In June 2006 the South Carolina General Assembly provided funds to expand the First Steps Centers of Excellence (COE) model through a two-year pilot program for those communities serving as trial and plaintiff districts in Abbeville County School District et. al. vs. South Carolina, the state’s long-standing school equity funding lawsuit. Now in its second year of implementation, the Centers of Excellence model operates with dedicated funding in 17 centers across 11 counties (Abbeville, Allendale, Dillon, Florence, Hampton, Jasper, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, Saluda and Williamsburg), with County Partnership and/or philanthropic funds supporting 9 additional sites in Georgetown and Charleston counties.
The Centers of Excellence model, originated by Georgetown County First Steps, is a comprehensive, multi-component strategy designed to connect low-income children (aged zero to 4) and their families with access to superior early education programming and parenting supports.
The First Steps Centers of Excellence Model is distinguished by the coordinated interplay of nine critical components:
For Children and Families:
1. Targeted recruitment and need-based scholarships;
2. Nurturing care and research-based instruction;
3. Developmental screening and appropriate child assessment;
4. Parent education and involvement; and
5. Health supports.
For Providers:
1. Quality enhancement (facility and materials);
2. On-site mentoring and technical assistance;
3. Incentives to stable, qualified personnel, including scholarships to further their learning; and
4. Sustainable operation
Year One: Children and Families
During FY08, the Centers of Excellence (COE) model provided scholarships for 335 primarily TANF-eligible children (a family income equaling 50 percent or less of the federal poverty level), with supporting services benefiting an estimated 750 additional children and families at COE sites.
COE scholarship students demonstrated substantial developmental and learning gains as measured by the Early Learning Accomplishments Profile (E-LAP) with average (pre- to post-) gains of 13.78 points in the instrument’s Language subscale, 11.38 in Literacy, and 10.91 in Math.
COE scholarship students received a combined 524 health and dental screenings –- resulting in 73 referrals and 29 special service placements during Year One.
COE scholarship families received more than 2,100 combined parent education home visits during Year One.
Year One: Centers and Staff
First Steps staff conducted 1,242 on-site, technical assistance visits (totaling more than 2,000 combined hours) aimed at enhancing the quality of participating centers.
65 COE teachers (34%) completed at least one college credit-bearing class during the project’s first year.