About

The Early Childhood Development Collection System (ECDCS) was created in the fall of 2017. The website is an important tool for parents, educators, policymakers, and the general public to use when determining whether programs for young children are fulfilling their promise. The ECDCS allows anyone to see information regarding the status of early childhood efforts, and will hopefully facilitate discussions as to how South Carolina can continue to improve opportunities for our youngest learners.

 

An executive panel was formed combining data from the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office (RFA) which houses the co-op of data and the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) along with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS), the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), the South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH), the South Carolina Office of Head Start, the South Carolina Office of First Steps, the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (SCDDSN), the South Carolina Commission on Minority Affairs (SCCMA) as well as Children’s Trust, United Way of the Midlands, and the Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children.

 

The panel evaluated the data that will be the most meaningful to educators, community members, lawmakers, and parents when it comes to charting a course for South Carolina’s early childhood efforts. This data system does not show individual data, but does report achievements and growth of South Carolina’s children within the education and human services programs over a period of time.