As providers know, there is a scholarship pause, which has changed the number of families eligible for DSS Scholarships. This pause has occurred because South Carolina and the nation have exhausted COVID-19-era funding and are returning to pre-pandemic funding levels. Eligibility is currently being reassessed, and scholarship applications have been paused to ensure that protected categories receive funding.
Many other states are facing this same reality now. South Carolina is one of the last states to make changes to scholarships, as our goal was to keep serving as many families for as long as possible.
As we navigate these changes, SC CCR&R, DSS, and our partners want to be a leader for providers and families. We would like to hear from you as we continue to clarify questions around the pause. Please enter any questions into the form here. We will do our best to answer questions to the best of our ability.
We will also be holding a webinar on April 16, 2026, at 6 pm, hosted by State Director of the Division of Early Care and Education at DSS Michele Bowers and SC CCR&R Director Melissa McDonald. This webinar hopes to clarify as many frequently asked questions as possible for providers. Register for the webinar here.
Please view a full update from DSS Chief External Affairs Officer Connelly-Anne Ragley here. FAQs are also available on the SC Child Care website here. We will be updating these FAQs soon based on feedback from providers and partners.
