Chip Campsen III voted Yea (Conference Report Vote) on this Legislation.
Title: Amends the South Carolina Code of Laws to Renew the First Steps Program
Signed by Governor Henry McMaster
Title: Amends the South Carolina Code of Laws to Renew the First Steps Program
Vote to adopt a conference report and pass a bill that amends the South Carolina Code of Laws to renew the First Steps program.
Authorizes each county legislative delegation to appoint 6 members to a local partnership board (Sec. 1).
Requires that the following entities located in a First Steps Partnership area recommend 1 member to the legislative delegation for appointment (Sec. 1):
Department of Social Services;
Department of Health and Environmental Control;
Head Start or early Head Start.
Requires that county public library staff located in a First Steps Partnership area recommend 1 employee for appointment by its county council (Sec. 1).
Requires that each public school district board located in a First Steps Program area point on of its employees to serve as a member of the local First Steps Partnership (Sec. 1)
Requires that members who miss more than 3 consecutive meetings without excuse are terminated from membership (Sec. 1).
Exempts appointed members from the four year term and prohibits board membership from exceeding 8 consecutive years (Sec. 1).
Prohibits elected members from serving in a holdover capacity after the end of their term (Sec. 1).
Requires that the First Steps Partnership Board (Sec. 2):
Submit for approval by the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees requests to hire a local executive director and that the request includes qualifications of the applicant, current and requested salaries, resumes of candidates, and information to justify the requested salary;
Submit approval by the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees justification of and recommendations for the salary and any increases for the executive director;
Implement and document annual performance evaluations for the executive director and for the completed document to be submitted to the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees.
Prohibits overhead costs from exceeding 13% of the total state funds appropriated for partnership grants (Sec. 2)
Requires that the partnerships submit a joint proposal to the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Board of Trustees in order to establish a multicounty partnership (Sec. 2).
Requires the Office of First Steps and Office of State Procurement to adopt and develop procurement policies and procedures (Sec. 3).
Requires that the chief executive officer of the Department of Mental Health serve as an ex officio voting member (Sec. 5).
Requires that 2 executive directors from local First Steps Partnerships serve ad voting members on the advisory council with 1 appointed by the House Education and Public Works Committee and 1 appointed by the Senate Education Committee (Sec. 6).
Requires that the advisory council develop, maintain, and serve as the governing body for a unified and integrated data collection system (Sec. 7).
Requires that the advisory council develops and maintains parent knowledge-building activities to inform parents of all publicly funded early childhood programs and services (Sec. 7).
Requires that the advisory council prepare a strategic plan at least once every 5 years which establishes clearly defined goals, strategies, and key measures of progress of optimizing the state’s early childhood system (Sec. 7).
Requires that the board establishes core personnel policies and procedures for adoption by local First Step Partnerships and to develop a standard process by July 1, 2024 for reviewing submissions related to hiring, salaries, and performance evaluations (Sec. 8).
Specifies that the South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness Act as amended is permanently enacted and does not require future reauthorization (Sec. 9).
Title: Amends the South Carolina Code of Laws to Renew the First Steps Program
Title: Amends the South Carolina Code of Laws to Renew the First Steps Program
Title: Amends the South Carolina Code of Laws to Renew the First Steps Program
Title: Amends the South Carolina Code of Laws to Renew the First Steps Program