South Carolina General Assembly
116th Session, 2005-2006

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Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

S. 948

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Senators Rankin, Ford, Elliott, Sheheen, Leventis and Setzler
Document Path: l:\s-res\lar\009prek.kmm.doc

Introduced in the Senate on January 10, 2006
Currently residing in the Senate Committee on Education

Summary: Pre-kindergarten for four-year olds

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS 

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  11/29/2005  Senate  Prefiled
  11/29/2005  Senate  Referred to Committee on Education
   1/10/2006  Senate  Introduced and read first time SJ-10
   1/10/2006  Senate  Referred to Committee on Education SJ-10

View the latest legislative information at the LPITS web site

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

11/29/2005

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A BILL

TO AMEND SECTION 59-152-30 OF THE 1976 CODE, RELATING TO THE GOALS OF THE FIRST STEPS TO SCHOOL READINESS INITIATIVE, BY ADDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A VOLUNTARY, UNIVERSAL PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN TO THE LIST OF GOALS; AND TO ADD SECTION 59-152-170, TO CREATE A VOLUNTARY, UNIVERSAL PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM FOR FOUR-YEAR-OLDS IN EACH COUNTY.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Section 59-152-30 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding an appropriately numbered new subsection to read:

"( )    provide a voluntary, universal access pre-kindergarten program for four-year-old children in every county that promotes participation, engagement, and learning for all participants that is appropriate for the age, developmental level, and special needs of each child."

SECTION    2.    Chapter 152, Title 59 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-152-170.    (A)    A voluntary, universal access pre-kindergarten program for four-year-old children must be established and administered in each county by the County First Steps Partnership. A representative designated by the superintendent of each school district in the county must participate in establishing the program.

(B)    The pre-kindergarten program for four-year-old children must:

(1)    maintain a class size not to exceed twenty children;

(2)    maintain an adult to child ratio in each class of at least one adult per ten children of which one adult must be a teacher certified in early childhood education;

(3)    provide teacher assistants with professional development training in early childhood development;

(4)    encourage family involvement to support the child's educational experience;

(5)    provide a learning environment that:

(a)    is arranged in such a manner to provide for individual and group learning experiences;

(b)    is equipped with movable furniture appropriate in size for the children;

(c)    has adequate materials and supplies available in sufficient quantities to meet the needs of each child in the class;

(d)    has restroom facilities that will accommodate four-year-olds; and

(e)    provides a playground area that is accessible and safe.

(6)    provide curriculum that is appropriate for the age and developmental level of the students; and

(7)    establish and implement a process to provide continuity between other early childhood programs and the pre-kindergarten program.

(C)    The program must accommodate the needs of all children and families regardless of socio-economic circumstances. If space is limited, attendance must be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

(D)(1)    The Office of South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness must establish universal guidelines that are to be followed by each pre-kindergarten program. The guidelines must be designed to foster the intellectual, language, physical, social, and emotional development of each participating child.

(2)    The Office of South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness is required to establish a statewide assessment program to measure the development of the children participating in the pre-kindergarten program and:

(a)    identify areas in which the participating children need additional support;

(b)    identify individual county programs that are not operating pursuant to the guidelines; and

(c)    measure the effect each program has on the academic achievement of the participating children."

SECTION    3.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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