Richland 2 preschool leaders report full enrollment, progress on early-learning measures and new discipline guidance

Preschool program leaders for Richland School District Two told the school board on Jan. 28 that district early-childhood programs are at or near capacity, that assessment scores show measurable year‑over‑year gains, and that the district is drafting a discipline guidance document tailored to 3‑ and 4‑year‑old students.

“While each of us leads an individual program, we always work collaboratively to ensure that there's a quality learning experience being provided for all of our early learners,” Quinn Evans, director of the Center for Child Development (CFCD), said during the board presentation.

Evans reported the district operates 32 four‑K classrooms in 19 locations with a stated capacity of 636 students; CFCD maintains a waiting list and leaders said they typically receive “between 800–1,000 applicants” annually for available spots. The district’s preschool special‑education program includes 28 classrooms serving three‑ and four‑year‑olds; presenters said that program currently serves about 305 students with 28 certified staff and 56 classified assistants.

District presenters described the Montessori magnet program at Pontiac Elementary as serving 74 three‑ and four‑year‑olds in five primary classrooms. The presenters used the state’s MyAPPEs (assessment) data to report growth: examples included increases in the share of children scoring in the “strong progress” tier for rhyming and oral counting from fall to spring in the CFCD, and large gains in similar measures in the Montessori program (presenters gave percentage point changes and described the movement as evidence of progress).

Lisa Richardson (preschool special education director) and Molly Robbins (magnet lead) described supports for social‑emotional development, including a multi‑tiered system of supports and teacher/administrator teams focused on behavioral communication and interventions. District staff said they are convening a stakeholder committee — including 4‑K and preschool teachers, MTSS staff and administrators — to finalize a Preschool Progressive Discipline document to reflect the developmental needs of 3‑ and 4‑year‑olds; presenters said they hope to roll that document out next school year.

Staff outlined community partnerships with entities such as the South Carolina Partnership for Inclusion, the University of South Carolina academy, Countdown to 4Ks, Richland County First Steps, BabyNet (early intervention), Palmetto PreK and other community providers. Presenters described parent workshops, home visits, professional development for local daycares and outreach to pediatric offices to improve early identification and referrals.

Board members praised the reported student transitions from special education to general education — presenters said 20 preschool students with disabilities moved into general‑education settings and 15 students exited special education over the previous year — and asked about absenteeism and supply constraints. District staff said absenteeism and illness are known issues for preschool-age children and that space and funding limit program expansion.

Ending: district leaders asked the public and board to consider the space-and-funding constraints that limit preschool expansion and invited continued partnership with community early‑childhood providers and stakeholders.