IMPH Launches Foundations for Success Taskforce
February 25, 2026
COLUMBIA, S.C. (February 25, 2026) — The South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health (IMPH), an independent, nonprofit organization working to collectively inform policy to improve health and health care in South Carolina, is launching a taskforce focused on reducing suspensions and expulsions of early learners (3k – 1st Grade).
This statewide planning process, led by Taskforce Chair and former South Carolina Department of Social Services Director Michael Leach, MMFT, focuses on developing actionable policy solutions to improve health by reducing suspensions and expulsions among preschool, kindergarten and first-grade students.
“I’m honored to work alongside other South Carolina experts to develop a plan for the state to address discipline practices that remove young students from their regular learning environment. A child’s early years are critical for their development,” says Michael Leach, Taskforce Chair. “Practices that remove children from the classroom increase the risk of poor educational outcomes, later juvenile justice involvement, adverse mental and physical health outcomes and added emotional and financial stress for South Carolina families.”
In 2024, the Joint Citizens and Legislative Committee on Children reviewed South Carolina Department of Education data showing that 747 more public preschool students were suspended in 2024 compared to 2021.
Recent data shows that in South Carolina, students with disabilities are being suspended or removed from school (for 10 days or fewer) more often than in other states (at a rate of 15%, significantly above the national average of 7.4%).
“Existing data does not fully capture the scope of exclusionary discipline among early learners, as stakeholders have noted that the data does not reflect ‘off-the book’ suspensions (defined as the removal of a student from the classroom environment without formally documenting it as a disciplinary suspension),” says Maya Pack, MS, MPA, Executive Director at IMPH. “This taskforce will work to identify strategies for collecting accurate, comprehensive data to facilitate the development of effective solutions to reduce these practices across the state and keep young learners in classrooms.”
The final taskforce report and policy recommendations will be available in fall 2026. For more information, visit imph.org.
Taskforce funders include The Duke Endowment and the Lipscomb Family Fund (Donor Advised) of Central Carolina Community Foundation.
About IMPH
The South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health (IMPH) is an independent, nonprofit organization working to collectively inform policy to improve health and health care in South Carolina. IMPH provides nonpartisan, evidence-based information to guide policymakers in making impactful health policy decisions. Learn more at imph.org.
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