presented by South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
Early Childhood Task Force

South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
What We Believe: Workforce Development
Early Childhood
Higher Education
Workforce Development
Economic Development
Prosperous State

South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
The Starting Point
Our Premise
The future success of our economy depends on well educated and highly resourceful workers capable of learning new skills.
Our Challenge
A growing proportion of our workforce will consist of adults raised in disadvantaged circumstances. Research shows that individuals raised in these circumstances have lower educational levels and less skills.
Our Opportunity
• Evidence based interventions can change the course of a young
child’s life
• The investments made in the early years of life have a substantial
return on investment

South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
The South Carolina Economy
• $14 billion of new investment
• Created 146,000 jobs since 2010
• 8% faster than the country as a whole
• Unemployment has improved by 52% at the same time
• Compared to 37% nationwide
• The new jobs require higher-level skills
• Traditional skills – math, science, reading
• Soft skills – work ethic, communication, problem solving

South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
The South Carolina Workforce
The Conference Board surveyed 400 corporations
• Wide deficit in social/emotional learning or “soft skills”
- Consistent with a SC DEW survey which showed the largest gap
for new applicants is in this area
42%
HS graduates not prepared for entry-level jobs

South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
The South Carolina Workforce
By 2011… By 2018… But only…
74%
83%
fastest growing jobs required more than a High School Education
fastest growing jobs will require more than a High School Education
53%
of the workforce has more than a High School Education
53%
Source: South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce: State of the Workforce Report, 2012

South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
The South Carolina Workforce
Technical school entrants requiring remediation
41%
Cost to SC taxpayers
=
$21,000,000
Source: South Carolina Technical College System

South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
SC Educational Outcomes: 4th Grade
Math Reading Science
proficient proficient proficient
do not meet basic do not meet basic do not meet basic
By 8th grade reading improves slightly but math and science deteriorate
Source: National Center for Educational Statistics
21%
35%
28%
40%
33%
28 %

South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
Our Kids
Risk factors for 3rd grade failures in SC
*Annie E. Casey Foundation 2013 Kids Count Data Book -- http://scchildren.org/public/files/docs/Advocacy/Kids_Count/2013KCDB_FINAL.pdf
**South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness -- http://www.scfirststeps.org/docs/Vision2013FINAL.pdf
children who live in single family households*
42%
children who live at or below the federal poverty level*
28%
children born to mothers with less than a high school degree**
24%
children born to teenage mothers**
13%
children born at a low birth weight*
10%

South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
Early Life Experiences
•The foundations of life long learning are largely formed in the first 5 years of life
•The architecture of the young brain, like a house, needs to be built on a strong foundation
•Skills beget skills. Brains are built from the bottom up in a hierarchical fashion
•Brain chemistry is heightened during “sensitive” periods
•Interaction of genes and experiences shapes the circuitry of the developing brain
•Brain plasticity and the ability to change behavior decreases over time
•Changes can be made later but they are very expensive and are unlikely to reach the same potential

South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
Anne E. Casey: Two Generation Approach
• Nearly half of families with young children are low
income
• 80% of those families have no post secondary education
drastically limiting job prospects
• 42% of children born into poverty stay there
• Less than half of kids from low income families are ready
for Kindergarten
The two-gen approach aims to equip parents and kids with the tools needed to thrive.

South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
Evidence is Incontrovertible
• The Rand Corporation studied 15 past and current interventions and found that
they returned to society between $1.80 and $17.07 for every dollar invested
• Numerous studies of current and past interventions show consistent results:
• Higher Academic achievement
• Higher Adult incomes
• Stronger family foundations including two parent families
• Greater Home ownership
• Lower welfare
• Lower crime rates
• Lower drug use
• Lower teen pregnancy
• Lower maternal depression

South Carolina Council on Competitiveness
Anne E. Casey: Two Generation Approach
“The evidence is clear: A solid foundation in children’s early years sets them up for success in school and beyond, paving the way for higher test scores, fewer behavioral problems, better job opportunities and greater income”