Toolkit for Developing High School EMS Programs

Share these with administrators, counselors, and EMS partners to orient your program.

Start by confirming alignment with SC DOE EMS 1–3 standards (2025). Define staffing, schedules, facilities, equipment, and funding sources.

• Map course goals and assessments to EMS 1–3 standards.
• Confirm instructor credentials and lab/classroom readiness.
• Align pacing to your bell schedule with semester checkpoints.
• Identify partners to support mentorship and clinical access.

Funding & Grants

Explore federal and state resources to help fund startup costs and equipment for new EMS programs.

• Use CTE and Perkins funding where eligible.
• Coordinate with your district’s finance office to align purchasing timelines.
• Tie equipment purchases to instructional outcomes for compliance and sustainability.

Review SC DPH rules and establish a Program Advisory Committee to support compliance and quality.

Align content and competencies to National Registry requirements and national standards.

Partner with a DPH‑Approved Sponsor Organization if you prefer not to hold program licensure directly. Document roles via MOU.

Ensure sufficient quantities for practice and evaluation; align purchases to standards and clinical skills.

Adapt these pacing guides, unit plans, and weekly outlines to your bell schedule.

Set clear expectations for students, parents, preceptors, and sites; standardize evaluations across settings.

Combine written checks with practical validations; use rubrics for consistency; incorporate reflection.

• Include practical skill evaluations alongside written tests.
• Incorporate peer and self‑assessments for reflective learning.

Prepare students for NREMT testing and South Carolina credential steps immediately after course completion.