South Carolina’s SC-ELS: The official early learning standards framework
South Carolina’s early learning standards are organized under the South Carolina Early Learning Standards (SC-ELS, 2017), jointly published by the SC Department of Social Services (DSS) and the SC Department of Education. SC-ELS applies to licensed childcare centers, family childcare homes, First Steps 4K programs, and Head Start programs serving children from birth through kindergarten entry.
SC-ELS defines developmental expectations across all 8 domains and guides curriculum planning, developmental assessment, and program quality statewide. Programs can view current guidance at the SC Department of Education Early Learning Standards page.
South Carolina’s QRIS is called ABC Quality, administered by SC DSS’s Division of Early Care and Education. ABC Quality uses an A, B, and C rating system and has been supporting South Carolina families and early childhood programs for over 30 years. Using a research-based curriculum aligned to South Carolina’s SC-ELS supports higher ABC Quality ratings.
Explore by developmental domain
South Carolina’s SC-ELS domains and Experience Curriculum alignment
Select a developmental domain below to see how South Carolina’s SC-ELS defines that domain, the key milestones by age group, and exactly how Experience Curriculum activities and skills map to each SC-ELS indicator.
Social-Emotional Development
Self-regulation, peer relationships, identity, empathy, and emotional expression
Explore South Carolina Social-Emotional Development standards →Language & Literacy
Receptive and expressive language, phonological awareness, early reading and writing
Explore South Carolina Language & Literacy standards →Mathematics & Reasoning
Number sense, patterns, measurement, spatial reasoning, and early problem-solving
Explore South Carolina Mathematics & Reasoning standards →Science
Observation, inquiry, cause-and-effect, and exploration of the natural world
Explore South Carolina Science standards →Social Studies
Community, family, cultural identity, roles, and civic understanding
Explore South Carolina Social Studies standards →Creative Arts
Visual arts, music, movement, dramatic play, and creative expression
Explore South Carolina Creative Arts standards →Physical Development
Gross and fine motor skills, body awareness, health, and self-care
Explore South Carolina Physical Development standards →Approaches to Learning
Curiosity, persistence, initiative, flexibility, and attention
Explore South Carolina Approaches to Learning standards →Curriculum alignment
How Experience Curriculum aligns to South Carolina’s SC-ELS
Experience Curriculum is formally aligned to South Carolina’s SC-ELS across all three age bands — Baby (birth to 18 months), Toddler (18 to 36 months), and Preschool (3 to 5 years) — and all 8 developmental domains. The South Carolina SC-ELS Alignment PDF documents how every Experience Curriculum activity and skill maps to a specific SC-ELS indicator.
For South Carolina programs using brightwheel, developmental observations can be logged directly in the app during or after activities, automatically building each child’s portfolio and supporting ABC Quality curriculum documentation requirements.
The South Carolina SC-ELS Alignment PDF is a free resource documenting how every Experience Curriculum activity maps to South Carolina’s SC-ELS indicators — suitable for QRIS review submissions and licensing documentation.
Frequently asked questions