Some widespread changes could be coming to early childhood education all thanks to a plan set to be introduced by Gov. Henry McMaster next week.McMaster wants to expand the full day 4-year-old kindergarten program statewide.
Right now, children in 62 traditional school districts can take part in the program offered at a public school or private child care center.
But there are 17 school districts in the state where there are thousands of children they say are at-risk who aren't attending an all-day 4k program. The nearly $53 million plan would change that.
McMaster said the plan is a big part of his executive budget he'll be unveiling next week.
“It's clear now what we have to do,” McMaster said. “We must get these children in those classrooms at 4-years-old so they can be part of the American dream. There's no place more obvious than South Carolina. This is where the American Dream has taken hold and it's making a big difference.”
The governor's office says a 2019 study showed more than half of children ages 3 to 4 don't attend a high quality preschool program.
SC GOP Gov. Henry McMaster to Unveil Plan to Expand 4K in State
“We must get these children in those classrooms at 4-years-old so they can be part of the American dream."
Sponsored by the Republican Governors Association
Budget Address
In about thirty minutes of remarks, Governor Kristi Noem laid out her administration would like to see nearly $2.2 billion spent over the course of the next fiscal year and a half.
TikTok
South Carolina became the second state in the union Monday to permanently ban state employees’ electronic devices from using TikTok amid federal officials sounding the alarm that the Chinese-based social media app threatens national security