Ensure your child is prepared for school with this free program in South Carolina!
Want to ensure your child is ready for kindergarten? Attend one of our free, state-funded 4K programs!
We offer First Steps 4K, a FREE high-quality, full-day four-year-old kindergarten to qualifying children in South Carolina! Classes are taught by licensed teachers and help prepare children for success in kindergarten and beyond. We’ve also been parent-trusted for more than 45 years! We’ve been providing early care and education for families across the country since 1975. We invite you to join our family!
School readiness is important – and helps set your child up for a lifetime of academic success. Take advantage of this free program today.
Registration is on a first-come basis. Get started today!
First Steps 4K Overview
The overall goal of the First Steps 4K program is to ensure all children start school ready to reach their highest potential.
First Steps 4K emphasizes the following:
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- School readiness
- Brain development
- Strengthening families
- Lifelong benefits of early childhood
The curriculum focuses on the opportunity for young children to thrive in all aspects of their lives.
Pre-K Program Length & School Year
First Steps 4K provides a full 8-hour instructional day, 5 days a week, throughout the year.
Demand often exceeds our available classroom space, so we encourage families to enroll early to secure their slot.
Eligibility / Registration Requirements
The First Steps 4K Program is free to all four-year-old children eligible for Medicaid, free/reduced-price lunch, or SNAP/TANF recipient; experiencing homelessness or transiency; or in foster care. Children must be 4 years of age on or before September 1 of that school year, and a resident of South Carolina.
The following is required by First Steps 4K to register your child for this program:
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- Child’s certified birth certificate.
- One proof of South Carolina residency (current SC driver’s license, state-issued ID, current utility bill, or signed rental/mortgage agreement).
- Income verification (child’s Medicaid card or letter of eligibility, family SNAP card, or household income documents).
To learn more, and to apply online, visit: www.scfirststeps.org.
How to Enroll
Pre-K classes are filled on a first-come basis. Call or email us to reserve your spot today!
Registration is now open!
Demand often exceeds space, so we encourage families to enroll early to secure their slot for the upcoming year.
How Do I Know My Child is Learning?
Read our blog for quick tips on how to know if your child is learning!
Is My Child Learning?