steps, the public school system, and other organizations were already working together to strengthen the transition from pre-K into kindergarten for children like Jase.
Countdown to Kindergarten , a First Steps program that connects rising kindergartners with their future teachers during the summer. Connie Crout, a kindergarten teacher at Wood Elementary School in Lexington School District Two, visited their home and worked with Hanna and Jase to ease his fears and build routines that would help him feel ready. The early connection helped Connie understand Jase’s learning style and what support
Hanna also received a copy of Ready for Kindergarten: A Guide for South Carolina , a statewide resource developed collaboratively by ECAC partners to help parents know what to expect and how to find available resources. In 2025, more than 30,000 copies of the second edition were distributed statewide.
Now in kindergarten, Jase is thriving. He walks into school on his own each morning, and with the right support in place, he’s learning to manage his anxiety and participate fully in class.
For any family, I would highly encourage them to take the opportunity and look for these resources, because they really do help.”
Photo: Connie Crout (left) with Jase and Hanna Vasquez
Financials
South Carolina First Steps is the only statewide funder dedicated exclusively to early childhood. As a public-private partnership, we leverage state support with federal and private funds to maximize our investment in early childhood systems and services.
Funds (EIA) – $47,267,334 State Funds (General) – $19,228,324
Funds – $3,165,602
Funds – $3,735,124
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Leadership
As of June 30, 2025
DAVID MORLEY CHAIR
Governor’s Designee
REP. TERRY ALEXANDER
SC House of Representatives
REP. SHANNON ERICKSON
SC House of Representatives
SEN. JASON ELLIOTT
SC Senate
SEN. GREG HEMBREE
SC Senate
ROBERT BANK, MD
Director, Office of Mental Health, SC Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
TONY CATONE
State Director, SC Department of Social Services
MARY LYNNE DIGGS
Director, SC Head Start Collaboration Office
CONSTANCE HOLLOWAY
Director, Office of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, SC Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities
EUNICE MEDINA
Director, SC Department of Health and Human Services
AMY WILLIAMS, DNP VICE CHAIR Medical Provider
EDWARD SIMMER, MD Director, SC Department of Public Health
ELLEN WEAVER Superintendent, SC Department of Education
SUE WILLIAMS Chief Executive Officer, Children’s Trust of SC
JACQUE CURTIN
Business Community
JOHN HAYES Early Childhood Educator
JESICA MACKEY Parent of a Young Child
JACK MCBRIDE Business Community
JANIE NEELEY Parent of a Young Child
ROGER PRYOR JR. Child Care Provider
MARY ANNE SCOTT Early Childhood Educator
WES WOOTEN Child Care Provider
FISCAL
Supporters
Individuals Businesses
Judith Andrews
Anonymous
Marilyn and Ron Artz
Mark Barnes
Keith Brown
Pace Butler
Charles Calhoun
Billy Clinkscales
Charles Cornish
Jacquelyn and Lois Curtin
Mary Lynne Diggs
Elizabeth and Ben Dudek
Sarah Eargle
Cynthia Elmore
Marie Fadeley
Rachael Fulmer
Betty and Robert Gardiner
Mallory and Ben Gibson
Lavonia Graham
Margaret Deans Grantz
Pamela Hastings
Elizabeth Heckle
Darcy Huffman
Lyle Jacks
Randa Jacobs
Kathy Jenkins
Donna Lapeyrolerie
Johnson
Alexis Jones
Hal Kaplan
Beth Kienzlen
Janice Kilburn and Stephen Kresovich
Frances Kumar
Tom Lacas
Coles Lawton
Brian Levy
David Lisk
Nicole Matheny
Jack McBride
Stacy Brennan McBride
Marian McCray
Jennifer McConnell
Georgia and Dominik
Mjartan
Cheryl and Dave Morley
Joe Nation
Rick Noble
Karen Oliver
Ginny and Eric Owens
Betty Parker
Elizabeth Petit
Dorothy Priester
Emily Prillaman
Simmons and Russ Purdy
Liz Rampy
Chelsea and Drew
Richard
Janet and Jim Riddle
Raymond Ruth
Cheri Shapiro
Katie Tarver
Stephen Vandervliet
Tracy Ann Vandervliet
Vicki Walker
Betty Washington
Cheryl and Dennis Wiese
1901 Partners-G3
Wealth Advisors
37 Gears
Bank of America
Blackbaud
Contec
Duke Energy
Enterprise Mobility
First Citizens Bank
Founders Federal Credit Union
Healthy Blue
Humana Health
Horizons
Kaplan Early Learning
Kimberly Clark
Corporation-Beech Island
Lakeshore Learning Materials
Lourie Life and Health
Molina Healthcare
Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough LLP
Optus Bank
Parker Poe Adams and Bernstein LLP
Pollock Company
SC State Federal Credit Union
The Sunshine House Sylvamo
Teaching Strategies
Tutelage School
Vision Therapy Institute/ Dr. Katie Davis
Foundations
Alliance for Early Success
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Charities Aid Foundation
America
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Doris Duke Foundation
The Duke Endowment
Eastern Carolina Community Foundation
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
The Leon Levine Foundation
Lipscomb Family Foundation
Pritzker Children’s Initiative
Sisters of Charity Foundation of SC
Event Sponsors
First Steps 4K
Academy 2024
Double Tree by Hilton Columbia
SC Summit on Early Childhood 2024
ABS Kids
Children’s Trust of SC Institute for Child Success
Kaplan Early Learning Company
Lakeshore Learning Materials
Cheryl and Dave Morley
SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs
SC Department of Education
SC Department of Health and Human Services
SC Department of Mental Health
SC Department of Public Health
SC Department of Social Services
SC Educational Television (SCETV)
SC Head Start Collaboration Office
SC State Library
Sisters of Charity Foundation of SC
A Night to Celebrate Community 2025
37 Gears Amick Farms
Anonymous Contec
Elizabeth and Ben Dudek
First Citizens Bank
Founders Federal Credit Union
Kaplan Early Learning
Lakeshore Learning Materials
Lourie Life and Health
Molina Healthcare
Georgia and Dominik Mjartan
Cheryl and Dave Morley
Nelson Mullins Riley and Scarborough LLP
Optus Bank
Parker Poe Adams and Bernstein LLP
Pollock Company
Simmons and Russ Purdy
Debbie and Mark Robertson
SC State Federal Credit Union
Teaching Strategies
The Sunshine House
Tutelage School
Vision Therapy Institute
Public Funds
State of South Carolina
AmeriCorps State Grant via SC Service Commission at the United Way Association of SC
American Rescue
Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund, via SC Department of Education Corporation for National and Community Service VISTA Support Program Grant
South Carolina Department of Public Health
South Carolina Department of Social Services
U.S. Department of Education (Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems Grant) via SC Department of Education
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Child Care Development Block Grant) via SC Department of Social Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Preschool Development Birth through Five Grant) via SC Department of Social Services
Your Check-Off Contributions Make a Difference
Every South Carolina taxpayer has the option to contribute to the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness fund when filing their individual income taxes. In 2025, South Carolina taxpayers contributed $20,818. Thank you!
All In for South Carolina’s Young Children
2025-2030 STRATEGIC PLAN
OVERVIEW
Adopted by the South Carolina First Steps Board of Trustees on June 19, 2025, All In for South Carolina’s Young Children is a five-year strategic plan for achieving the goal that at least 75% of South Carolina’s children will enter kindergarten ready to succeed by 2030. The plan is data-driven, measurable, collaborative, aligned with legal mandates and available funding, and focused on serving South Carolina’s most economically vulnerable children.
GOALS AND PROGRESS
The plan identifies three core strategies, each supported by measurable tactics that will be reviewed and updated annually.
1. Strengthen the First Steps 4K model. Increase the percentage of First Steps 4K students demonstrating readiness on the KRA by 47% over the next five years.
2. Increase access and utilization of evidence-based, high-intensity programs through First Steps Local Partnerships. Increase the percentage of children served by evidence-based, high-intensity programs to at least 20% over the next five years.
3. Strengthen collaboration and alignment between all organizations serving children birth to age 5. Increase utilization rates for all early childhood services.
FOUNDATIONS FOR SUCCESS
• Advanced collaboration among all organizations with funding for children birth to age 5.
• Research and evaluation capacity, including the development of the Early Childhood Integrated Data System, internal and external evaluators, etc.
• Communications capacity to engage families, providers, and the public.
• State-level fiscal mapping to maximize and ensure best of use of all existing early childhood funding.
• Modern technology and data systems to support service delivery, data collection, and decision-making.
• Focused and effective training for staff, local partnership staff and board members, and program implementers.
• Updated fiscal and programmatic operating policies to strengthen internal and external operations.
• Regular progress monitoring to track outcomes, inform decision-making, and drive continuous improvement.
Access the full plan at scfirststeps.org.
Kindergarten Readiness by County
SC KINDERGARTEN READINESS ASSESSMENT (KRA) SCORES, FALL 2024
Risk Factors Affecting School Readiness
The SC First Steps Board of Trustees has identified the following risk factors as those most likely to affect school readiness. Children receiving intensive services through First Steps Local Partnerships must have at least one of these factors, and most programs require 60%, 80%, or 100% of participants to have two or more.
The child has been abused.
The child has been neglected.
The child is in foster care or kinship care.
The child or family is enrolled in or eligible for Temporary Assistance for Need Families (TANF).
The child or family is enrolled in or eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The child has a disability or developmental delay as documented by a physician or standardized assessment (not a screening tool).
The child is blind or visually impaired.
The child is deaf or hearing impaired.
The child is eligible for IDEA Part B or Part C.
The child’s mother or primary caregiver was 20 years old or younger at the time of the child’s birth.
The child’s mother or primary caregiver did not have a high school diploma or GED at the time of the child’s birth.
The child’s parent or caregiver has had a substance abuse issue during the child’s lifetime.
The child’s parent or caregiver has had depression or another mental health condition during the child’s lifetime.
The child’s parent or caregiver has an intellectual disability.
The child has been exposed to domestic violence within their family.
The child had a low birth weight (under 5.5 lbs) with serious medical complications.
English is not the primary language spoken in the child’s home.
The child has a single parent or caregiver.
The child is experiencing homelessness.
The child has experienced numerous family relocations or transiency.
The child has a parent who is currently incarcerated or has been incarcerated within the last 12 months.
The child has experienced the death of a parent, caregiver or sibling.
The child’s parent or caregiver is currently serving in the military away from home or has returned home from military duty within the last two years.
The child is an immigrant or refugee.
The child has a parent or caregiver who was born in another country and entered the U.S. within the last five years.
The child has been removed from child care or preschool for behavioral reasons.
The child is enrolled in or eligible for Medicaid.
The child’s parent or caregiver is eligible for Medicaid and is either pregnant or within one year after giving birth.
Local Partnership Performance
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR STATE GRANT FUNDING
As a statewide public-private partnership, First Steps is accountable to taxpayers, funders and, most importantly, South Carolina’s children. Each Local Partnership is required by law to meet rigorous programmatic, operational, financial, and administrative standards as a condition of receiving state funds. To facilitate their success, the state office provides each partnership with technical assistance, consultation, professional development opportunities, and comprehensive support through a team of dedicated program officers and early childhood experts.
Annually, Local Partnerships are assessed for compliance with 48 minimum qualifications across four categories: Governance (14), Operations & Accountability (9), Fiscal & Resource Development (11), Program Strategies (10), and Core Functions (4). In addition, partnership boards received feedback on their organization’s performance over the past year relative to the operational and program standards approved by the state board, assessed as “highly effective,” “effective,” or an “area for improvement.”
Overall, Local Partnerships have met most minimum qualifications. In fiscal year 2025, five of 46 Local Partnerships received a corrective action plan to address unmet minimum qualifications during the previous fiscal year. SC First Steps program officers provide ongoing support to Local Partnerships with corrective action plans and report progress to the SC First Steps Board of Trustees.
EXPENDITURES OF STATE FUNDS BY PROGRAM TYPE, FY 2025
State law requires at least 75% of state-appropriated funds be used for evidence-based programs. Up to 25% of funding may be used for investments in innovative, evidence-informed practices.
EVIDENCE-BASED 94.8%
EVIDENCE-INFORMED 5.2%
A complete list of minimum qualifiations for First Steps formula grant funding is available at scfirststeps.org/grants.
Local Partnership Programs
BY PROGRAM TYPE, FY 2025
First Steps Local Partnership boards determine annually what services to offer based on community needs and resources, opportunities to collaborate with local partners, and available funding.
support parents as their child’s first and best teacher, ranked in order of
Programs with a primary focus of promoting language and literacy development, ranked in order of intensity
promote physical
prevent chronic health conditions, and identify and address developmental delays
Programs that support transitions between early childhood settings and from early childhood into kindergarten
† Only includes support of 4K offered by local partnerships; does not include First Steps 4K (CERDEP). * Client data is captured in a data system outside of those controlled by First Steps. ** Child care scholarships are evidence-based when combined with one or more evidence-based programs.
Local Partnership Programs
BY COUNTY, FY 2025
ABBEVILLE
Child Care Training
Library-Based Programs
Parents as Teachers
AIKEN
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Early Identification and Referral
Parents as Teachers
Quality Enhancement
ALLENDALE
Early Identification and Referral
Enhanced Early Education
Nurturing Parenting
ANDERSON
Countdown to Kindergarten
Early Education Program Support HealthySteps
Raising a Reader
Triple P
BAMBERG
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Parents as Teachers
BARNWELL
Child Care Scholarships
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Early Education Program Operation
Quality Enhancement
Triple P
BEAUFORT
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Child Care Training
Early Identification and Referral
Parents as Teachers
Reach Out and Read
BERKELEY
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
HealthySteps
Parents as Teachers
CALHOUN
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Parents as Teachers
CHARLESTON
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Early Identification and Referral
Motheread/Fatheread
Parents as Teachers
CHEROKEE
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
LENA Home
Triple P
CHESTER
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Parents as Teachers
CHESTERFIELD
Child Care Scholarships
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Early Education Program Operation ParentChild+
CLARENDON
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Parents as Teachers
COLLETON
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Nurturing Parenting
Parents as Teachers
DARLINGTON
Countdown to Kindergarten
Family Café
Health Services
Motheread/Fatheread
Parents as Teachers
Reach Out and Read
DILLON
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Child Care Training
Library-Based Programs
Nurturing Parenting
DORCHESTER
HIPPY
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Motheread/Fatheread
Reach Out and Read
EDGEFIELD
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Early Education Program Support
Enhanced Early Education
Nurse-Family Partnership
Triple P
FAIRFIELD
Child Care Scholarships
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Family Café
Library-Based Programs
Parents as Teachers
FLORENCE
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
HIPPY
ParentChild+
GEORGETOWN
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Early Education Program Support
HIPPY
ParentChild+
GREENVILLE
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Family Connects
Nurse-Family Partnership
Nurturing Parenting
Triple P
GREENWOOD
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Family Café
HIPPY
Parents as Teachers
HAMPTON
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Parents as Teachers
Reach Out and Read
HORRY
Child Care Training
Early Identification and Referral
Enhanced Early Education
JASPER
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Early Identification and Referral
Parents as Teachers
Reach Out and Read
KERSHAW
Countdown to Kindergarten
Parents as Teachers
LANCASTER
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Early Education Program Support
Early Head Start
Incredible Years
Parents as Teachers
LAURENS
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Parents as Teachers
Reach Out and Read
LEE
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Early Steps to School Success
Family Café
Health Services
HIPPY
Motheread/Fatheread
Reach Out and Read
Strengthening Families
LEXINGTON
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Early Identification and Referral
Parents as Teachers
MARION
HIPPY
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Library-Based Programs
Nurturing Parenting
Raising a Reader
MARLBORO
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Parents as Teachers
Reach Out and Read
MCCORMICK
Child Care Scholarships
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Early Education Program Support
Library-Based Programs
Nurturing Parenting
NEWBERRY
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Library-Based Programs
Parents as Teachers
Reach Out and Read
Triple P
OCONEE
Child Care Scholarships
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Nurse-Family Partnership
ORANGEBURG
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
HealthySteps
Parents as Teachers
Raising a Reader
PICKENS
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Family Connects
Nurse-Family Partnership
Parents as Teachers
Reach Out and Read
RICHLAND
Early Head Start
Parents as Teachers
SALUDA
Child Care Training
Enhanced Early Education
Library-Based Programs
Nurse-Family Partnership
Triple P
SPARTANBURG
Countdown to Kindergarten
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Early Head Start
Early Identification and Referral
Nurse-Family Partnership
SUMTER
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
HIPPY
Parents as Teachers
UNION
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Parents as Teachers
Reach Out and Read
WILLIAMSBURG
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Family Café
HIPPY
Parents as Teachers
YORK
Child Care Quality Enhancement
Child Care Scholarships
Child Care Training
Countdown to Kindergarten
HealthySteps
Nurse-Family Partnership
Parents as Teachers
Resources for Early Acceleration and Development in Youth (READY)
FUNDING REPORT, FY 2024 - FY 2025
Resources for Early Acceleration and Development in Youth (READY) was created in Proviso 1.105 of the 2022-23 State Budget Bill with $3 million in General Funds, recurring annually, to be awarded to First Steps Local Partnerships by the SC First Steps Board of Trustees through a competitive and targeted grants process.
Funding priorities include evidence-based programs for children birth through age 3 who live in rural communities and in communities where kindergarten readiness scores are consistently below the state average. No more than 10% may be distributed to any one county and no more than 3% retained by the state office for program administration, monitoring, and evaluation.
To develop its READY grantmaking strategy, SC First Steps solicited input from local partnership staff. The needs identified were to sustain and expand services initiated with previous short-term funding (e.g., Preschool Development Grant, ESSER) and to build partnership capacity through staff compensation, benefits, and infrastructure improvements to better recruit and serve families from underserved populations.
Each READY funding opportunity requires partnerships to specify measurable client and staff outcomes, which are monitored on a quarterly and annual basis. The grantmaking process is governed by a uniform scoring system that gives additional weight to READY legislative priorities, demonstrated need, proposed outcomes, and previous local partnership performance.
$7,328,844
Sustain and expand effective programs
$1,484,916
Create or expand child care technical assistance programs
$2,375,234
Build infrastructure and capacity
$811,700
Pursue innovation
Sustain
and expand effective programs
$2,997,268 for 1 year to sustain effective programs servicing children and families (FY26)
Allendale
Bamberg
Beaufort
Berkeley
Charleston
Cherokee
Chesterfield
Colleton
Darlington
Dillon
Dorchester
Edgefield
Fairfield
Florence
Greenville
Greenwood
Horry
Lancaster
Lee
Lexington
Marion
McCormick
Newberry
Oconee
Orangeburg
Pickens
Saluda
Spartanburg
Sumter
Union
Williamsburg
York
$1,901,344 over 2 years to expand programs serving children and families (FY24 - FY25)
Allendale
Bamberg
Charleston
Darlington
Dillon
Greenville
Greenwood
McCormick
Orangeburg
Pickens
Spartanburg
York
$2,430,232 for 1 year to sustain previous ESSER expansion of programs serving children and families (FY25)
Abbeville
Bamberg
Beaufort
Berkeley
Calhoun
Charleston
Greenwood
Marlboro
McCormick
Newberry
Oconee
Orangeburg
Pickens
Richland
Sumter
Union
Williamsburg
York
Create or expand child care technical assistance programs
$1,484,916 over 3 years (FY24FY26)
Berkeley
Colleton
Dillon
Dorchester
Richland*
Spartanburg
York
Build infrastructure and capacity
$2,195,234 over 3 years (FY24FY26)
Anderson
Chesterfield
Edgefield
Greenville
Newberry
Orangeburg
Pickens Richland
Saluda
Spartanburg
Sumter
Williamsburg
York
$180,000 for 1 year (FY25)
Bamberg
Barnwell
Dillon
Greenwood
Lee
Williamsburg
Pursue innovation
$686,200 over 2 years to Carolina Collaborative for Early Childhood Innovation (FY24 - FY26)
Lee
Pickens
York
$53,500 for 1-year pilot to support family child care providers through Parents as Teachers (FY24)
Beaufort
Charleston
Colleton
Williamsburg
$72,000 for 1-year pilot to support Family Cafés in underserved communities (FY24)
Barnwell
Darlington
Fairfield
Greenwood
Lee
Williamsburg
* Richland County First Steps received a READY child care grant but discontinued it in spring 2024.
Local
Finances
Funds – $21,871,022
– $9,835,124
Local
Partnership
Finances
REVENUE BY COUNTY, FY 2025* * Figures are based on unaudited
Local
Partnership Finances EXPENDITURES BY COUNTY, FY 2025*
Child Care Quality Enhancement (QE) and Child Care Training INDIVIDUALS SERVED BY FIRST STEPS LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS, FY 2025
External Evaluation of Local Partnerships
FY 2019 - FY 2023
This evaluation examined how First Steps Local Partnerships have met their legislative goals, purposes, and functions, as well as what impacts their services had on young children and families in South Carolina during the 2019-2023 evaluation period.
Key Takeaways
• Local partnership staff, board members, and families overwhelmingly agree that Local Partnerships are meeting their legislative goals, purposes, and core functions.
• Sixteen programs were either mostly aligned (at least 70%) or fully aligned with the national model at some point during the evaluation period.
• Families who participated in a program funded by First Steps who also completed at least two Keys to Interactive Parenting (KIPS) assessments showed significant improvement in their parenting quality scores.
• Parents participating in at least one Health Families and Parenting Inventory (HFPI) assessments from FY 2021 to FY 2023 showed great improvement with the most notable growth occurring when assessments were 5-8 months or 13-20 months apart.
• Adults and children who participated in at least two Adult-Child Interactive Reading Inventory (ACIRI) assessments during the evaluation period experienced a medium to large significant improvement, regardless of the time between assessments.
Impact
• Reconsider the level of administrative support needed to run a Local Partnership and identify ways to provide the necessary support; provide tailored support for smaller partnerships.
• Continue standardizing organization for program guidelines.
• Implement ongoing fidelity training and support.
• Continue to monitor outcomes for children participating in programs funded by First Steps as system-wide improvements are made.
• Continue to improve data quality and systems through improved systems that capture high-quality data that can measure implementation and outcome improvements.
Access the full evaluation report at scfirststeps.org.
PAGE 4
Number of children 0-5 in South Carolina. Data source: 5-year estimates: American Community Survey (2018-2022). Table S0101. US Census Bureau.
41% of children 0-5 live in poverty or low-income household. Defined as children under age 6 <185% federal poverty level. Data source: 5-year estimates: American Community Survey (2018-2022). Table B17024. US Census Bureau.
39% of kindergartners demonstrated readiness. Data source: South Carolina Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (Fall 2024 Administration). South Carolina Department of Education.
30% of children in poverty demonstrated kindergarten readiness. Data source: South Carolina Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (Fall 2024 Administration). South Carolina Department of Education.
90% of the brain is developed by age 5. MRI studies show that the human brain reaches roughly 85–95% of its adult volume in early childhood. This rapid growth reflects other developmental processes, such as the formation and strengthening of neural pathways, that build the foundation for thinking, learning, and behavior across the lifespan. Peterson, M. R., et al. (2023). Normal childhood brain growth and a universal sex and anthropomorphic relationship to cerebrospinal fluid. JAMA Pediatrics.
Kindergarten readiness by county. Data source: South Carolina Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (Fall 2024 Administration). South Carolina Department of Education.
PAGE 8
South Carolina’s preschool system is among the most accessible in the nation. For the 2023-24 school year, South Carolina was one of 18 states (including the District of Columbia) in which statefunded preschool was available across 100% of school districts, a key measure of access used in national comparisons. National Institute for Early Education Research (2024). The State of Preschool 2024
PAGE 17
Estimated number of children 0-5 by county. Data source: 5-year estimates: American Community Survey (2018-2022). Table S0101. US Census Bureau.
Estimated percentage of children in poverty or low-income households. Data source: 5-year estimates: American Community Survey (2018-2022). Table B17024. US Census Bureau.
Number of students tested and % demonstrating readiness by county. Data source: South Carolina Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (Fall 2024 Administration). South Carolina Department of Education.
We are grateful for the thousands of individuals, organizations, and businesses who invest in South Carolina’s youngest children through their time, talent and resources.
Your Support Matters
Public funds sustain our programs. Private gifts move them forward. Your generosity helps First Steps pilot new ideas, strengthen what works, and cover essentials like meals and transportation that help families participate. Make your impact today at scfirststeps.org/donate or by scanning the QR code.
South Carolina First Steps is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
