First Steps 4K

First Steps 4K offers free, full-day four-year-old kindergarten to qualifying children in South Carolina. We partner with more than 270 licensed child care centers and private schools across the state, making it easy for families to find a high-quality program that meets their needs.

Eligibility

To be eligible, a child must be:

4 years old on or before September 1 of the school year you are applying to.
Eligible for Medicaid, free/reduced-price lunch, or SNAP/TANF recipient; experiencing homelessness or transiency; or in foster care
A resident of South Carolina
Students and their siblings now qualify for child care scholarships thanks to a partnership between SC First Steps and the SC Department of Social Services. Learn more here.

First Steps 4K +

First Steps 4K students qualify for free extended care scholarships (before- and after-school)
Siblings, ages 0-12, of enrolled First Steps 4K students qualify for child care and after-school scholarships
Sibling scholarships can be applied toward enrollment at any licensed child care center or afterschool program that participates in ABC Quality, the state’s voluntary quality rating and improvement system.
Learn more here!

How It Works

Families can select the private, community-based, or faith-based program of their choice. All First Steps 4K programs are in-person, 5 days per week, throughout the school year. Most providers offer a full day (8 hour) program and/or operate year-round, continuing through summer.

Target Outcomes

Research shows that children who attend a high-quality preschool program are more successful in kindergarten and beyond. First Steps 4K aims to increase participation, quality, and professional development in private, community-based, and faith-based 4K programs across the state.