Quick Facts about First Steps
Since its inception in 1999, First Steps has helped nearly 340,000 of South Carolina’s youngest children and their families get ready for school. As the state’s only entity focused exclusively on increasing school readiness outcomes for all children, First Steps focuses on five broad strategy areas.
What is First Steps?
Nearly one in seven SC children are assessed as not ready for first grade. In
some communities, this statistic is as poor as one in four, or greater. Research
studies repeatedly show that children who arrive unprepared for first grade’s
challenges have a difficult time catching up and succeeding throughout the rest
of their school years. Many of these students drop out of school or do not find
fulfilling productive jobs after high school as a result of their slow start.
A child’s readiness is determined by many critical
components such as good health, nurturing and positive, participatory parenting.
High quality early learning experiences in the home, child care, and school
settings allow children to thrive at a time when the brain is most formative.
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 prepare
children to 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, 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.
from SC First Steps Website http://www.scfirststeps.org/whoweare.htm
For more information, access more information at South Carolina's First Steps website.
http://www.scfirststeps.org/
What is First Steps?
Nearly one in seven SC children are assessed as not ready for first grade. In
some communities, this statistic is as poor as one in four, or greater. Research
studies repeatedly show that children who arrive unprepared for first grade’s
challenges have a difficult time catching up and succeeding throughout the rest
of their school years. Many of these students drop out of school or do not find
fulfilling productive jobs after high school as a result of their slow start.
A child’s readiness is determined by many critical
components such as good health, nurturing and positive, participatory parenting.
High quality early learning experiences in the home, child care, and school
settings allow children to thrive at a time when the brain is most formative.
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 prepare
children to 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, 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.
from SC First Steps Website http://www.scfirststeps.org/whoweare.htm
For more information, access more information at South Carolina's First Steps website.
http://www.scfirststeps.org/