The South Carolina Early Childhood Quality Standards Task Force was charged with developing quality standards for early childhood programs serving children ages 0-4. In developing their recommendations, the Task Force gathered input from national experts, state program experts, stakeholders, and South Carolina citizens. Two overarching themes that emerged were that high-quality early childhood programs focus on nurturing relationships between teachers and children, and specialized training is important for early childhood providers. The Task Force's recommendations would establish a quality rating system, provide support and training for programs and practitioners, ensure accountability, and link funding to quality improvements. The recommendations were required to have an evidence base, be realistic, and address whether standards would be fully-funded or phased in.

1. South Carolina
Early Childhood Quality
Standards Task Force
Overview of Progress and Next Steps
November 15, 2006

2. Contents
 Task Force Charge
 Decision Inputs
 Overarching Themes
 Framing Our Recommendations
 Decision Criteria

3. Task Force Charge
Proviso 1.80: (0 to 4 Year Old Standards)
 The First Steps State Office must convene a task
force to develop quality standards for programs
serving children ages 0 to 4. Membership must
include both public and private providers and is to be
chaired by the Director of the First Steps State Office.
 A report must be issued to members of the General
Assembly and the Governor’s Office by January 9,
2007.

4. Decision Inputs
 National Content Experts
 State Program Experts
 Key Stakeholders
 Focus Groups
 SC Citizens
 Survey
 Town Hall Meetings

5. “Evidence” Definitions
 FACTS: What are the key facts about child care in
South Carolina today?
Programs, Regulations, Current Standards, etc.
 RESEARCH: What is the most current the national research
on early learning and best practices?
Brain Development, Scientific Studies, etc.
 OPINIONS: What are the views of South Carolinians?
Our parents, our child care providers,
our early childhood professors and our citizens?

6. Overarching Themes
 Children Learn through Relationships
 “Being known and understood” most critical
-N. Sazer-O’Donnell
 “Nurturing, responsive, individualized
interactions build healthy brain architecture
that provides foundation for later learning”
-D. Kelly, MD
 Teacher-Child Interaction Most Important
-95% statewide survey participants selected this element

7. Overarching Themes
 Evidence Supports Specialized
Training for Providers
 Formal education and recent specialized
training in child development is
consistently associated with high quality
interactions (CDA documented, not sure
about AA, BA)
-J. Collins

8. Framing Our Recommendations
 Quality Elements
Structural elements of the program; parent involvement strategies,
 Program and Practitioner Support
Formal training and educational supports for teachers; program technical assistance
 Accountability
Creating systems to ensure compliance and monitoring; consumer information on quality
rating and improvement/investment
 Financing Incentives Linked to Accountability
Establish mechanisms that incentivize quality for parents, providers, programs and policy
makers

9. Framing Our Recommendations
 Economic Impact Report (Strunk-USC)
 Incorporate high quality childcare into state
economic development plan
 Maximize federal spending
 Consumer-focused quality rating system
 Link tax incentives to quality improvement
 Link all ECE funding streams to quality
 Increase access to funding for higher quality
programs
 New DSS four levels of quality

10. Decision Criteria
 Is the standard evidence-based?
 Is the standard realistic?
 Will the standard be fully-funded or phased in?
 “A New Perspective from the Provider
Community,” Eric J. Karolak, PhD, Early Care and
Education Consortium, Washington DC, presentation
to the South Carolina Early Childhood Quality
Standards Task Force