Fort Mill outlines expansion of 4‑K programs and new screening, equity and licensing steps

Kim Coolidge (speaker 10), the district 4‑K coordinator, told the board the district has a diversified set of 4‑K platforms (local 4‑K, CERDEP full‑day/Child Early Reading Development and Education Program, special‑education placements and lab‑school programs) and is increasing instructional time and access.

Coolidge said the district currently lists 49 4‑K teachers and support staff and reported 268 students in pre‑K programs across the district. She said application volume rose markedly year‑over‑year for non‑tuition based programs and described a screening process that identified students with potential delays and helped place more than 85% of identified students into services. Instructional priorities include oral language development, social‑emotional screeners, play‑based learning and rubrics to measure student proficiency across 60 developmental indicators tied to the South Carolina 'ready kindergartner' framework.

Staff highlighted program supports (family engagement book grants, professional development hours for educators, and partnerships with York County early‑learning entities) and said regulatory alignment with Department of Social Services licensing is ongoing; staff reported a district plan to manage applications and eligibility and to provide transition supports for families ahead of kindergarten.

Board members asked about waitlist numbers for lab‑school placements and opportunities to expand capacity; staff said lab school wait lists exceed 100 in some contexts and described plans to accelerate program‑of‑studies updates and expand outreach to underrepresented groups. The district emphasized family engagement and personalized development profiles to support kindergarten readiness.