Preschool program up in air

A state pilot program offering full-day pre-kindergarten classes to low-income 4-year-olds faces an uncertain future.

A report released Tuesday by the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee praises the 2-year-old program for "making a difference in the lives of at-risk children" and calls for its expansion to more school districts. But many Republicans say the state can't afford to expand the program while Democrats say the state can't afford not to.

"It's a critical program," said Rep. David Mack, D-North Charleston. "We have got to care for our youth folk. This is an ongoing fight."

Rep. Chip Limehouse, R-Charleston, said he believes the program makes a difference and would like to be able to offer it to more children but, for now, that's likely a conversation for another year.

"If we can hold the line on what we have right now, and keep an eye to the future, we can talk about expanding it in future surplus budget years," said Limehouse, who helps draft the budget. "Wanting it and having cash in hand are two different things."

The Child Development Education Pilot Program focuses on 4-year-old children living in the 37 plaintiff districts involved in the school equity lawsuit in which Judge Thomas Cooper ruled that South Carolina needs to address early childhood education.

Berkeley is the only plaintiff school district in the Lowcountry and currently has 840 at-risk 4-year-olds enrolled in classes. Berkeley's Goose Creek Primary School operates seven classrooms for 4-year-olds through the program for 135 children.

Statewide enrollment data for 2007-08 shows the program served 3,756 children in public schools, an increase of 993 students from last year. In private centers, 402 children are being served this year, a jump of 93 students from last year, according to the report.

Still, an estimated 2,256 eligible 4-year-olds are not being served in a pre-kindergarten program in the 37 plaintiff districts, the report said.

The S.C. Department of Education is projected to spend $17.1 million during the 2007-08 fiscal year to run the program in public schools, while the Office of First Steps oversees the program among private providers and is expected to spend $2.5 million.

Despite those costs, state Superintendent of Education Jim Rex said, it's a priority to bring publicly funded, full-day prekindergarten classes to all districts across the state. Numerous studies show poor, at-risk children who don't get any type of formal schooling start kindergarten at a lower achievement level than their peers and often find it hard to catch up, Rex said.

"Every year that we wait, we lose kids that we shouldn't lose," Rex said. "This is a no-brainer as far as being a good investment for our state and addressing the achievement gap that we have to overcome in South Carolina."

The report calls for expanding the program beyond the plaintiff districts if state funding is available, and phasing in the expansion based on districts' poverty levels. The report also recommends changing the eligibility requirements so that children who score below the 25th percentile level on reliable screening assessments could have access to the classes, in addition to the low-income children who are currently eligible because they qualify for free and reduced-price lunches.

Gov. Mark Sanford recommended the Legislature allocate $14.9 million in the upcoming budget to fund a continuation of the pilot program. This year's spending plan puts $17 million into the program.

Reps. Joe Jefferson, D-Pineville, and Floyd Breeland, D-Charleston, said educating children is one of the Legislature's foremost responsibilities.

"This is a top priority," said Breeland, a retired school administrator. "We should be able to find the money."

The full report is available online at www.eoc.sc.gov.

Reach Mindy B. Hagen at 937-5433 or mhagen@postandcourier.com. Reach Yvonne M. Wenger at (803) 799-9051 or ywenger@postandcourier.com.