Richland 1 to resume construction of early learning center after Supreme Court investigation

Richland School District 1 is taking steps to resume construction on its early learning center in Lower Richland after a state investigation into the project found the district violated state law by starting construction last year.

The Richland 1 School Board held a special meeting Friday to discuss the state inspector general’s recommendations released July 25.

“The district reiterates its intent to build the Vince Ford Early Learning Center in a fully compliant, efficient and expeditious manner and will use the SIG report as a guide to advance the project with the appropriate permits and in collaboration with all stakeholders,” the district said in a statement.

The board voted 4-2 to ratify a contract with construction companies, with board members Barbara Weston and Robert Lominack voting against.

Back in December, the South Carolina Department of Education denied approval for the Vince Ford Early Learning Center, a planned facility on Caughman Road. Because the center was originally intended for young children, it could not be considered a school, the Department of Education said.

By that time, construction on Richland 1 had already begun, and when Richland County officials noticed this, they issued a stop-construction order. State Inspector Ellen Weaver then asked the state’s inspector general to investigate the project.

In February, the board again denied the district a permit, citing the ongoing investigation, when it tried to expand the age range to include preschool through second grade.

Eight months later, the site lies dormant without the necessary permits or approval to resume construction. Last month, Richland 1 was hit with lawsuits from two neighbors who claim the county’s negligence in maintaining the property has resulted in their homes being damaged by stormwater.

Richland 1 is just beginning the permitting process with the state Department of Education’s Office of School Facilities, Superintendent Craig Witherspoon said. But the district wants to make sure everything is in order. Currently, Witherspoon said, the building is intended for children in preschool through second grade, but that could change.

“We don’t want to confuse programming with facility,” Witherspoon said. “Our intention is to build a building.”

The inspector general’s report noted that the district’s public 3K and 4K programs, as well as similar programs across the state, are noncompliant when operated without oversight from the Department of Social Services.

But the district’s early childhood education director, Rhonda Wiley, said certain 4K programs for at-risk students are exempt from DSS oversight. The district will otherwise continue to ensure those classrooms meet Department of Education requirements and work with the state legislature to determine which programs require DSS oversight.

The county addressed other questions raised by the inspector general. Bob Grant, Richland 1’s chief operations officer, said that while the inspector general said about $300,000 was wasted because the project was halted, that money would have been spent on it anyway. The county had previously told The State in May that $813,000 had been spent on the site since Richland County issued a stop-construction order in January.

The committee also discussed the state Department of Education’s recent “financial prudence” order, and no decision has been made on whether to appeal.