(A) Providers of the South Carolina Child Early Reading Development and Education Program shall offer a complete educational program in accordance with age-appropriate instructional practice and a research-based preschool curriculum aligned with school success. The program must focus on:

(1) a comprehensive, systemic approach to reading that follows the State Reading Proficiency Plan and the district's comprehensive annual reading proficiency plan, both adopted pursuant to Chapter 155, Title 59;

(2) successfully completing the readiness assessment administered pursuant to Section 59-155-150;

(3) the developmental and learning support that children must have in order to be ready for school;

(4) incorporating parenting education, including educating the parents as to methods that may assist the child pursuant to Section 59-155-110, 59-155-130, and 59-155-140, including strengthening parent involvement in the learning process with an emphasis on interactive literacy; and

(5) identifying community and civic organizations that can support early literacy efforts.

(B) Providers shall offer high-quality, center-based programs, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) employ a lead teacher with a two-year degree in early childhood education or related field or be granted a waiver of this requirement from the Department of Education for public schools or from the Office of First Steps to School Readiness for private centers;

(2) employ an education assistant with pre-service or in-service training in early childhood education;

(3) maintain classrooms with at least ten four-year-old children, but no more than twenty four-year-old children, with an adult to child ratio of 1:10. With classrooms having a minimum of ten children, the 1:10 ratio must be a lead teacher to child ratio. Waivers of the minimum class size requirement may be granted by the South Carolina Department of Education for public providers or by the Office of First Steps to School Readiness for private providers on a case-by-case basis;

(4) offer a full day, center-based program with six and one-half hours of instruction daily for one hundred eighty school days;

(5) provide an approved research-based preschool curriculum that focuses on critical child development skills, especially early literacy, numeracy, and social and emotional development;

(6) engage parents' participation in their child's educational experience that shall include a minimum of two documented conferences for each year; and

(7) adhere to professional development requirements outlined in this chapter.

HISTORY: 2014 Act No. 284 (S.516), Section 2, eff June 11, 2014.