Board of Trustees

According to Section 20-7-9720 of the First Steps authorizing legislation, to carry out its assigned functions the Board of Trustees is authorized, but not limited to:

(1) develop a comprehensive long range initiative for improving early childhood development and increasing school readiness;

(2) promulgate regulations, establish guidelines, policies and procedures for implementation of the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness initiative;

(3) provide oversight on the implementation of the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness initiative at the state and county levels;

(4) facilitate and direct the establishment of developing County First Steps Partnerships and establish the criteria for designation of County First Steps partnerships;

(5) establish criteria and procedures for awarding state First Steps grants to County First Steps Partnerships;

(6) provide technical assistance, consultation services and support to County First Steps Partnerships including: the creation and annual revision of county needs assessments; the prioritization, implementation, and evaluation of each First Steps partnership’s strategic plans based on needs assessments; and the identification of assets from other funding sources;

(7) assess and develop recommendations: for ensuring coordination and collaboration among service providers at both the state and county level, for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of state programs and funding and other programs and funding sources, as allowable, as necessary to carry out the First Steps to School Readiness initiative, including additional fiscal strategies, redeployment of state resources, and development of new programs;

(8) establish results oriented measures and objectives and assess whether services provided by County First Steps Partnerships to children and families are meeting the goals and achieving the results established for the First Steps initiative pursuant to Chapter 152, Title 59;

(9) receive gifts, bequests, and devises for deposit for awarding grants to First Step partnerships; and

(10) report annually to the General Assembly by January first on activities and progress to include recommendations for changes and legislative initiatives and results of program evaluations.