History
South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness was signed into law in 1999 to help improve school readiness for the state's youngest learners. First Steps is a comprehensive, results-oriented, statewide education initiative to help children reach first grade healthy and ready to succeed. Each South Carolina County has a First Steps partnership comprised of business and community leaders, early education professionals, parents, and faith-based and agency partners. First Steps partnerships examine unmet needs in their communities to help local young children and their families. Through its 501(c)3 status, First Steps mobilizes resources beyond state-allocated dollars, leveraging local private and public funds, federal grants, planned gifts, in-kind contributions and volunteer time.
Spartanburg County was one of the original thirteen counties to receive funding from the state to begin the First Steps program in 2000.
First Steps Enabling Legislation
"There is established South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness, a comprehensive, results-oriented initiative for improving early childhood development by providing, through county partnerships, public and private funds and support for high-quality early childhood development and education services for children, by providing support for their families' efforts toward enabling their children to reach school ready to learn."
- SECTION 59-152-10 (June 1999)
Click here for all of the First Steps enabling legislation.