Compass Evaluation and Research was contracted by the SC First Steps Board of Trustees pursuant to South Carolina Section 59-125-160 to "assess the extent to which First steps has been successful in meeting its five legislative goals and articulate the relative "value add" (or lack thereof) of SC's maintenance of a statewide early childhood coordination and service delivery structure." The evaluation team finds that: 1. First Steps' public-private structure and model of shared governance generate a high degree of value-added at both the state and local levels. 2. First Steps is finding and serving the state's most high-need clients. 3. First Steps is meeting legislated goals. 4. First Steps has a statewide fiscal and programmatic accountability structure in place to guide and provide oversight to local partnerships. This structure supports the translation of state-level priorities into practice. 5. At the state and local levels, First Steps serves as the "battery" powering many of the state's key early childhood conversations and practices. (author abstract)