Charleston County’s economic development office puts $2 million into pre-K seats

Charleston County’s economic development office is putting $2.025 million into the Charleston County School District’s expansion of Universal Pre-K in North Charleston, betting that more early learning seats will help more parents hold jobs.

The money will help create at least 229 new pre-K seats in North Charleston, Charleston County Economic Development said Sept. 29. Daniel Prentice, the district’s chief financial officer, told WCSC Live 5 that the investment is operating money covering roughly half the cost of launching the seats for the 2027-28 school year, with the district paying the rest.

The district opened its first Universal Pre-K program this school year at Charleston Progressive Academy on the Charleston peninsula. It plans to expand next school year to North Charleston, East Cooper, James Island, Johns Island and West Ashley, with programs planned at North Charleston Elementary, Jennie Moore Elementary, Laurel Hill Primary, James Island Elementary and Hunley Park Elementary, according to the announcement.

“Childcare is a workforce issue, an economic development issue, and a family issue,” Prentice said in the announcement.

The district and its partners plan to track more than seats filled. They will measure the effect on participating families, including employment, work hours, education and training, what families paid for child care before and the barriers they face in getting their children into early learning, the office said.

“The strongest economies are built long before a person’s first day on the job,” said Merle Johnson, the office’s executive director.

The investment follows the office’s Job Development Incentive, announced July 2, which pays companies $1,000 for each new qualifying job. To take part, a new, relocating or expanding company must add at least five jobs, work in one of the office’s target industry sectors and pay at or above the county’s per-capita income, which the office put at $90,550 a year. Payments are made after the company shows proof of the new hires, according to the office.