The Meyer Center for Special Children plans to launch a new 4K Inclusion Program for children without disabilities in August.
The new program invites typically developing four-year-olds to learn alongside children with disabilities at the special education and therapy school located at 1132 Rutherford Road in Greenville. It will have limited enrollment to 12 children.
Meta Hendricks, executive director of the Meyer Center, said inclusive settings don’t take anything away from children without disabilities but add to them. According to the Meyer Center, the new program will help to improve typically developing children’s social-emotional skills, cognitive growth, kindergarten readiness and confidence.
“We’re offering Greenville families access to a truly unique kindergarten preparation experience, grounded in decades of proven best practice and led by one of the most skilled early childhood education teams in the Upstate,” Hendricks said.
The 4K Inclusion Program will mirror a typical kindergarten schedule led by a certified childhood educator and teaching assistant.
In addition to whole-group and individual instruction, the students will participate in academic and social activities with students with disabilities during integrated learning blocks. According to the Meyer Center, the program allows students with disabilities to practice communication, social interaction and independence.
“For years, we have prepared our students for inclusion in their zoned schools, but they’ve had to make that leap without ever having practiced it here,” Hendricks said. “This program changes that. Our students get to demonstrate what they’re capable of alongside same-age peers, in the place they know and trust most. That is a genuine game-changer for them.”
The Meyer Center received a $200,000 grant from Pacolet Milliken to launch the new 4K Inclusion Program. William Crawford, CEO of Pacolet Milliken, said the company is proud to support the Meyer Center in its innovative approach to helping children develop a broad range of skills, such as learning patience and empathy for one another.
The Meyer Center is now accepting applications for the 4K Inclusion Program, which will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Eligible students must be four years old by Sept. 1, 2026, be residents of South Carolina and not have special education services required at the time of enrollment.
Tuition for the program will be $220 per week or $792 per month for 10 months. For more information, visit meyercenter.org/admissions-2.
