(A) Grant funds expended by First Steps partnerships must be used to address the needs of young children and their families as identified in the partnerships' comprehensive plans. The funds must be used to expand, extend, or improve the quality of provided services if there is evidence as to existing programs' effectiveness; offer new or previously unavailable services in the area; or increase access to services. Partnership grant funds may not supplant comparable current expenditures by counties or state agencies on behalf of young children and their families, and may not be used where other state or federal funding sources are available. Partnerships are expected to collaborate with other community organizations or entities expending funds on early childhood services designed to impact school readiness in order to maximize impact and minimize duplication of efforts.

(B) At least seventy-five percent of state funds appropriated for programs must be used by the local partnership for evidence-based programs. Not more than twenty-five percent of state funds appropriated for programs to a local partnership may be used for evidence-informed programs.

(C) All activities and services provided by a local partnership must be made available to young children and families on a voluntary basis and must focus solely on "school readiness" as defined in Section 59-152-25 by implementing programs geared specifically toward the achievement of First Steps goals pursuant to Section 59-152-30.

(D) Any part of the initiative within the county strategic plan using local district resources within a school district must be conducted only with approval of the district's board of trustees.

HISTORY: 1999 Act No. 99, Section 2; 2014 Act No. 287 (H.3428), Section 14, eff June 18, 2014.

Editor's Note

2018 Act No. 152, Section 8, provides as follows:

"SECTION 8. Section 20B. of Act 287 of 2014 [reauthorizing the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Act until July 1, 2016] is repealed. Act 99 of 1999, South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Act, as amended by this act, is reauthorized until June 30, 2025."

Effect of Amendment

2014 Act No. 287, Section 14, rewrote the section.