[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1429 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

\Alpha3\E\HSEENR\h1429--enr.xml [file 1 of 1]

        H.R.1429

                       One Hundred Tenth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Thursday,
            the fourth day of January, two thousand and seven


                                 An Act


 
To reauthorize the Head Start Act, to improve program quality, to expand 
                     access, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Head 
Start for School Readiness Act of 2007''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Statement of purpose.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Financial assistance for Head Start programs.
Sec. 5. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 6. Allotment of funds; limitations on assistance.
Sec. 7. Designation of Head Start agencies.
Sec. 8. Standards; monitoring of Head Start agencies and programs.
Sec. 9. Powers and functions of Head Start agencies.
Sec. 10. Head start transition and alignment with K-12 education.
Sec. 11. Early childhood education, coordination, and improvement.
Sec. 12. Submission of plans.
Sec. 13. Administrative requirements and standards.
Sec. 14. Participation in Head Start programs.
Sec. 15. Early Head Start programs.
Sec. 16. Appeals, notice, and hearing.
Sec. 17. Records and audits.
Sec. 18. Technical assistance and training.
Sec. 19. Staff qualifications and development.
Sec. 20. Research, demonstrations, and evaluation.
Sec. 21. Reports.
Sec. 22. Comparability of wages.
Sec. 23. Limitation with respect to certain unlawful activities.
Sec. 24. Political activities.
Sec. 25. Parental consent requirement for health services.
Sec. 26. Centers of Excellence in Early Childhood.
Sec. 27. General provisions.
Sec. 28. Compliance with Improper Payments Information Act of 2002.
Sec. 29. References in other Acts.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
    Section 636 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831) is amended to 
read as follows:
    ``SEC. 636. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
    ``It is the purpose of this subchapter to promote the school 
readiness of low-income children by enhancing their cognitive, social, 
and emotional development--
        ``(1) in a learning environment that supports children's growth 
    in language, literacy, mathematics, science, social and emotional 
    functioning, creative arts, physical skills, and approaches to 
    learning; and
        ``(2) through the provision to low-income children and their 
    families of health, educational, nutritional, social, and other 
    services that are determined, based on family needs assessments, to 
    be necessary.''.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
    (a) In General.--Section 637 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9832) 
is amended--
        (1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``(including a community-
    based organization, as defined in section 9101 of the Elementary 
    and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801))'' after 
    ``nonprofit'';
        (2) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting ``, and financial 
    literacy.'' after ``self-sufficiency'';
        (3) in paragraph (12), by striking ``migrant and seasonal Head 
    Start program'' and inserting ``migrant or seasonal Head Start 
    program'';
        (4) by striking paragraph (17) and inserting the following:
        ``(17) The term `State' means a State, the Commonwealth of 
    Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the 
    Virgin Islands of the United States, and the Commonwealth of the 
    Northern Mariana Islands. The term includes the Republic of Palau 
    for fiscal years 2008 and 2009, and (if the legislation described 
    in section 640(a)(2)(B)(v) has not been enacted by September 30, 
    2009) for fiscal years 2010 through 2012.''; and
        (5) by adding at the end the following:
        ``(18) The term `deficiency' means--
            ``(A) a systemic or substantial material failure of an 
        agency in an area of performance that the Secretary determines 
        involves--
                ``(i) a threat to the health, safety, or civil rights 
            of children or staff;
                ``(ii) a denial to parents of the exercise of their 
            full roles and responsibilities related to program 
            operations;
                ``(iii) a failure to comply with standards related to 
            early childhood development and health services, family and 
            community partnerships, or program design and management;
                ``(iv) the misuse of funds received under this 
            subchapter;
                ``(v) loss of legal status (as determined by the 
            Secretary) or financial viability, loss of permits, 
            debarment from receiving Federal grants or contracts, or 
            the improper use of Federal funds; or
                ``(vi) failure to meet any other Federal or State 
            requirement that the agency has shown an unwillingness or 
            inability to correct, after notice from the Secretary, 
            within the period specified;
            ``(B) systemic or material failure of the governing body of 
        an agency to fully exercise its legal and fiduciary 
        responsibilities; or
            ``(C) an unresolved area of noncompliance.
        ``(19) The term `homeless children' has the meaning given the 
    term `homeless children and youths' in section 725(2) of the 
    McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a(2)).
        ``(20) The term `institution of higher education' has the 
    meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education 
    Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
        ``(21) The term `interrater reliability' means the extent to 
    which 2 or more independent raters or observers consistently obtain 
    the same result when using the same assessment tool.
        ``(22) The term `limited English proficient', used with respect 
    to a child, means a child--
            ``(A)(i) who was not born in the United States or whose 
        native language is a language other than English;
            ``(ii)(I) who is a Native American (as defined in section 
        9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 7801)), an Alaska Native, or a native resident of an 
        outlying area (as defined in such section 9101); and
            ``(II) who comes from an environment where a language other 
        than English has had a significant impact on the child's level 
        of English language proficiency; or
            ``(iii) who is migratory, whose native language is a 
        language other than English, and who comes from an environment 
        where a language other than English is dominant; and
            ``(B) whose difficulties in speaking or understanding the 
        English language may be sufficient to deny such child--
                ``(i) the ability to successfully achieve in a 
            classroom in which the language of instruction is English; 
            or
                ``(ii) the opportunity to participate fully in society.
        ``(23) The term `principles of scientific research' means 
    principles of research that--
            ``(A) applies rigorous, systematic, and objective 
        methodology to obtain reliable and valid knowledge relevant to 
        education activities and programs;
            ``(B) presents findings and makes claims that are 
        appropriate to and supported by methods that have been 
        employed; and
            ``(C) includes, as appropriate to the research being 
        conducted--
                ``(i) use of systematic, empirical methods that draw on 
            observation or experiment;
                ``(ii) use of data analyses that are adequate to 
            support the general findings;
                ``(iii) reliance on measurements or observational 
            methods that provide reliable and generalizable findings;
                ``(iv) strong claims of causal relationships, only with 
            research designs that eliminate plausible competing 
            explanations for observed results, such as, but not limited 
            to, random assignment experiments;
                ``(v) presentation of studies and methods in sufficient 
            detail and clarity to allow for replication or, at a 
            minimum, to offer the opportunity to build systematically 
            on the findings of the research;
                ``(vi) acceptance by a peer-reviewed journal or 
            critique by a panel of independent experts through a 
            comparably rigorous, objective, and scientific review; and
                ``(vii) consistency of findings across multiple studies 
            or sites to support the generality of results and 
            conclusions.
        ``(24) The term `professional development' means high-quality 
    activities that will improve the knowledge and skills of Head Start 
    teachers and staff, as relevant to their roles and functions, in 
    program administration and the provision of services and 
    instruction, as appropriate, in a manner that improves service 
    delivery to enrolled children and their families, including 
    activities that--
            ``(A) are part of a sustained effort to improve overall 
        program quality and outcomes for enrolled children and their 
        families;
            ``(B) are developed or selected with extensive 
        participation of administrators and teachers from Head Start 
        programs;
            ``(C) are developmentally appropriate for the children 
        being served;
            ``(D) include instruction in ways that Head Start teachers 
        and staff may work more effectively with parents, as 
        appropriate;
            ``(E) are designed to give Head Start teachers and staff 
        the knowledge and skills to provide instruction and appropriate 
        support services to children of diverse backgrounds, as 
        appropriate;
            ``(F) may include a 1-day or short-term workshop or 
        conference, if the workshop or conference is consistent with 
        the goals in the professional development plan described in 
        section 648A(f) and will be delivered by an institution of 
        higher education or other entity, with expertise in delivering 
        training in early childhood development, training in family 
        support, and other assistance designed to improve the delivery 
        of Head Start services; and
            ``(G) in the case of teachers, assist teachers with--
                ``(i) the acquisition of the content knowledge and 
            teaching strategies needed to provide effective instruction 
            and other school readiness services regarding early 
            language and literacy, early mathematics, early science, 
            cognitive skills, approaches to learning, creative arts, 
            physical health and development, and social and emotional 
            development linked to school readiness;
                ``(ii) meeting the requirements in paragraphs (1) and 
            (2) of section 648A(a), as appropriate;
                ``(iii) improving classroom management skills, as 
            appropriate;
                ``(iv) advancing their understanding of effective 
            instructional strategies that are--

                    ``(I) based on scientifically valid research; and
                    ``(II) aligned with--

                        ``(aa) the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework 
                    developed by the Secretary and, as appropriate, 
                    State early learning standards; and
                        ``(bb) curricula, ongoing assessments, and 
                    other instruction and services, designed to help 
                    meet the standards described in section 641A(a)(1);
                ``(v) acquiring the knowledge and skills to provide 
            instruction and appropriate language and support services 
            to increase the English language skills of limited English 
            proficient children, as appropriate; or
                ``(vi) methods of teaching children with disabilities, 
            as appropriate.
        ``(25) The term `scientifically valid research' includes 
    applied research, basic research, and field-initiated research in 
    which the rationale, design, and interpretation are soundly 
    developed in accordance with principles of scientific research.
        ``(26) The term `unresolved area of noncompliance' means 
    failure to correct a noncompliance item within 120 days, or within 
    such additional time (if any) as is authorized by the Secretary, 
    after receiving from the Secretary notice of such noncompliance 
    item, pursuant to section 641A(c).''.
    (b) Redesignation and Reordering of Definitions.--Section 637 of 
such Act is amended--
        (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (23) as paragraphs 
    (1), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (12), (16), (17), 
    (18), (19), (22), (24), (25), (2), (11), (13), (14), (15), (20), 
    (21), (23), and (26), respectively; and
        (2) so that paragraphs (1) through (26), as so redesignated in 
    paragraph (1), appear in numerical order.
SEC. 4. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR HEAD START PROGRAMS.
    Section 638 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9833) is amended by 
inserting ``for a period of 5 years'' after ``provide financial 
assistance to such agency''.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
    Section 639 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9834) is amended to 
read as follows:
    ``SEC. 639. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
subchapter (other than section 657B) $7,350,000,000 for fiscal year 
2008, $7,650,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $7,995,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2010, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2011 and 2012.''.
SEC. 6. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS; LIMITATIONS ON ASSISTANCE.
    (a) Allotment of Funds.--Section 640(a) of the Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9835(a)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a)(1) Using the sums appropriated pursuant to section 639 for a 
fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate such sums in accordance with 
paragraphs (2) through (5).
    ``(2)(A) The Secretary shall determine an amount for each fiscal 
year for each State that is equal to the amount received through base 
grants for the prior fiscal year by the Head Start agencies (including 
Early Head Start agencies) in the State that are not described in 
clause (ii) or (iii) of subparagraph (B).
    ``(B) The Secretary shall reserve for each fiscal year such sums as 
are necessary--
        ``(i) to provide each amount determined for a State under 
    subparagraph (A) to the Head Start agencies (including Early Head 
    Start agencies) in the State that are not described in clause (ii) 
    or (iii), by allotting to each agency described in this clause an 
    amount equal to that agency's base grant for the prior fiscal year;
        ``(ii) to provide an amount for the Indian Head Start programs 
    that is equal to the amount provided for base grants for such 
    programs under this subchapter for the prior fiscal year, by 
    allotting to each Head Start agency (including each Early Head 
    Start agency) administering an Indian Head Start program an amount 
    equal to that agency's base grant for the prior fiscal year;
        ``(iii) to provide an amount for the migrant and seasonal Head 
    Start programs, on a nationwide basis, that is equal to the amount 
    provided nationwide for base grants for such programs under this 
    subchapter for the prior fiscal year, by allotting to each Head 
    Start agency administering a migrant or seasonal Head Start program 
    an amount equal to that agency's base grant for the prior fiscal 
    year;
        ``(iv) to provide an amount for each of Guam, American Samoa, 
    the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin 
    Islands of the United States (for Head Start agencies (including 
    Early Head Start agencies) in the jurisdiction) that is equal to 
    the amount provided for base grants for such jurisdiction under 
    this subchapter for the prior fiscal year, by allotting to each 
    agency described in this clause an amount equal to that agency's 
    base grant for the prior fiscal year;
        ``(v) to provide an amount for the Republic of Palau (for Head 
    Start agencies (including Early Head Start agencies) in the 
    jurisdiction) for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009, and (if 
    legislation approving a new agreement regarding United States 
    assistance for the Republic of Palau has not been enacted by 
    September 30, 2009) for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2012, 
    that is equal to the amount provided for base grants for such 
    jurisdiction under this subchapter for the prior fiscal year, by 
    allotting to each agency described in this clause an amount equal 
    to that agency's base grant for the prior fiscal year; and
        ``(vi) to provide an amount for a collaboration grant under 
    section 642B(a) for each State, for the Indian Head Start programs, 
    and for the migrant and seasonal Head Start programs, in the same 
    amount as the corresponding collaboration grant provided under this 
    subchapter for fiscal year 2007.
    ``(C)(i) The Secretary shall reserve for each fiscal year an amount 
that is not less than 2.5 percent and not more than 3 percent of the 
sums appropriated pursuant to section 639 for that fiscal year, to fund 
training and technical assistance activities, from which reserved 
amount--
        ``(I) the Secretary shall set aside a portion, but not less 
    than 20 percent, to be used to fund training and technical 
    assistance activities for Early Head Start programs, in accordance 
    with section 645A(g)(2); and
        ``(II) the Secretary shall set aside a portion, equal to the 
    rest of the reserved amount, to fund training and technical 
    assistance activities for other Head Start programs, in accordance 
    with section 648, of which portion--
            ``(aa) not less than 50 percent shall be made available to 
        Head Start agencies to use directly, which may include at their 
        discretion the establishment of local or regional agreements 
        with community experts, institutions of higher education, or 
        private consultants, to make program improvements identified by 
        such agencies, by carrying out the training and technical 
        assistance activities described in section 648(d);
            ``(bb) not less than 25 percent shall be available to the 
        Secretary to support a State-based training and technical 
        assistance system, or a national system, described in section 
        648(e) for supporting program quality; and
            ``(cc) the remainder of the portion set aside under this 
        subclause shall be available to the Secretary to assist Head 
        Start agencies in meeting and exceeding the standards described 
        in section 641A(a)(1) by carrying out activities described in 
        subsections (a), (b), (c), (f), and (g) of section 648, 
        including helping Head Start programs address weaknesses 
        identified by monitoring activities conducted by the Secretary 
        under section 641A(c), except that not less than $3,000,000 of 
        the remainder shall be made available to carry out activities 
        described in section 648(a)(3)(B)(ii).
    ``(ii) In determining the portion set aside under clause (i)(I) and 
the amount reserved under this subparagraph, the Secretary shall 
consider the number of Early Head Start programs newly funded for that 
fiscal year.
    ``(D) The Secretary shall reserve not more than $20,000,000 to fund 
research, demonstration, and evaluation activities under section 649, 
of which not more than $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 
2012 shall be available to carry out impact studies under section 
649(g).
    ``(E) The Secretary shall reserve not more than $42,000,000 for 
discretionary payments by the Secretary, including payments for all 
costs (other than compensation of Federal employees) for activities 
carried out under subsection (c) or (e) of section 641A.
    ``(F) If the sums appropriated under section 639 are not sufficient 
to provide the amounts required to be reserved under subparagraphs (B) 
through (E), the amounts shall be reduced proportionately.
    ``(G) Nothing in this section shall be construed to deny the 
Secretary the authority, consistent with sections 641, 641A, and 646 to 
terminate, suspend, or reduce funding to a Head Start agency.
    ``(3)(A) From any amount remaining for a fiscal year after the 
Secretary carries out paragraph (2) (referred to in this paragraph as 
the `remaining amount'), the Secretary shall--
        ``(i) subject to clause (ii)--
            ``(I) provide a cost of living increase for each Head Start 
        agency (including each Early Head Start agency) funded under 
        this subchapter for that fiscal year, to maintain the level of 
        services provided during the prior year; and
            ``(II) subject to subparagraph (B), provide $10,000,000 for 
        Indian Head Start programs (including Early Head Start 
        programs), and $10,000,000 for migrant and seasonal Head Start 
        programs, to increase enrollment in the programs involved;
        ``(ii) subject to clause (iii), if the remaining amount is not 
    sufficient to carry out clause (i)--
            ``(I) for each of fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 2010--
                ``(aa) subject to subparagraph (B), provide 5 percent 
            of that amount for Indian Head Start programs (including 
            Early Head Start programs), and 5 percent of that amount 
            for migrant and seasonal Head Start programs, to increase 
            enrollment in the programs involved; and
                ``(bb) use 90 percent of that amount to provide, for 
            each Head Start agency (including each Early Head Start 
            agency) funded as described in clause (i)(I), the same 
            percentage (but not less than 50 percent) of the cost of 
            living increase described in clause (i); and
            ``(II) for fiscal year 2011 and each subsequent fiscal 
        year--
                ``(aa) provide, for each Head Start agency (including 
            each Early Head Start agency) funded as described in clause 
            (i)(I), the cost of living increase described in clause 
            (i); and
                ``(bb) subject to subparagraph (B), with any portion of 
            the remaining amount that is not used under item (aa), 
            provide equal amounts for Indian Head Start programs 
            (including Early Head Start programs), and for migrant and 
            seasonal Head Start programs, to increase enrollment in the 
            programs involved; and
        ``(iii) if the remaining amount is not sufficient to carry out 
    clause (ii) for the fiscal year involved, use that amount to 
    provide, for each Head Start agency (including each Early Head 
    Start agency) funded as described in clause (i)(I), the same 
    percentage of the cost of living increase described in clause (i).
    ``(B)(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, the 
Indian Head Start programs shall not receive more than a total 
cumulative amount of $50,000,000 for all fiscal years, and the migrant 
and seasonal Head Start programs shall not receive more than a total 
cumulative amount of $50,000,000 for all fiscal years, under clause 
(i)(II), and subclauses (I)(aa) and (II)(bb) of clause (ii), of 
subparagraph (A) (referred to in this subsection as the `special 
expansion provisions'), to increase enrollment in the programs 
involved.
    ``(ii)(I) Funds that are appropriated under section 639 for a 
fiscal year, and made available to Indian Head Start programs or 
migrant or seasonal Head Start programs under the special expansion 
provisions, shall remain available until the end of the following 
fiscal year.
    ``(II) For purposes of subclause (I)--
        ``(aa) if no portion is reallocated under clause (iii), those 
    funds shall remain available to the programs involved; or
        ``(bb) if a portion is reallocated under clause (iii), the 
    portion shall remain available to the recipients of the portion.
    ``(iii) Of the funds made available as described in clause (ii), 
the Secretary shall reallocate the portion that the Secretary 
determines is unobligated 18 months after the funds are made available. 
The Secretary shall add that portion to the balance described in 
paragraph (4), and reallocate the portion in accordance with paragraph 
(4), for the following fiscal year referred to in clause (ii).
    ``(4)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), from any amount 
remaining for a fiscal year after the Secretary carries out paragraphs 
(2) and (3) (referred to in this paragraph as the `balance'), the 
Secretary shall--
        ``(i) reserve 40 percent to carry out subparagraph (C) and 
    paragraph (5);
        ``(ii) reserve 45 percent to carry out subparagraph (D); and
        ``(iii) reserve 15 percent (which shall remain available 
    through the end of fiscal year 2012) to provide funds for carrying 
    out section 642B(b)(2).
    ``(B)(i) Under the circumstances described in clause (ii), from the 
balance, the Secretary shall--
        ``(I) reserve 45 percent to carry out subparagraph (C) and 
    paragraph (5); and
        ``(II) reserve 55 percent to carry out subparagraph (D).
    ``(ii) The Secretary shall make the reservations described in 
clause (i) for a fiscal year if--
        ``(I) the total cumulative amount reserved under subparagraph 
    (A)(iii) for all preceding fiscal years equals $100,000,000; or
        ``(II) in the 2-year period preceding such fiscal year, funds 
    were reserved under subparagraph (A)(iii) in an amount that totals 
    not less than $15,000,000 and the Secretary received no approvable 
    applications for such funds.
    ``(iii) The total cumulative amount reserved under subparagraph 
(A)(iii) for all fiscal years may not be greater than $100,000,000.
    ``(C) The Secretary shall fund the quality improvement activities 
described in paragraph (5) using the amount reserved under subparagraph 
(A)(i) or subparagraph (B)(i)(I), as appropriate, of which--
        ``(i) a portion that is less than 10 percent may be reserved by 
    the Secretary to provide funding to Head Start agencies (including 
    Early Head Start agencies) that demonstrate the greatest need for 
    additional funding for such activities, as determined by the 
    Secretary; and
        ``(ii) a portion that is not less than 90 percent shall be 
    reserved by the Secretary to allot, to each Head Start agency 
    (including each Early Head Start agency), an amount that bears the 
    same ratio to such portion as the number of enrolled children 
    served by the agency involved bears to the number of enrolled 
    children served by all the Head Start agencies (including Early 
    Head Start agencies), except that the Secretary shall account for 
    the additional costs of serving children in Early Head Start 
    programs and may consider whether an agency is providing a full-day 
    program or whether an agency is providing a full-year program.
    ``(D) The Secretary shall fund expansion of Head Start programs 
(including Early Head Start programs) using the amount reserved under 
subparagraph (A)(ii) or subparagraph (B)(i)(II), as appropriate, of 
which the Secretary shall--
        ``(i) use 0.2 percent for Head Start programs funded under 
    clause (iv) or (v) of paragraph (2)(B) (other than Early Head Start 
    programs);
        ``(ii) for any fiscal year after the last fiscal year for which 
    Indian Head Start programs receive funds under the special 
    expansion provisions, use 3 percent for Head Start programs funded 
    under paragraph (2)(B)(ii) (other than Early Head Start programs), 
    except that the Secretary may increase that percentage if the 
    Secretary determines that the results of the study conducted under 
    section 649(k) indicate that the percentage should be increased;
        ``(iii) for any fiscal year after the last fiscal year for 
    which migrant or seasonal Head Start programs receive funds under 
    the special expansion provisions, use 4.5 percent for Head Start 
    programs funded under paragraph (2)(B)(iii) (other than Early Head 
    Start programs), except that the Secretary may increase that 
    percentage if the Secretary determines that the results of the 
    study conducted under section 649(l) indicate that the percentage 
    should be increased; and
        ``(iv) from the remainder of the reserved amount--
            ``(I) use 50 percent for Head Start programs funded under 
        paragraph (2)(B)(i) (other than Early Head Start programs), of 
        which--
                ``(aa) the covered percentage shall be allocated among 
            the States serving less than 60 percent (as determined by 
            the Secretary) of children who are 3 or 4 years of age from 
            families whose income is below the poverty line, by 
            allocating to each of those States an amount that bears the 
            same relationship to that covered percentage as the number 
            of children who are less than 5 years of age from families 
            whose income is below the poverty line (referred to in this 
            subclause as `young low-income children') in that State 
            bears to the number of young low-income children in all 
            those States; and
                ``(bb) the remainder shall be allocated proportionately 
            among the States on the basis of the number of young low-
            income children; and
            ``(II) use 50 percent for Early Head Start programs.
    ``(E) In this paragraph, the term `covered percentage' means--
        ``(i) for fiscal year 2008, 30 percent;
        ``(ii) for fiscal year 2009, 40 percent;
        ``(iii) for fiscal year 2010, 50 percent;
        ``(iv) for fiscal year 2011, 55 percent; and
        ``(v) for fiscal year 2012, 55 percent.
    ``(5)(A) Not less than 50 percent of the amount reserved under 
subparagraph (A)(i) or subparagraph (B)(i)(I), as appropriate, of 
paragraph (4) to carry out quality improvement activities under 
paragraph (4)(C) and this paragraph shall be used to improve the 
compensation (including benefits) of educational personnel, family 
service workers, and child counselors, as described in sections 644(a) 
and 653, in the manner determined by the Head Start agencies (including 
Early Head Start agencies) involved, to--
        ``(i) ensure that compensation is adequate to attract and 
    retain qualified staff for the programs involved in order to 
    enhance program quality;
        ``(ii) improve staff qualifications and assist with the 
    implementation of career development programs for staff that 
    support ongoing improvement of their skills and expertise; and
        ``(iii) provide education and professional development to 
    enable teachers to be fully competent to meet the professional 
    standards established under section 648A(a)(1), including--
            ``(I) providing assistance to complete postsecondary course 
        work;
            ``(II) improving the qualifications and skills of 
        educational personnel to become certified and licensed as 
        bilingual education teachers, or as teachers of English as a 
        second language; and
            ``(III) improving the qualifications and skills of 
        educational personnel to teach and provide services to children 
        with disabilities.
    ``(B) Any remaining funds from the reserved amount described in 
subparagraph (A) shall be used to carry out any of the following 
activities:
        ``(i) Supporting staff training, child counseling, and other 
    services, necessary to address the challenges of children from 
    immigrant, refugee, and asylee families, homeless children, 
    children in foster care, limited English proficient children, 
    children of migrant or seasonal farmworker families, children from 
    families in crisis, children referred to Head Start programs 
    (including Early Head Start programs) by child welfare agencies, 
    and children who are exposed to chronic violence or substance 
    abuse.
        ``(ii) Ensuring that the physical environments of Head Start 
    programs are conducive to providing effective program services to 
    children and families, and are accessible to children with 
    disabilities and other individuals with disabilities.
        ``(iii) Employing additional qualified classroom staff to 
    reduce the child-to-teacher ratio in the classroom and additional 
    qualified family service workers to reduce the family-to-staff 
    ratio for those workers.
        ``(iv) Ensuring that Head Start programs have qualified staff 
    that promote the language skills and literacy growth of children 
    and that provide children with a variety of skills that have been 
    identified, through scientifically based reading research, as 
    predictive of later reading achievement.
        ``(v) Increasing hours of program operation, including--
            ``(I) conversion of part-day programs to full-working-day 
        programs; and
            ``(II) increasing the number of weeks of operation in a 
        calendar year.
        ``(vi) Improving communitywide strategic planning and needs 
    assessments for Head Start programs and collaboration efforts for 
    such programs, including outreach to children described in clause 
    (i).
        ``(vii) Transporting children in Head Start programs safely, 
    except that not more than 10 percent of funds made available to 
    carry out this paragraph may be used for such purposes.
        ``(viii) Improving the compensation and benefits of staff of 
    Head Start agencies, in order to improve the quality of Head Start 
    programs.
    ``(6) No sums appropriated under this subchapter may be combined 
with funds appropriated under any provision other than this subchapter 
if the purpose of combining funds is to make a single discretionary 
grant or a single discretionary payment, unless such sums appropriated 
under this subchapter are separately identified in such grant or 
payment and are used for the purposes of this subchapter.
    ``(7) In this subsection:
        ``(A) The term `base grant', used with respect to a fiscal 
    year, means the amount of permanent ongoing funding (other than 
    funding described in sections 645A(g)(2)(A)(i) and paragraph 
    (2)(C)(i)(II)(aa)) provided to a Head Start agency (including an 
    Early Head Start agency) under this subchapter for that fiscal 
    year.
        ``(B) The term `cost-of-living increase', used with respect to 
    an agency for a fiscal year, means an increase in the funding for 
    that agency, based on the percentage change in the Consumer Price 
    Index for All Urban Consumers (issued by the Bureau of Labor 
    Statistics) for the prior fiscal year, calculated on the amount of 
    the base grant for that agency for the prior fiscal year.
        ``(C) For the purposes of this subsection, the term `State' 
    does not include Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands of the 
    United States, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
    the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall 
    Islands, and the Republic of Palau.''.
    (b) Minimum Enrollment Requirement for Children With 
Disabilities.--Section 640(d) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(d)) 
is amended to read as follows:
    ``(d)(1) The Secretary shall establish policies and procedures to 
assure that, for fiscal year 2009 and thereafter, not less than 10 
percent of the total number of children actually enrolled by each Head 
Start agency and each delegate agency will be children with 
disabilities who are determined to be eligible for special education 
and related services, or early intervention services, as appropriate, 
as determined under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 
U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), by the State or local agency providing services 
under section 619 or part C of the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.).
    ``(2) Such policies and procedures shall ensure the provision of 
early intervening services, such as educational and behavioral services 
and supports, to meet the needs of children with disabilities, prior to 
an eligibility determination under the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act.
    ``(3) Such policies and procedures shall require Head Start 
agencies to provide timely referral to and collaborate with the State 
or local agency providing services under section 619 or part C of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to ensure the provision of 
special education and related services and early intervention services, 
and the coordination of programmatic efforts, to meet the special needs 
of such children.
    ``(4) The Secretary shall establish policies and procedures to 
provide Head Start agencies with waivers of the requirements of 
paragraph (1) for not more than 3 years. Such policies and procedures 
shall require Head Start agencies, in order to receive such waivers, to 
provide evidence demonstrating that the Head Start agencies are making 
reasonable efforts on an annual basis to comply with the requirements 
of that paragraph.
    ``(5) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit or 
create a right to a free appropriate public education under the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.''.
    (c) Service Delivery Models.--Section 640(f) of the Head Start Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9835(f)) is amended--
        (1) by striking ``(f) The'' and inserting ``(f)(1) Not later 
    than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Improving Head Start 
    for School Readiness Act of 2007, the'';
        (2) by striking ``needs.'' and inserting ``needs, including 
    models that leverage the capacity and capabilities of the delivery 
    system of early childhood education and development services or 
    programs.''; and
        (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(2) In establishing the procedures the Secretary shall establish 
procedures to provide for--
        ``(A) the conversion of part-day programs to full-working-day 
    programs or part-day slots to full-working-day slots; and
        ``(B) serving additional infants and toddlers pursuant to 
    section 645(a)(5).''.
    (d) Additional Funds.--Section 640(g) of the Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9835(g)) is amended--
        (1) by striking paragraphs (1), (3), and (4);
        (2) in paragraph (2)--
            (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
        ``, in allocating funds to an applicant within a State, from 
        amounts allotted to a State pursuant to subsection (a)(4),'';
            (B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``performance 
        standards'' and inserting ``standards described in section 
        641A(a)(1)'';
            (C) by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the 
        following:
        ``(C) the extent to which the applicant has undertaken a 
    communitywide strategic planning and needs assessment involving 
    other entities, including community organizations, and Federal, 
    State, and local public agencies (including the local educational 
    agency liaison designated under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the 
    McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
    11432(g)(1)(J)(ii))), that provide services to children and 
    families, such as--
            ``(i) family support services;
            ``(ii) child abuse prevention services;
            ``(iii) protective services;
            ``(iv) foster care;
            ``(v) services for families in whose homes English is not 
        the language customarily spoken;
            ``(vi) services for children with disabilities; and
            ``(vii) services for homeless children;'';
            (D) in subparagraph (D)--
                (i) by striking ``family and community needs 
            assessment'' and inserting ``family needs assessment and 
            communitywide strategic planning and needs assessment'';
                (ii) by striking ``reflects'' and inserting 
            ``reflect''; and
                (iii) by striking ``other local'' and inserting ``the 
            State and local'';
            (E) by striking subparagraph (E) and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(E) the number of eligible children, as described in 
        clause (i) or (ii) of section 645(a)(1)(B), in each community 
        who are not participating in a Head Start program or any other 
        publicly funded early childhood education and development 
        program;'';
            (F) by striking subparagraphs (G) and (H) and inserting the 
        following:
        ``(G) the extent to which the applicant proposes to foster 
    partnerships with other service providers in a manner that will 
    leverage the existing delivery systems of such services and enhance 
    the resource capacity of the applicant; and
        ``(H) the extent to which the applicant, in providing services, 
    successfully coordinated activities with the local educational 
    agency serving the community involved (including the local 
    educational agency liaison designated under section 
    722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 
    U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii))), and with schools in which children 
    participating in such applicant's program will enroll following 
    such program, with respect to such services and the education 
    services provided by such local educational agency.'';
        (3) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (1); and
        (4) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in using funds made available 
for expansion under subsection (a)(4)(D), the Secretary shall first 
allocate the funds to qualified applicants proposing to use such funds 
to serve children from families with incomes below the poverty line. 
Agencies that receive such funds are subject to the eligibility and 
enrollment requirements under section 645(a)(1).
    ``(3)(A) In the event that the amount appropriated to carry out the 
program under this subchapter for a fiscal year does not exceed the 
amount appropriated for the prior fiscal year, or is not sufficient to 
maintain services comparable to the services provided under this 
subchapter during the prior fiscal year, a Head Start agency may 
negotiate with the Secretary a reduced funded enrollment level without 
a reduction in the amount of the grant received by the agency under 
this subchapter, if such agency can reasonably demonstrate that such 
reduced funded enrollment level is necessary to maintain the quality of 
services.
    ``(B) In accordance with this paragraph, the Secretary shall set up 
a process for Head Start agencies to negotiate the reduced funded 
enrollment levels referred to in subparagraph (A) for the fiscal year 
involved.
    ``(C) In the event described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
shall be required to notify Head Start agencies of their ability to 
negotiate the reduced funded enrollment levels if such an agency can 
reasonably demonstrate that such reduced funded enrollment level is 
necessary to maintain the quality of services.''.
    (e) Vehicle Safety Requirements.--Section 640(i) of the Head Start 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(i)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
``The regulations shall also establish requirements to ensure the 
appropriate supervision of, and appropriate background checks for, 
individuals with whom the agencies contract to transport those 
children.''.
    (f) Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs.--Section 640(l) of 
the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(l)) is amended--
        (1) in paragraph (1)--
            (A) by striking ``With funds'' and all that follows through 
        ``programs,'' and inserting ``With funds made available under 
        this subchapter to expand migrant and seasonal Head Start 
        programs,''; and
            (B) by striking ``children of migrant and seasonal 
        farmworker families'' and inserting ``children of migrant or 
        seasonal farmworker families'';
        (2) in paragraph (2)--
            (A) by striking ``For'' and all that follows through ``in 
        determining'' and inserting ``In determining'';
            (B) by striking ``children of migrant farmworkers'' and 
        inserting ``children of migrant farmworker families'';
            (C) by striking ``under such subsection'' and inserting 
        ``under this subchapter'';
            (D) by striking ``children of seasonal farmworkers'' each 
        place it appears and inserting ``children of seasonal 
        farmworker families''; and
            (E) by striking ``children of such farmworkers'' and 
        inserting ``children of such farmworker families''; and
        (3) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
    ``(3) In carrying out this subchapter, the Secretary shall continue 
the administrative arrangement at the national level for meeting the 
needs of Indian children and children of migrant and seasonal 
farmworker families and shall ensure--
        ``(A) the provision of training and technical assistance by 
    staff with knowledge of and experience in working with such 
    populations; and
        ``(B) the appointment of a national Indian Head Start 
    collaboration director and a national migrant and seasonal Head 
    Start collaboration director.
    ``(4)(A) For the purposes of paragraph (3), the Secretary shall 
conduct an annual consultation in each affected Head Start region, with 
tribal governments operating Head Start (including Early Head Start) 
programs.
    ``(B) The consultations shall be for the purpose of better meeting 
the needs of Indian, including Alaska Native, children and their 
families, in accordance with this subchapter, taking into consideration 
funding allocations, distribution formulas, and other issues affecting 
the delivery of Head Start services in their geographic locations.
    ``(C) The Secretary shall publish a notification of the 
consultations in the Federal Register before conducting the 
consultations.
    ``(D) The Secretary shall ensure that a detailed report of each 
consultation shall be prepared and made available, within 90 days after 
the consultation, to all tribal governments receiving funds under this 
subchapter.''.
    (g) Enrollment of Homeless Children; Rule of Construction; 
Materials.--Section 640 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(m) The Secretary shall issue rules to establish policies and 
procedures to remove barriers to the enrollment and participation of 
homeless children in Head Start programs. Such rules shall require Head 
Start agencies--
        ``(1) to implement policies and procedures to ensure that 
    homeless children are identified and prioritized for enrollment;
        ``(2) to allow families of homeless children to apply to, 
    enroll in, and attend Head Start programs while required documents, 
    such as proof of residency, immunization and other medical records, 
    birth certificates, and other documents, are obtained within a 
    reasonable time frame; and
        ``(3) to coordinate individual Head Start programs with efforts 
    to implement subtitle B of title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
    Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.).
    ``(n) Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to require a 
State to establish a publicly funded program of early childhood 
education and development, or to require any child to participate in 
such a publicly funded program, including a State-funded preschool 
program, or to participate in any initial screening before 
participating in a publicly funded program of early childhood education 
and development, except as provided under sections 612(a)(3) and 
635(a)(5) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
1412(a)(3), 1435(a)(5)).
    ``(o) All curricula funded under this subchapter shall be based on 
scientifically valid research, and be age and developmentally 
appropriate. The curricula shall reflect all areas of child development 
and learning and be aligned with the Head Start Child Outcomes 
Framework. Parents shall have the opportunity to examine any such 
curricula or instructional materials funded under this subchapter.''.
SEC. 7. DESIGNATION OF HEAD START AGENCIES.
    Section 641 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836) is amended to 
read as follows:
    ``SEC. 641. DESIGNATION OF HEAD START AGENCIES.
    ``(a) Authority To Designate.--
        ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to designate as 
    a Head Start agency any local public or private nonprofit agency, 
    including community-based and faith-based organizations, or for-
    profit agency, within a community, pursuant to the requirements of 
    this section.
        ``(2) Interim policy.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), until 
    such time as the Secretary develops and implements the system for 
    designation renewal under this section, the Secretary is authorized 
    to designate as a Head Start agency, any local public or private 
    nonprofit agency, including community-based and faith-based 
    organizations, or for-profit agency, within a community, in the 
    manner and process utilized by the Secretary prior to the enactment 
    of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007.
    ``(b) Application for Designation Renewal.--To be considered for 
designation renewal, an entity shall submit an application to the 
Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may 
require.
    ``(c) System for Designation Renewal.--
        ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop a system for 
    designation renewal that integrates the recommendations of the 
    expert panel convened under paragraph (2) to determine if a Head 
    Start agency is delivering a high-quality and comprehensive Head 
    Start program that meets the educational, health, nutritional, and 
    social needs of the children and families it serves, and meets 
    program and financial management requirements and standards 
    described in section 641A(a)(1), based on--
            ``(A) annual budget and fiscal management data;
            ``(B) program reviews conducted under section 641A(c);
            ``(C) annual audits required under section 647;
            ``(D) classroom quality as measured under section 
        641A(c)(2)(F); and
            ``(E) Program Information Reports.
        ``(2) Expert panel.--Not later than 3 months after the date of 
    enactment of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 
    2007, the Secretary shall convene an expert panel of 7 members to 
    make recommendations to the Secretary on the development of a 
    transparent, reliable, and valid system for designation renewal.
        ``(3) Composition of expert panel.--The Secretary, in convening 
    such panel, shall appoint the following:
            ``(A)(i) One member, who has demonstrated competency, as 
        evidenced by training, expertise, and experience, in early 
        childhood program accreditation.
            ``(ii) One member, who has demonstrated competency (as so 
        evidenced) in research on early childhood development.
            ``(iii) One member, who has demonstrated competency (as so 
        evidenced) in governance and finance of nonprofit 
        organizations.
            ``(iv) One member, who has demonstrated competency (as so 
        evidenced) in delivery of services to populations of children 
        with special needs and their families.
            ``(v) One member, who has demonstrated competency (as so 
        evidenced) in assessment and evaluation of programs serving 
        young children.
            ``(B) An employee from the Office of Head Start.
            ``(C) An executive director of a Head Start agency.
        ``(4) Expert panel report.--Within 9 months after being 
    convened by the Secretary, the expert panel shall issue a report to 
    the Secretary that provides recommendations on a proposed system 
    for designation renewal that takes into account the criteria in 
    subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (1) to evaluate whether 
    a Head Start agency is fulfilling its mission to deliver a high-
    quality and comprehensive Head Start program, including adequately 
    meeting its governance, legal, and financial management 
    requirements.
        ``(5) Public comment and consideration.--Not later than 3 
    months after receiving the report described in paragraph (4), the 
    Secretary shall publish a notice describing a proposed system for 
    designation renewal in the Federal Register, including a proposal 
    for the transition to such system, providing at least 90 days for 
    public comment. The Secretary shall review and consider public 
    comments prior to finalizing the system for designation renewal 
    described in this subsection.
        ``(6) Designation renewal system.--Not later than 12 months 
    after publishing a notice describing the proposed system under 
    paragraph (5), the Secretary shall implement the system for 
    designation renewal and use that system to determine--
            ``(A) whether a Head Start grantee is successfully 
        delivering a high-quality and comprehensive Head Start program; 
        and
            ``(B) whether the grantee has any unresolved deficiencies 
        found during the last triennial review under section 641A(c).
        ``(7) Implementation of the designation renewal system.--
            ``(A) In general.--A grantee who is determined under such 
        system--
                ``(i) to be delivering a high-quality and comprehensive 
            Head Start program shall be designated (consistent with 
            section 643) as a Head Start agency for the period of 5 
            years described in section 638;
                ``(ii) to not be delivering a high-quality and 
            comprehensive Head Start program shall be subject to an 
            open competition as described in subsection (d); and
                ``(iii) in the case of an Indian Head Start agency, to 
            not be delivering a high-quality and comprehensive Head 
            Start program shall (notwithstanding clause (ii)) be 
            subject to the requirements of subparagraph (B).
            ``(B) Tribal government consultation and reevaluation.--On 
        making a determination described in subparagraph (A)(iii), the 
        Secretary shall engage in government-to-government consultation 
        with the appropriate tribal government or governments for the 
        purpose of establishing a plan to improve the quality of Head 
        Start programs operated by the Indian Head Start agency. Such 
        plan shall be established and implemented within 6 months after 
        the Secretary's determination. Not more than 6 months after the 
        implementation of that plan, the Secretary shall reevaluate the 
        performance of the Indian Head Start agency. If the Indian Head 
        Start agency is still not delivering a high-quality and 
        comprehensive Head Start program, the Secretary shall conduct 
        an open competition as described in subsection (d), subject to 
        the limitations described in subsection (e).
        ``(8) Transparency, reliability, and validity.--The Secretary 
    shall ensure the system for designation renewal is fair, 
    consistent, and transparent and is applied in a manner that renews 
    designations, in a timely manner, grantees as Head Start agencies 
    for periods of 5 years if such grantees are delivering high-quality 
    and comprehensive Head Start programs. The Secretary shall 
    periodically evaluate whether the criteria of the system are being 
    applied in a manner that is transparent, reliable, and valid.
        ``(9) Transition.--
            ``(A) In general.--Each Head Start agency shall be reviewed 
        under the system for designation renewal described in paragraph 
        (6), not later than 3 years after the implementation of such 
        system.
            ``(B) Limitation.--A Head Start agency shall not be subject 
        to the requirements of the system for designation renewal prior 
        to 18 months after the date of enactment of the Improving Head 
        Start for School Readiness Act of 2007.
            ``(C) Schedule.--The Secretary shall establish and 
        implement a schedule for reviewing each Head Start agency under 
        the system for designation renewal described in paragraph (6), 
        consistent with subparagraphs (A) and (B).
        ``(10) Reports to congress.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(A) make available to the Committee on Education and 
        Labor of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
        Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate the report 
        described in paragraph (4);
            ``(B) concurrently with publishing a notice in the Federal 
        Register as described in paragraph (5), provide a report to the 
        Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
        and Pensions of the Senate that provides a detailed description 
        of the proposed system described in paragraph (5), including a 
        clear rationale for any differences between the proposed system 
        and the recommendations of the expert panel, if any such 
        differences exist; and
            ``(C) prior to implementing the system for designation 
        renewal, provide a report to the Committee on Education and 
        Labor of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
        Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate--
                ``(i) summarizing the public comment on the proposed 
            system and the Secretary's response to such comment; and
                ``(ii) describing the final system for designation 
            renewal and the plans for implementation of such system.
    ``(d) Designation When No Entity Is Renewed.--
        ``(1) In general.--If no entity in a community is determined to 
    be successfully delivering a high-quality and comprehensive Head 
    Start program, as specified in subsection (c), the Secretary shall, 
    after conducting an open competition, designate for a 5-year period 
    a Head Start agency from among qualified applicants in such 
    community.
        ``(2) Considerations for designation.--In selecting from among 
    qualified applicants for designation as a Head Start agency, the 
    Secretary shall consider the effectiveness of each such applicant 
    to provide Head Start services, based on--
            ``(A) any past performance of such applicant in providing 
        services comparable to Head Start services, including how 
        effectively such applicant provided such comparable services;
            ``(B) the plan of such applicant to provide comprehensive 
        health, educational, nutritional, social, and other services 
        needed to aid participating children in attaining their full 
        potential, and to prepare children to succeed in school;
            ``(C) the plan of such applicant to attract and retain 
        qualified staff capable of delivering, including implementing, 
        a high-quality and comprehensive program, including the ability 
        to carry out a research based curriculum aligned with the Head 
        Start Child Outcomes Framework and, as appropriate, State early 
        learning standards;
            ``(D) the ability of such applicant to maintain child-to-
        teacher ratios and family service worker caseloads that reflect 
        best practices and are tied to high-quality service delivery;
            ``(E) the capacity of such applicant to serve eligible 
        children with--
                ``(i) curricula that are based on scientifically valid 
            research, that are developmentally appropriate, and that 
            promote the school readiness of children participating in 
            the program involved; and
                ``(ii) teaching practices that are based, as 
            appropriate, on scientifically valid research, that are 
            developmentally appropriate, and that promote the school 
            readiness of children participating in the program 
            involved;
            ``(F) the plan of such applicant to meet standards 
        described in section 641A(a)(1), with particular attention to 
        the standards described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of such 
        section;
            ``(G) the proposed budget of the applicant and plan of such 
        applicant to maintain strong fiscal controls and cost-effective 
        fiscal management;
            ``(H) the plan of such applicant to coordinate and 
        collaborate with other public or private entities providing 
        early childhood education and development programs and services 
        for young children in the community involved, including--
                ``(i) programs implementing grant agreements under the 
            Early Reading First and Even Start programs under subparts 
            2 and 3 of part B of title I of the Elementary and 
            Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6371 et seq., 
            6381 et seq.);
                ``(ii) other preschool programs under title I of that 
            Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);
                ``(iii) programs under section 619 and part C of the 
            Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
            1419, 1431 et seq.);
                ``(iv) State prekindergarten programs;
                ``(v) child care programs;
                ``(vi) the educational programs that the children in 
            the Head Start program involved will enter at the age of 
            compulsory school attendance; and
                ``(vii) local entities, such as a public or school 
            library, for--

                    ``(I) conducting reading readiness programs;
                    ``(II) developing innovative programs to excite 
                children about the world of books, including providing 
                fresh books in the Head Start classroom;
                    ``(III) assisting in literacy training for Head 
                Start teachers; or
                    ``(IV) supporting parents and other caregivers in 
                literacy efforts;

            ``(I) the plan of such applicant to coordinate the Head 
        Start program that the applicant proposes to carry out, with 
        public and private entities that are willing to commit 
        resources to assist the Head Start program in meeting its 
        program needs;
            ``(J) the plan of such applicant--
                ``(i) to facilitate the involvement of parents 
            (including grandparents and kinship caregivers, as 
            appropriate) of children participating in the proposed Head 
            Start program, in activities (at home and, if practicable, 
            at the location of the Head Start program) designed to help 
            such parents become full partners in the education of their 
            children;
                ``(ii) to afford such parents the opportunity to 
            participate in the development and overall conduct of the 
            program at the local level, including transportation 
            assistance, as appropriate;
                ``(iii) to offer (directly or through referral to local 
            entities, such as entities carrying out Even Start programs 
            under subpart 3 of part B of title I of the Elementary and 
            Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6381 et seq.), 
            public and school libraries, and entities carrying out 
            family support programs) to such parents--

                    ``(I) family literacy services; and
                    ``(II) parenting skills training;

                ``(iv) to offer to parents of participating children 
            substance abuse counseling (either directly or through 
            referral to local entities), if needed, including 
            information on the effect of drug exposure on infants and 
            fetal alcohol syndrome;
                ``(v) at the option of such applicant, to offer 
            (directly or through referral to local entities) to such 
            parents--

                    ``(I) training in basic child development 
                (including cognitive, social, and emotional 
                development);
                    ``(II) assistance in developing literacy and 
                communication skills;
                    ``(III) opportunities to share experiences with 
                other parents (including parent-mentor relationships);
                    ``(IV) regular in-home visitation;
                    ``(V) health services, including information on 
                maternal depression; or
                    ``(VI) any other activity designed to help such 
                parents become full partners in the education of their 
                children;

                ``(vi) to provide, with respect to each participating 
            family, a family needs assessment that includes 
            consultation with such parents (including foster parents, 
            grandparents, and kinship caregivers, where applicable), in 
            a manner and language that such parents can understand, to 
            the extent practicable, about the benefits of parent 
            involvement and about the activities described in this 
            subparagraph in which such parents may choose to become 
            involved (taking into consideration their specific family 
            needs, work schedules, and other responsibilities); and
                ``(vii) to extend outreach to fathers (including father 
            figures), in appropriate cases, in order to strengthen the 
            role of those fathers in families, in the education of 
            young children, and in the Head Start program, by working 
            directly with the fathers through activities such as--

                    ``(I) in appropriate cases, including the fathers 
                in home visits and providing opportunities for direct 
                father-child interactions; and
                    ``(II) targeting increased male participation in 
                the conduct of the program;

            ``(K) the plan of such applicant to meet the needs of 
        limited English proficient children and their families, 
        including procedures to identify such children, plans to 
        provide trained personnel, and plans to provide services to 
        assist the children in making progress toward the acquisition 
        of the English language, while making meaningful progress in 
        attaining the knowledge, skills, abilities, and development 
        described in section 641A(a)(1)(B);
            ``(L) the plan of such applicant to meet the diverse needs 
        of the population served;
            ``(M) the plan of such applicant who chooses to assist 
        younger siblings of children who will participate in the Head 
        Start program to obtain health services from other sources;
            ``(N) the plan of such applicant to meet the needs of 
        children with disabilities, including procedures to identify 
        such children, procedures for referral of such children for 
        evaluation to State or local agencies providing services under 
        section 619 or part C of the Individuals with Disabilities 
        Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.), and plans for 
        collaboration with those State or local agencies;
            ``(O) the plan of such applicant to meet the needs of 
        homeless children, including transportation needs, and the 
        needs of children in foster care; and
            ``(P) other factors related to the requirements of this 
        subchapter.
        ``(3) Priority.--In selecting from among qualified applicants 
    for designation as a Head Start agency, the Secretary shall give 
    priority to applicants that have demonstrated capacity in providing 
    effective, comprehensive, and well-coordinated early childhood 
    education and development services and programs to children and 
    their families.
    ``(e) Prohibition Against Non-Indian Head Start Agency Receiving a 
Grant for an Indian Head Start Program.--
        ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
    except as provided in paragraph (2), under no condition may a non-
    Indian Head Start agency receive a grant to carry out an Indian 
    Head Start program.
        ``(2) Exception.--In a community in which there is no Indian 
    Head Start agency available for designation to carry out an Indian 
    Head Start program, a non-Indian Head Start agency may receive a 
    grant to carry out an Indian Head Start program but only until such 
    time as an Indian Head Start agency in such community becomes 
    available and is designated pursuant to this section.
    ``(f) Interim Provider.--If no agency in a community is designated 
under subsection (d), and there is no qualified applicant in the 
community, the Secretary shall designate a qualified agency to carry 
out the Head Start program in the community on an interim basis until a 
qualified applicant from the community is designated under subsection 
(d).
    ``(g) Parent and Community Participation.--The Secretary shall 
require that the practice of significantly involving parents and 
community residents in the area affected by the program involved, in 
the selection of Head Start agencies, be continued.
    ``(h) Community.--For purposes of this subchapter, a community may 
be a city, county, or multicity or multicounty unit within a State, an 
Indian reservation (including Indians in any off-reservation area 
designated by an appropriate tribal government in consultation with the 
Secretary), or a neighborhood or other area (irrespective of boundaries 
or political subdivisions) that provides a suitable organizational base 
and possesses the commonality of interest needed to operate a Head 
Start program.''.
SEC. 8. STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD START AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS.
    Section 641A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836a) is amended to 
read as follows:
``SEC. 641A. STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD START AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS.
    ``(a) Standards.--
        ``(1) Content of standards.--The Secretary shall modify, as 
    necessary, program performance standards by regulation applicable 
    to Head Start agencies and programs under this subchapter, 
    including--
            ``(A) performance standards with respect to services 
        required to be provided, including health, parental 
        involvement, nutritional, and social services, transition 
        activities described in section 642A, and other services;
            ``(B) scientifically based and developmentally appropriate 
        education performance standards related to school readiness 
        that are based on the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework to 
        ensure that the children participating in the program, at a 
        minimum, develop and demonstrate--
                ``(i) language knowledge and skills, including oral 
            language and listening comprehension;
                ``(ii) literacy knowledge and skills, including 
            phonological awareness, print awareness and skills, and 
            alphabetic knowledge;
                ``(iii) mathematics knowledge and skills;
                ``(iv) science knowledge and skills;
                ``(v) cognitive abilities related to academic 
            achievement and child development;
                ``(vi) approaches to learning related to child 
            development and early learning;
                ``(vii) social and emotional development related to 
            early learning, school success, and social problemsolving;
                ``(viii) abilities in creative arts;
                ``(ix) physical development; and
                ``(x) in the case of limited English proficient 
            children, progress toward acquisition of the English 
            language while making meaningful progress in attaining the 
            knowledge, skills, abilities, and development described in 
            clauses (i) through (ix), including progress made through 
            the use of culturally and linguistically appropriate 
            instructional services;
            ``(C) administrative and financial management standards;
            ``(D) standards relating to the condition and location of 
        facilities (including indoor air quality assessment standards, 
        where appropriate) for such agencies, and programs, including 
        regulations that require that the facilities used by Head Start 
        agencies (including Early Head Start agencies and any delegate 
        agencies) for regularly scheduled center-based and combination 
        program option classroom activities--
                ``(i) shall meet or exceed State and local requirements 
            concerning licensing for such facilities; and
                ``(ii) shall be accessible by State and local 
            authorities for purposes of monitoring and ensuring 
            compliance, unless State or local laws prohibit such 
            access; and
            ``(E) such other standards as the Secretary finds to be 
        appropriate.
        ``(2) Considerations regarding standards.--In developing any 
    modifications to standards required under paragraph (1), the 
    Secretary shall--
            ``(A) consult with experts in the fields of child 
        development, early childhood education, child health care, 
        family services (including linguistically and culturally 
        appropriate services to non-English speaking children and their 
        families), administration, and financial management, and with 
        persons with experience in the operation of Head Start 
        programs;
            ``(B) take into consideration--
                ``(i) past experience with use of the standards in 
            effect under this subchapter on the date of enactment of 
            the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007;
                ``(ii) changes over the period since October 27, 1998, 
            in the circumstances and problems typically facing children 
            and families served by Head Start agencies;
                ``(iii) recommendations from the study on Developmental 
            Outcomes and Assessments for Young Children by the National 
            Academy of Sciences, consistent with section 649(j);
                ``(iv) developments concerning research-based practices 
            with respect to early childhood education and development, 
            children with disabilities, homeless children, children in 
            foster care, and family services, and best practices with 
            respect to program administration and financial management;
                ``(v) projected needs of an expanding Head Start 
            program;
                ``(vi) guidelines and standards that promote child 
            health services and physical development, including 
            participation in outdoor activity that supports children's 
            motor development and overall health and nutrition;
                ``(vii) changes in the characteristics of the 
            population of children who are eligible to participate in 
            Head Start programs, including country of origin, language 
            background, and family structure of such children, and 
            changes in the population and number of such children who 
            are in foster care or are homeless children;
                ``(viii) mechanisms to ensure that children 
            participating in Head Start programs make a successful 
            transition to the schools that the children will be 
            attending;
                ``(ix) the need for Head Start agencies to maintain 
            regular communications with parents, including conducting 
            periodic meetings to discuss the progress of individual 
            children in Head Start programs; and
                ``(x) the unique challenges faced by individual 
            programs, including those programs that are seasonal or 
            short term and those programs that serve rural populations;
            ``(C)(i) review and revise as necessary the standards in 
        effect under this subsection; and
            ``(ii) ensure that any such revisions in the standards will 
        not result in the elimination of or any reduction in quality, 
        scope, or types of health, educational, parental involvement, 
        nutritional, social, or other services required to be provided 
        under such standards as in effect on the date of enactment of 
        the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007; and
            ``(D) consult with Indian tribes, including Alaska Natives, 
        experts in Indian, including Alaska Native, early childhood 
        education and development, linguists, and the National Indian 
        Head Start Directors Association on the review and promulgation 
        of standards under paragraph (1) (including standards for 
        language acquisition and school readiness).
        ``(3) Standards relating to obligations to delegate agencies.--
    In developing any modifications to standards under paragraph (1), 
    the Secretary shall describe the obligations of a Head Start agency 
    to a delegate agency to which the Head Start agency has delegated 
    responsibility for providing services under this subchapter.
    ``(b) Measures.--
        ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with 
    representatives of Head Start agencies and with experts in the 
    fields of early childhood education and development, family 
    services, and program management, shall use the study on 
    Developmental Outcomes and Assessments for Young Children by the 
    National Academy of Sciences and other relevant research to inform, 
    revise, and provide guidance to Head Start agencies for utilizing, 
    scientifically based measures that support, as appropriate--
            ``(A) classroom instructional practices;
            ``(B) identification of children with special needs;
            ``(C) program evaluation; and
            ``(D) administrative and financial management practices.
        ``(2) Characteristics of measures.--The measures under this 
    subsection shall--
            ``(A) be developmentally, linguistically, and culturally 
        appropriate for the population served;
            ``(B) be reviewed periodically, based on advances in the 
        science of early childhood development;
            ``(C) be consistent with relevant, nationally recognized 
        professional and technical standards related to the assessment 
        of young children;
            ``(D) be valid and reliable in the language in which they 
        are administered;
            ``(E) be administered by staff with appropriate training 
        for such administration;
            ``(F) provide for appropriate accommodations for children 
        with disabilities and children who are limited English 
        proficient;
            ``(G) be high-quality research-based measures that have 
        been demonstrated to assist with the purposes for which they 
        were devised; and
            ``(H) be adaptable, as appropriate, for use in the self-
        assessment of Head Start agencies, including in the evaluation 
        of administrative and financial management practices.
        ``(3) Use of measures; limitations on use.--
            ``(A) Use.--The measures shall be designed, as appropriate, 
        for the purpose of--
                ``(i) helping to develop the skills, knowledge, 
            abilities, and development described in subsection 
            (a)(1)(B) of children participating in Head Start programs, 
            with an emphasis on measuring skills that scientifically 
            valid research has demonstrated are related to children's 
            school readiness and later success in school;
                ``(ii) improving classroom practices, including 
            reviewing children's strengths and weaknesses and 
            individualizing instruction to better meet the needs of the 
            children involved;
                ``(iii) identifying the special needs of children; and
                ``(iv) improving overall program performance in order 
            to help programs identify problem areas that may require 
            additional training and technical assistance resources.
            ``(B) Limitations.--Such measures shall not be used to 
        exclude children from Head Start programs.
        ``(4) Confidentiality.--
            ``(A) In general.--The Secretary, through regulation, shall 
        ensure the confidentiality of any personally identifiable data, 
        information, and records collected or maintained under this 
        subchapter by the Secretary and any Head Start agency. Such 
        regulations shall provide the policies, protections, and rights 
        equivalent to those provided to a parent, student, or 
        educational agency or institution under section 444 of the 
        General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g).
            ``(B) Prohibition on nationwide database.--Nothing in this 
        subsection shall be construed to authorize the development of a 
        nationwide database of personally identifiable data, 
        information, or records on children resulting from the use of 
        measures under this subsection.
        ``(5) Special rule.--
            ``(A) Prohibition.--The use of assessment items and data on 
        any assessment authorized under this subchapter by any agent of 
        the Federal Government is prohibited for the purposes of--
                ``(i) ranking, comparing, or otherwise evaluating 
            individual children for purposes other than research, 
            training, or technical assistance; and
                ``(ii) providing rewards or sanctions for individual 
            children or teachers.
            ``(B) Results.--The Secretary shall not use the results of 
        a single assessment as the sole method for assessing program 
        effectiveness or making agency funding determinations at the 
        national, regional, or local level under this subchapter.
    ``(c) Monitoring of Local Agencies and Programs.--
        ``(1) In general.--To determine whether Head Start agencies 
    meet standards described in subsection (a)(1) established under 
    this subchapter with respect to program, administrative, financial 
    management, and other requirements, and in order to help the 
    programs identify areas for improvement and areas of strength as 
    part of their ongoing self-assessment process, the Secretary shall 
    conduct the following reviews of Head Start agencies, including the 
    Head Start programs operated by such agencies:
            ``(A) A full review, including the use of a risk-based 
        assessment approach, of each such agency at least once during 
        each 3-year period.
            ``(B) A review of each newly designated Head Start agency 
        immediately after the completion of the first year such agency 
        carries out a Head Start program.
            ``(C) Followup reviews, including--
                ``(i) return visits to Head Start agencies with 1 or 
            more findings of deficiencies, not later than 6 months 
            after the Secretary provides notification of such findings, 
            or not later than 12 months after such notification if the 
            Secretary determines that additional time is necessary for 
            an agency to address such a deficiency prior to the review; 
            and
                ``(ii) a review of Head Start agencies with significant 
            areas of noncompliance.
            ``(D) Other reviews, including unannounced site inspections 
        of Head Start centers, as appropriate.
        ``(2) Conduct of reviews.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
    reviews described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph 
    (1)--
            ``(A) are conducted by review teams that--
                ``(i) include individuals who are knowledgeable about 
            Head Start programs and, to the maximum extent practicable, 
            individuals who are knowledgeable about--

                    ``(I) other early childhood education and 
                development programs, personnel management, financial 
                accountability, and systems development and monitoring; 
                and
                    ``(II) the diverse (including linguistic and 
                cultural) needs of eligible children (including 
                children with disabilities, homeless children, children 
                in foster care, and limited English proficient 
                children) and their families;

                ``(ii) include, to the maximum extent practicable, 
            current or former employees of the Department of Health and 
            Human Services who are knowledgeable about Head Start 
            programs; and
                ``(iii) shall receive periodic training to ensure 
            quality and consistency across reviews;
            ``(B) include as part of the reviews, a review and 
        assessment of program strengths and areas in need of 
        improvement;
            ``(C) include as part of the reviews, a review and 
        assessment of whether programs have adequately addressed 
        population and community needs (including those of limited 
        English proficient children and children of migrant or seasonal 
        farmworker families);
            ``(D) include as part of the reviews, an assessment of the 
        extent to which the programs address the communitywide 
        strategic planning and needs assessment described in section 
        640(g)(1)(C);
            ``(E) include information on the innovative and effective 
        efforts of the Head Start agencies to collaborate with the 
        entities providing early childhood and development services or 
        programs in the community and any barriers to such 
        collaboration that the agencies encounter;
            ``(F) include as part of the reviews, a valid and reliable 
        research-based observational instrument, implemented by 
        qualified individuals with demonstrated reliability, that 
        assesses classroom quality, including assessing multiple 
        dimensions of teacher-child interactions that are linked to 
        positive child development and later achievement;
            ``(G) are conducted in a manner that evaluates program 
        performance, quality, and overall operations with consistency 
        and objectivity, are based on a transparent and reliable system 
        of review, and are conducted in a manner that includes periodic 
        interrater reliability checks, to ensure quality and 
        consistency, across and within regions, of the reviews and of 
        noncompliance and deficiency determinations;
            ``(H) in the case of reviews of Early Head Start agencies 
        and programs, are conducted by a review team that includes 
        individuals who are knowledgeable about the development of 
        infants and toddlers;
            ``(I) include as part of the reviews a protocol for fiscal 
        management that shall be used to assess compliance with program 
        requirements for--
                ``(i) using Federal funds appropriately;
                ``(ii) using Federal funds specifically to purchase 
            property (consistent with section 644(f)) and to compensate 
            personnel;
                ``(iii) securing and using qualified financial officer 
            support; and
                ``(iv) reporting financial information and implementing 
            appropriate internal controls to safeguard Federal funds;
            ``(J) include as part of the reviews of the programs, a 
        review and assessment of whether the programs are in conformity 
        with the eligibility requirements under section 645(a)(1), 
        including regulations promulgated under such section and 
        whether the programs have met the requirements for the outreach 
        and enrollment policies and procedures, and selection criteria, 
        in such section, for the participation of children in programs 
        assisted under this subchapter;
            ``(K) include as part of the reviews, a review and 
        assessment of whether agencies have adequately addressed the 
        needs of children with disabilities, including whether the 
        agencies involved have met the 10 percent minimum enrollment 
        requirement specified in section 640(d) and whether the 
        agencies have made sufficient efforts to collaborate with State 
        and local agencies providing services under section 619 or part 
        C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
        1419, 1431 et seq.); and
            ``(L) include as part of the reviews, a review and 
        assessment of child outcomes and performance as they relate to 
        agency-determined school readiness goals described in 
        subsection (g)(2), consistent with subsection (b)(5).
        ``(3) Standards relating to obligations to delegate agencies.--
    In conducting a review described in paragraph (1)(A) of a Head 
    Start agency, the Secretary shall determine whether the agency 
    complies with the obligations described in subsection (a)(3). The 
    Secretary shall consider such compliance in determining whether to 
    renew financial assistance to the Head Start agency under this 
    subchapter.
        ``(4) Use of review findings.--The findings of a review 
    described in paragraph (1) of a Head Start agency shall, at a 
    minimum--
            ``(A) be presented to the agency in a timely, transparent, 
        and uniform manner that conveys information of program 
        strengths and weaknesses and assists with program improvement; 
        and
            ``(B) be used by the agency to inform the development and 
        implementation of its plan for training and technical 
        assistance.
    ``(d) Evaluations and Corrective Action for Delegate Agencies.--
        ``(1) Procedures.--Each Head Start agency shall establish, 
    subject to paragraph (4), procedures relating to its delegate 
    agencies, including--
            ``(A) procedures for evaluating delegate agencies;
            ``(B) procedures for defunding delegate agencies; and
            ``(C) procedures for a delegate agency to appeal a 
        defunding decision.
        ``(2) Evaluation.--Each Head Start agency--
            ``(A) shall evaluate its delegate agencies using the 
        procedures established under this subsection; and
            ``(B) shall inform the delegate agencies of the 
        deficiencies identified through the evaluation that are 
        required to be corrected.
        ``(3) Remedies to ensure corrective actions.--In the event that 
    the Head Start agency identifies a deficiency for a delegate agency 
    through the evaluation, the Head Start agency shall take action, 
    which may include--
            ``(A) initiating procedures to terminate the designation of 
        the agency unless the agency corrects the deficiency;
            ``(B) conducting monthly monitoring visits to such delegate 
        agency until all deficiencies are corrected or the Head Start 
        agency decides to defund such delegate agency; and
            ``(C) releasing funds to such delegate agency--
                ``(i) only as reimbursements except that, upon 
            receiving a request from the delegate agency accompanied by 
            assurances satisfactory to the Head Start agency that the 
            funds will be appropriately safeguarded, the Head Start 
            agency shall provide to the delegate agency a working 
            capital advance in an amount sufficient to cover the 
            estimated expenses involved during an agreed upon 
            disbursing cycle; and
                ``(ii) only if there is continuity of services.
        ``(4) Termination.--The Head Start agency may not terminate a 
    delegate agency's contract or reduce a delegate agency's service 
    area without showing cause or demonstrating the cost-effectiveness 
    of such a decision.
        ``(5) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall 
    be construed to limit the powers, duties, or functions of the 
    Secretary with respect to Head Start agencies or delegate agencies 
    that receive financial assistance under this subchapter.
    ``(e) Corrective Action for Head Start Agencies.--
        ``(1) Determination.--If the Secretary determines, on the basis 
    of a review pursuant to subsection (c), that a Head Start agency 
    designated pursuant to this subchapter fails to meet the standards 
    described in subsection (a)(1) or fails to address the 
    communitywide strategic planning and needs assessment, the 
    Secretary shall--
            ``(A) inform the agency of the deficiencies that shall be 
        corrected and identify the assistance to be provided consistent 
        with paragraph (3);
            ``(B) with respect to each identified deficiency, require 
        the agency--
                ``(i) to correct the deficiency immediately, if the 
            Secretary finds that the deficiency threatens the health or 
            safety of staff or program participants or poses a threat 
            to the integrity of Federal funds;
                ``(ii) to correct the deficiency not later than 90 days 
            after the identification of the deficiency if the Secretary 
            finds, in the discretion of the Secretary, that such a 90-
            day period is reasonable, in light of the nature and 
            magnitude of the deficiency; or
                ``(iii) in the discretion of the Secretary (taking into 
            consideration the seriousness of the deficiency and the 
            time reasonably required to correct the deficiency), to 
            comply with the requirements of paragraph (2) concerning a 
            quality improvement plan; and
            ``(C) initiate proceedings to terminate the designation of 
        the agency unless the agency corrects the deficiency.
        ``(2) Quality improvement plan.--
            ``(A) Agency and program responsibilities.--To retain a 
        designation as a Head Start agency under this subchapter, or in 
        the case of a Head Start program to continue to receive funds 
        from such agency, a Head Start agency that is the subject of a 
        determination described in paragraph (1), or a Head Start 
        program that is determined to have a deficiency under 
        subsection (d)(2) (excluding an agency required to correct a 
        deficiency immediately or during a 90-day period under clause 
        (i) or (ii) of paragraph (1)(B)) shall--
                ``(i) develop in a timely manner, a quality improvement 
            plan that shall be subject to the approval of the 
            Secretary, or in the case of a program, the sponsoring 
            agency, and that shall specify--

                    ``(I) the deficiencies to be corrected;
                    ``(II) the actions to be taken to correct such 
                deficiencies; and
                    ``(III) the timetable for accomplishment of the 
                corrective actions specified; and

                ``(ii) correct each deficiency identified, not later 
            than the date for correction of such deficiency specified 
            in such plan (which shall not be later than 1 year after 
            the date the agency or Head Start program that is 
            determined to have a deficiency received notice of the 
            determination and of the specific deficiency to be 
            corrected).
            ``(B) Secretarial responsibility.--Not later than 30 days 
        after receiving from a Head Start agency a proposed quality 
        improvement plan pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
        shall either approve such proposed plan or specify the reasons 
        why the proposed plan cannot be approved.
            ``(C) Agency responsibility.--Not later than 30 days after 
        receiving from a Head Start program a proposed quality 
        improvement plan pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Head Start 
        agency involved shall either approve such proposed plan or 
        specify the reasons why the proposed plan cannot be approved.
        ``(3) Training and technical assistance.--The Secretary shall 
    provide training and technical assistance to Head Start agencies 
    and programs with respect to the development or implementation of 
    such quality improvement plans to the extent the Secretary finds 
    such provision to be feasible and appropriate given available 
    funding and other statutory responsibilities.
    ``(f) Summaries of Monitoring Outcomes.--
        ``(1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the end of 
    each fiscal year, the Secretary shall publish a summary report on 
    the findings of reviews conducted under subsection (c) and on the 
    outcomes of quality improvement plans implemented under subsection 
    (e), during such fiscal year.
        ``(2) Report availability.--Such report shall be made widely 
    available to--
            ``(A) parents with children receiving assistance under this 
        subchapter--
                ``(i) in an understandable and uniform format; and
                ``(ii) to the extent practicable, in a language that 
            the parents understand; and
            ``(B) the public through means such as--
                ``(i) distribution through public agencies; and
                ``(ii) posting such information on the Internet.
        ``(3) Report information.--Such report shall contain detailed 
    data--
            ``(A) on compliance with specific standards and measures; 
        and
            ``(B) sufficient to allow Head Start agencies to use such 
        data to improve the quality of their programs.
    ``(g) Self-Assessments.--
        ``(1) In general.--Not less frequently than once each program 
    year, with the consultation and participation of policy councils 
    and, as applicable, policy committees and, as appropriate, other 
    community members, each Head Start agency, and each delegate 
    agency, that receives financial assistance under this subchapter 
    shall conduct a comprehensive self-assessment of its effectiveness 
    and progress in meeting program goals and objectives and in 
    implementing and complying with standards described in subsection 
    (a)(1).
        ``(2) Goals, reports, and improvement plans.--
            ``(A) Goals.--An agency conducting a self-assessment shall 
        establish agency-determined program goals for improving the 
        school readiness of children participating in a program under 
        this subchapter, including school readiness goals that are 
        aligned with the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework, State 
        early learning standards as appropriate, and requirements and 
        expectations of the schools the children will be attending.
            ``(B) Improvement plan.--The agency shall develop, and 
        submit to the Secretary a report containing, an improvement 
        plan approved by the governing body of the agency to strengthen 
        any areas identified in the self-assessment as weaknesses or in 
        need of improvement.
        ``(3) Ongoing monitoring.--Each Head Start agency (including 
    each Early Head Start agency) and each delegate agency shall 
    establish and implement procedures for the ongoing monitoring of 
    their respective programs, to ensure that the operations of the 
    programs work toward meeting program goals and objectives and 
    standards described in subsection (a)(1).
    ``(h) Reduction of Grants and Redistribution of Funds in Cases of 
Underenrollment.--
        ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
            ``(A) Actual enrollment.--The term `actual enrollment' 
        means, with respect to the program of a Head Start agency, the 
        actual number of children enrolled in such program and reported 
        by the agency (as required in paragraph (2)) in a given month.
            ``(B) Base grant.--The term `base grant' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 640(a)(7).
            ``(C) Funded enrollment.--The term `funded enrollment' 
        means, with respect to the program of a Head Start agency in a 
        fiscal year, the number of children that the agency is funded 
        to serve through a grant for the program during such fiscal 
        year, as indicated in the grant agreement.
        ``(2) Enrollment reporting requirement.--Each entity carrying 
    out a Head Start program shall report on a monthly basis to the 
    Secretary and the relevant Head Start agency--
            ``(A) the actual enrollment in such program; and
            ``(B) if such actual enrollment is less than the funded 
        enrollment, any apparent reason for such enrollment shortfall.
        ``(3) Secretarial review and plan.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(A) on a semiannual basis, determine which Head Start 
        agencies are operating with an actual enrollment that is less 
        than the funded enrollment based on not less than 4 consecutive 
        months of data;
            ``(B) for each such Head Start agency operating a program 
        with an actual enrollment that is less than its funded 
        enrollment, as determined under subparagraph (A), develop, in 
        collaboration with such agency, a plan and timetable for 
        reducing or eliminating underenrollment taking into 
        consideration--
                ``(i) the quality and extent of the outreach, 
            recruitment, and communitywide strategic planning and needs 
            assessment conducted by such agency;
                ``(ii) changing demographics, mobility of populations, 
            and the identification of new underserved low-income 
            populations;
                ``(iii) facilities-related issues that may impact 
            enrollment;
                ``(iv) the ability to provide full-working-day 
            programs, where needed, through funds made available under 
            this subchapter or through collaboration with entities 
            carrying out other early childhood education and 
            development programs, or programs with other funding 
            sources (where available);
                ``(v) the availability and use by families of other 
            early childhood education and development options in the 
            community served; and
                ``(vi) agency management procedures that may impact 
            enrollment; and
            ``(C) provide timely and ongoing technical assistance to 
        each agency described in subparagraph (B) for the purpose of 
        assisting the Head Start agency to implement the plan described 
        in such subparagraph.
        ``(4) Implementation.--Upon receipt of the technical assistance 
    described in paragraph (3)(C), a Head Start agency shall 
    immediately implement the plan described in paragraph (3)(B). The 
    Secretary shall, where determined appropriate, continue to provide 
    technical assistance to such agency.
        ``(5) Secretarial review and adjustment for chronic 
    underenrollment.--
            ``(A) In general.--If, after receiving technical assistance 
        and developing and implementing the plan as described in 
        paragraphs (3) and (4) for 12 months, a Head Start agency is 
        operating a program with an actual enrollment that is less than 
        97 percent of its funded enrollment, the Secretary may--
                ``(i) designate such agency as chronically 
            underenrolled; and
                ``(ii) recapture, withhold, or reduce the base grant 
            for the program by a percentage equal to the percentage 
            difference between funded enrollment and actual enrollment 
            for the program for the most recent year for which the 
            agency is determined to be underenrolled under paragraph 
            (3)(A).
            ``(B) Waiver or limitation of reductions.--The Secretary 
        may, as appropriate, waive or reduce the percentage 
        recapturing, withholding, or reduction otherwise required by 
        subparagraph (A), if, after the implementation of the plan 
        described in paragraph (3)(B), the Secretary finds that--
                ``(i) the causes of the enrollment shortfall, or a 
            portion of the shortfall, are related to the agency's 
            serving significant numbers of highly mobile children, or 
            are other significant causes as determined by the 
            Secretary;
                ``(ii) the shortfall can reasonably be expected to be 
            temporary; or
                ``(iii) the number of slots allotted to the agency is 
            small enough that underenrollment does not create a 
            significant shortfall.
        ``(6) Redistribution of funds.--
            ``(A) In general.--Funds held by the Secretary as a result 
        of recapturing, withholding, or reducing a base grant in a 
        fiscal year shall be redistributed by the end of the following 
        fiscal year as follows:
                ``(i) Indian head start programs.--If such funds are 
            derived from an Indian Head Start program, then such funds 
            shall be redistributed to increase enrollment by the end of 
            the following fiscal year in 1 or more Indian Head Start 
            programs.
                ``(ii) Migrant and seasonal head start programs.--If 
            such funds are derived from a migrant or seasonal Head 
            Start program, then such funds shall be redistributed to 
            increase enrollment by the end of the following fiscal year 
            in 1 or more programs of the type from which such funds are 
            derived.
                ``(iii) Early head start programs.--If such funds are 
            derived from an Early Head Start program in a State, then 
            such funds shall be redistributed to increase enrollment by 
            the end of the following fiscal year in 1 or more Early 
            Head Start programs in that State. If such funds are 
            derived from an Indian Early Head Start program, then such 
            funds shall be redistributed to increase enrollment by the 
            end of the following fiscal year in 1 or more Indian Early 
            Head Start programs.
                ``(iv) Other head start programs.--If such funds are 
            derived from a Head Start program in a State (excluding 
            programs described in clauses (i) through (iii)), then such 
            funds shall be redistributed to increase enrollment by the 
            end of the following fiscal year in 1 or more Head Start 
            programs (excluding programs described in clauses (i) 
            through (iii)) that are carried out in such State.
            ``(B) Adjustment to funded enrollment.--The Secretary shall 
        adjust as necessary the requirements relating to funded 
        enrollment indicated in the grant agreement of a Head Start 
        agency receiving redistributed funds under this paragraph.''.
SEC. 9. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF HEAD START AGENCIES.
    Section 642 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837) is amended to 
read as follows:
    ``SEC. 642. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF HEAD START AGENCIES.
    ``(a) Authority.--To be designated as a Head Start agency under 
this subchapter, an agency shall have authority under its charter or 
applicable law to receive and administer funds under this subchapter, 
funds and contributions from private or local public sources that may 
be used in support of a Head Start program, and funds under any Federal 
or State assistance program pursuant to which a public or private 
nonprofit or for-profit agency (as the case may be) organized in 
accordance with this subchapter, could act as grantee, contractor, or 
sponsor of projects appropriate for inclusion in a Head Start program. 
Such an agency shall also be empowered to transfer funds so received, 
and to delegate powers to other agencies, subject to the powers of its 
governing board and its overall program responsibilities. The power to 
transfer funds and delegate powers shall include the power to make 
transfers and delegations covering component projects in all cases 
where this will contribute to efficiency and effectiveness or otherwise 
further program objectives.
    ``(b) Family and Community Involvement; Family Services.--To be so 
designated, a Head Start agency shall, at a minimum, do all the 
following to involve and serve families and communities:
        ``(1) Provide for the regular and direct participation of 
    parents and community residents in the implementation of the Head 
    Start program, including decisions that influence the character of 
    such program, consistent with paragraphs (2)(D) and (3)(C) of 
    subsection (c).
        ``(2) Seek the involvement of parents, community residents, and 
    local business in the design and implementation of the program.
        ``(3) Establish effective procedures--
            ``(A) to facilitate and seek the involvement of parents of 
        participating children in activities designed to help such 
        parents become full partners in the education of their 
        children; and
            ``(B) to afford such parents the opportunity to participate 
        in the development and overall conduct of the program at the 
        local level, including transportation assistance as 
        appropriate.
        ``(4) Offer (directly or through referral to local entities, 
    such as entities carrying out Even Start programs under subpart 3 
    of part B of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
    of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6381 et seq.), public and school libraries, and 
    entities carrying out family support programs) to such parents--
            ``(A) family literacy services; and
            ``(B) parenting skills training.
        ``(5) Offer to parents of participating children substance 
    abuse counseling (either directly or through referral to local 
    entities), if needed, including information on the effect of drug 
    exposure on infants and fetal alcohol syndrome.
        ``(6) At the option of such agency, offer (directly or through 
    referral to local entities) to such parents--
            ``(A) training in basic child development (including 
        cognitive, social, and emotional development);
            ``(B) assistance in developing literacy and communication 
        skills;
            ``(C) opportunities to share experiences with other parents 
        (including parent-mentor relationships);
            ``(D) health services, including information on maternal 
        depression;
            ``(E) regular in-home visitation; or
            ``(F) any other activity designed to help such parents 
        become full partners in the education of their children.
        ``(7) Provide, with respect to each participating family, a 
    family needs assessment that includes consultation with such 
    parents (including foster parents, grandparents, and kinship 
    caregivers, where applicable), in a manner and language that such 
    parents can understand (to the extent practicable), about the 
    benefits of parent involvement and about the activities described 
    in this subsection in which such parents may choose to be involved 
    (taking into consideration their specific family needs, work 
    schedules, and other responsibilities).
        ``(8) Consider providing services to assist younger siblings of 
    children participating in its Head Start program to obtain health 
    services from other sources.
        ``(9) Perform community outreach to encourage individuals 
    previously unaffiliated with Head Start programs to participate in 
    its Head Start program as volunteers.
        ``(10)(A) Inform custodial parents in single-parent families 
    that participate in programs, activities, or services carried out 
    or provided under this subchapter about the availability of child 
    support services for purposes of establishing paternity and 
    acquiring child support.
        ``(B) Refer eligible parents to the child support offices of 
    State and local governments.
        ``(11) Provide to parents of limited English proficient 
    children outreach and information, in an understandable and uniform 
    format and, to the extent practicable, in a language that the 
    parents can understand.
        ``(12) Provide technical and other support needed to enable 
    parents and community residents to secure, on their own behalf, 
    available assistance from public and private sources.
        ``(13) Promote the continued involvement of the parents 
    (including foster parents, grandparents, and kinship caregivers, as 
    appropriate) of children that participate in Head Start programs in 
    the education of their children upon transition of their children 
    to school, by working with the local educational agency--
            ``(A) to provide training to the parents--
                ``(i) to inform the parents about their rights and 
            responsibilities concerning the education of their 
            children; and
                ``(ii) to enable the parents--

                    ``(I) to understand and work with schools in order 
                to communicate with teachers and other school 
                personnel;
                    ``(II) to support the schoolwork of their children; 
                and
                    ``(III) to participate as appropriate in decisions 
                relating to the education of their children; and

            ``(B) to take other actions, as appropriate and feasible, 
        to support the active involvement of the parents with schools, 
        school personnel, and school-related organizations.
        ``(14) Establish effective procedures for timely referral of 
    children with disabilities to the State or local agency providing 
    services under section 619 or part C of the Individuals with 
    Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.), and 
    collaboration with that agency, consistent with section 640(d)(3).
        ``(15) Establish effective procedures for providing necessary 
    early intervening services to children with disabilities prior to 
    an eligibility determination by the State or local agency 
    responsible for providing services under section 619 or part C of 
    such Act, consistent with section 640(d)(2).
        ``(16) At the option of the Head Start agency, partner with an 
    institution of higher education and a nonprofit organization to 
    provide college students with the opportunity to serve as mentors 
    or reading partners for Head Start participants.
    ``(c) Program Governance.--Upon receiving designation as a Head 
Start agency, the agency shall establish and maintain a formal 
structure for program governance, for the oversight of quality services 
for Head Start children and families and for making decisions related 
to program design and implementation. Such structure shall include the 
following:
        ``(1) Governing body.--
            ``(A) In general.--The governing body shall have legal and 
        fiscal responsibility for the Head Start agency.
            ``(B) Composition.--The governing body shall be composed as 
        follows:
                ``(i) Not less than 1 member shall have a background 
            and expertise in fiscal management or accounting.
                ``(ii) Not less than 1 member shall have a background 
            and expertise in early childhood education and development.
                ``(iii) Not less than 1 member shall be a licensed 
            attorney familiar with issues that come before the 
            governing body.
                ``(iv) Additional members shall--

                    ``(I) reflect the community to be served and 
                include parents of children who are currently, or were 
                formerly, enrolled in Head Start programs; and
                    ``(II) are selected for their expertise in 
                education, business administration, or community 
                affairs.

                ``(v) Exceptions shall be made to the requirements of 
            clauses (i) through (iv) for members of a governing body 
            when those members oversee a public entity and are selected 
            to their positions with the public entity by public 
            election or political appointment.
                ``(vi) If a person described in clause (i), (ii), or 
            (iii) is not available to serve as a member of the 
            governing body, the governing body shall use a consultant, 
            or an other individual with relevant expertise, with the 
            qualifications described in that clause, who shall work 
            directly with the governing body.
            ``(C) Conflict of interest.--Members of the governing body 
        shall--
                ``(i) not have a financial conflict of interest with 
            the Head Start agency (including any delegate agency);
                ``(ii) not receive compensation for serving on the 
            governing body or for providing services to the Head Start 
            agency;
                ``(iii) not be employed, nor shall members of their 
            immediate family be employed, by the Head Start agency 
            (including any delegate agency); and
                ``(iv) operate as an entity independent of staff 
            employed by the Head Start agency.
            ``(D) Exception.--If an individual holds a position as a 
        result of public election or political appointment, and such 
        position carries with it a concurrent appointment to serve as a 
        member of a Head Start agency governing body, and such 
        individual has any conflict of interest described in clause 
        (ii) or (iii) of subparagraph (C)--
                ``(i) such individual shall not be prohibited from 
            serving on such body and the Head Start agency shall report 
            such conflict to the Secretary; and
                ``(ii) if the position held as a result of public 
            election or political appointment provides compensation, 
            such individual shall not be prohibited from receiving such 
            compensation.
            ``(E) Responsibilities.--The governing body shall--
                ``(i) have legal and fiscal responsibility for 
            administering and overseeing programs under this 
            subchapter, including the safeguarding of Federal funds;
                ``(ii) adopt practices that assure active, independent, 
            and informed governance of the Head Start agency, including 
            practices consistent with subsection (d)(1), and fully 
            participate in the development, planning, and evaluation of 
            the Head Start programs involved;
                ``(iii) be responsible for ensuring compliance with 
            Federal laws (including regulations) and applicable State, 
            tribal, and local laws (including regulations); and
                ``(iv) be responsible for other activities, including--

                    ``(I) selecting delegate agencies and the service 
                areas for such agencies;
                    ``(II) establishing procedures and criteria for 
                recruitment, selection, and enrollment of children;
                    ``(III) reviewing all applications for funding and 
                amendments to applications for funding for programs 
                under this subchapter;
                    ``(IV) establishing procedures and guidelines for 
                accessing and collecting information described in 
                subsection (d)(2);
                    ``(V) reviewing and approving all major policies of 
                the agency, including--

                        ``(aa) the annual self-assessment and financial 
                    audit;
                        ``(bb) such agency's progress in carrying out 
                    the programmatic and fiscal provisions in such 
                    agency's grant application, including 
                    implementation of corrective actions; and
                        ``(cc) personnel policies of such agencies 
                    regarding the hiring, evaluation, termination, and 
                    compensation of agency employees;

                    ``(VI) developing procedures for how members of the 
                policy council are selected, consistent with paragraph 
                (2)(B);
                    ``(VII) approving financial management, accounting, 
                and reporting policies, and compliance with laws and 
                regulations related to financial statements, including 
                the--

                        ``(aa) approval of all major financial 
                    expenditures of the agency;
                        ``(bb) annual approval of the operating budget 
                    of the agency;
                        ``(cc) selection (except when a financial 
                    auditor is assigned by the State under State law or 
                    is assigned under local law) of independent 
                    financial auditors who shall report all critical 
                    accounting policies and practices to the governing 
                    body; and
                        ``(dd) monitoring of the agency's actions to 
                    correct any audit findings and of other action 
                    necessary to comply with applicable laws (including 
                    regulations) governing financial statement and 
                    accounting practices;

                    ``(VIII) reviewing results from monitoring 
                conducted under section 641A(c), including appropriate 
                followup activities;
                    ``(IX) approving personnel policies and procedures, 
                including policies and procedures regarding the hiring, 
                evaluation, compensation, and termination of the 
                Executive Director, Head Start Director, Director of 
                Human Resources, Chief Fiscal Officer, and any other 
                person in an equivalent position with the agency;
                    ``(X) establishing, adopting, and periodically 
                updating written standards of conduct that establish 
                standards and formal procedures for disclosing, 
                addressing, and resolving--

                        ``(aa) any conflict of interest, and any 
                    appearance of a conflict of interest, by members of 
                    the governing body, officers and employees of the 
                    Head Start agency, and consultants and agents who 
                    provide services or furnish goods to the Head Start 
                    agency; and
                        ``(bb) complaints, including investigations, 
                    when appropriate; and

                    ``(XI) to the extent practicable and appropriate, 
                at the discretion of the governing body, establishing 
                advisory committees to oversee key responsibilities 
                related to program governance and improvement of the 
                Head Start program involved.

        ``(2) Policy council.--
            ``(A) In general.--Consistent with paragraph (1)(E), each 
        Head Start agency shall have a policy council responsible for 
        the direction of the Head Start program, including program 
        design and operation, and long- and short-term planning goals 
        and objectives, taking into account the annual communitywide 
        strategic planning and needs assessment and self-assessment.
            ``(B) Composition and selection.--
                ``(i) The policy council shall be elected by the 
            parents of children who are currently enrolled in the Head 
            Start program of the Head Start agency.
                ``(ii) The policy council shall be composed of--

                    ``(I) parents of children who are currently 
                enrolled in the Head Start program of the Head Start 
                agency (including any delegate agency), who shall 
                constitute a majority of the members of the policy 
                council; and
                    ``(II) members at large of the community served by 
                the Head Start agency (including any delegate agency), 
                who may include parents of children who were formerly 
                enrolled in the Head Start program of the agency.

            ``(C) Conflict of interest.--Members of the policy council 
        shall--
                ``(i) not have a conflict of interest with the Head 
            Start agency (including any delegate agency); and
                ``(ii) not receive compensation for serving on the 
            policy council or for providing services to the Head Start 
            agency.
            ``(D) Responsibilities.--The policy council shall approve 
        and submit to the governing body decisions about each of the 
        following activities:
                ``(i) Activities to support the active involvement of 
            parents in supporting program operations, including 
            policies to ensure that the Head Start agency is responsive 
            to community and parent needs.
                ``(ii) Program recruitment, selection, and enrollment 
            priorities.
                ``(iii) Applications for funding and amendments to 
            applications for funding for programs under this 
            subchapter, prior to submission of applications described 
            in this clause.
                ``(iv) Budget planning for program expenditures, 
            including policies for reimbursement and participation in 
            policy council activities.
                ``(v) Bylaws for the operation of the policy council.
                ``(vi) Program personnel policies and decisions 
            regarding the employment of program staff, consistent with 
            paragraph (1)(E)(iv)(IX), including standards of conduct 
            for program staff, contractors, and volunteers and criteria 
            for the employment and dismissal of program staff.
                ``(vii) Developing procedures for how members of the 
            policy council of the Head Start agency will be elected.
                ``(viii) Recommendations on the selection of delegate 
            agencies and the service areas for such agencies.
        ``(3) Policy committees.--Each delegate agency shall create a 
    policy committee, which shall--
            ``(A) be elected and composed of members, consistent with 
        paragraph (2)(B) (with respect to delegate agencies);
            ``(B) follow procedures to prohibit conflict of interest, 
        consistent with clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (2)(C) (with 
        respect to delegate agencies); and
            ``(C) be responsible for approval and submission of 
        decisions about activities as they relate to the delegate 
        agency, consistent with paragraph (2)(D) (with respect to 
        delegate agencies).
    ``(d) Program Governance Administration.--
        ``(1) Impasse policies.--The Secretary shall develop policies, 
    procedures, and guidance for Head Start agencies concerning--
            ``(A) the resolution of internal disputes, including any 
        impasse in the governance of Head Start programs; and
            ``(B) the facilitation of meaningful consultation and 
        collaboration about decisions of the governing body and policy 
        council.
        ``(2) Conduct of responsibilities.--Each Head Start agency 
    shall ensure the sharing of accurate and regular information for 
    use by the governing body and the policy council, about program 
    planning, policies, and Head Start agency operations, including--
            ``(A) monthly financial statements, including credit card 
        expenditures;
            ``(B) monthly program information summaries;
            ``(C) program enrollment reports, including attendance 
        reports for children whose care is partially subsidized by 
        another public agency;
            ``(D) monthly reports of meals and snacks provided through 
        programs of the Department of Agriculture;
            ``(E) the financial audit;
            ``(F) the annual self-assessment, including any findings 
        related to such assessment;
            ``(G) the communitywide strategic planning and needs 
        assessment of the Head Start agency, including any applicable 
        updates;
            ``(H) communication and guidance from the Secretary; and
            ``(I) the program information reports.
        ``(3) Training and technical assistance.--Appropriate training 
    and technical assistance shall be provided to the members of the 
    governing body and the policy council to ensure that the members 
    understand the information the members receive and can effectively 
    oversee and participate in the programs of the Head Start agency.
    ``(e) Collaboration and Coordination.--To be so designated, a Head 
Start agency shall collaborate and coordinate with public and private 
entities, to the maximum extent practicable, to improve the 
availability and quality of services to Head Start children and 
families, including carrying out the following activities:
        ``(1) Conduct outreach to schools in which children 
    participating in the Head Start program will enroll following the 
    program, local educational agencies, the local business community, 
    community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, museums, 
    and libraries to generate support and leverage the resources of the 
    entire local community in order to improve school readiness.
        ``(2)(A) In communities where both a public prekindergarten 
    program and a Head Start program operate, collaborate and 
    coordinate activities with the local educational agency or other 
    public agency responsible for the operation of the prekindergarten 
    program and providers of prekindergarten, including outreach 
    activities to identify eligible children.
        ``(B) With the permission of the parents of children enrolled 
    in the Head Start program, regularly communicate with the schools 
    in which the children will enroll following the program, to--
            ``(i) share information about such children;
            ``(ii) collaborate with the teachers in such schools 
        regarding professional development and instructional 
        strategies, as appropriate; and
            ``(iii) ensure a smooth transition to school for such 
        children.
        ``(3) Coordinate activities and collaborate with programs under 
    the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
    9858 et seq.), the agencies responsible for administering section 
    106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 
    5106a) and parts B and E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 
    U.S.C. 621 et seq., 670 et seq.), programs under subtitle B of 
    title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
    11431 et seq.), Even Start programs under subpart 3 of part B of 
    title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
    U.S.C. 6381 et seq.), programs under section 619 and part C of the 
    Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 
    et seq.), and other entities providing early childhood education 
    and development programs or services, serving the children and 
    families served by the Head Start agency.
        ``(4) Take steps to coordinate activities with the local 
    educational agency serving the community involved and with schools 
    in which children participating in the Head Start program will 
    enroll following the program, including--
            ``(A) collaborating on the shared use of transportation and 
        facilities, in appropriate cases;
            ``(B) collaborating to reduce the duplication and enhance 
        the efficiency of services while increasing the program 
        participation of underserved populations of eligible children; 
        and
            ``(C) exchanging information on the provision of 
        noneducational services to such children.
        ``(5) Enter into a memorandum of understanding, not later than 
    1 year after the date of enactment of the Improving Head Start for 
    School Readiness Act of 2007, with the appropriate local entity 
    responsible for managing publicly funded preschool programs in the 
    service area of the Head Start agency, that shall--
            ``(A)(i) provide for a review of each of the activities 
        described in clause (ii); and
            ``(ii) include plans to coordinate, as appropriate, 
        activities regarding--
                ``(I) educational activities, curricular objectives, 
            and instruction;
                ``(II) public information dissemination and access to 
            programs for families contacting the Head Start program or 
            any of the preschool programs;
                ``(III) selection priorities for eligible children to 
            be served by programs;
                ``(IV) service areas;
                ``(V) staff training, including opportunities for joint 
            staff training on topics such as academic content 
            standards, instructional methods, curricula, and social and 
            emotional development;
                ``(VI) program technical assistance;
                ``(VII) provision of additional services to meet the 
            needs of working parents, as applicable;
                ``(VIII) communications and parent outreach for smooth 
            transitions to kindergarten as required in paragraphs (3) 
            and (6) of section 642A(a);
                ``(IX) provision and use of facilities, transportation, 
            and other program elements; and
                ``(X) other elements mutually agreed to by the parties 
            to such memorandum;
            ``(B) be submitted to the Secretary and the State Director 
        of Head Start Collaboration not later than 30 days after the 
        parties enter into such memorandum, except that--
                ``(i) where there is an absence of publicly funded 
            preschool programs in the service area of a Head Start 
            agency, this paragraph shall not apply; or
                ``(ii) where the appropriate local entity responsible 
            for managing the publicly funded preschool programs is 
            unable or unwilling to enter into such a memorandum, this 
            paragraph shall not apply and the Head Start agency shall 
            inform the Secretary and the State Director of Head Start 
            Collaboration of such inability or unwillingness; and
            ``(C) be revised periodically and renewed biennially by the 
        parties to such memorandum, in alignment with the beginning of 
        the school year.
    ``(f) Quality Standards, Curricula, and Assessment.--To be so 
designated, each Head Start agency shall--
        ``(1) take steps to ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, 
    that children maintain the developmental and educational gains 
    achieved in Head Start programs and build upon such gains in 
    further schooling;
        ``(2) establish a program with the standards set forth in 
    section 641A(a)(1), with particular attention to the standards set 
    forth in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of such section;
        ``(3) implement a research-based early childhood curriculum 
    that--
            ``(A) promotes young children's school readiness in the 
        areas of language and cognitive development, early reading and 
        mathematics skills, socio-emotional development, physical 
        development, and approaches to learning;
            ``(B) is based on scientifically valid research and has 
        standardized training procedures and curriculum materials to 
        support implementation;
            ``(C) is comprehensive and linked to ongoing assessment, 
        with developmental and learning goals and measurable 
        objectives;
            ``(D) is focused on improving the learning environment, 
        teaching practices, family involvement, and child outcomes 
        across all areas of development; and
            ``(E) is aligned with the Head Start Child Outcomes 
        Framework developed by the Secretary and, as appropriate, State 
        early learning standards;
        ``(4) implement effective interventions and support services 
    that help promote the school readiness of children participating in 
    the program;
        ``(5) use research-based assessment methods that reflect the 
    characteristics described in section 641A(b)(2) in order to support 
    the educational instruction and school readiness of children in the 
    program;
        ``(6) use research-based developmental screening tools that 
    have been demonstrated to be standardized, reliable, valid, and 
    accurate for the child being assessed, to the maximum extent 
    practicable, for the purpose of meeting the relevant standards 
    described in section 641A(a)(1);
        ``(7) adopt, in consultation with experts in child development 
    and with classroom teachers, an evaluation to assess whether 
    classroom teachers have mastered the functions discussed in section 
    648A(a)(1);
        ``(8) use the information provided from the assessment 
    conducted under section 641A(c)(2)(F) to inform professional 
    development plans, as appropriate, that lead to improved teacher 
    effectiveness;
        ``(9) establish goals and measurable objectives for the 
    provision of health, educational, nutritional, and social services 
    provided under this subchapter and related to the program mission 
    and to promote school readiness; and
        ``(10) develop procedures for identifying children who are 
    limited English proficient, and informing the parents of such 
    children about the instructional services used to help children 
    make progress towards acquiring the knowledge and skills described 
    in section 641A(a)(1)(B) and acquisition of the English language.
    ``(g) Funded Enrollment; Waiting List.--Each Head Start agency 
shall enroll 100 percent of its funded enrollment and maintain an 
active waiting list at all times with ongoing outreach to the community 
and activities to identify underserved populations.
    ``(h) Technical Assistance and Training Plan.--In order to receive 
funds under this subchapter, a Head Start agency shall develop an 
annual technical assistance and training plan. Such plan shall be based 
on the agency's self-assessment, the communitywide strategic planning 
and needs assessment, the needs of parents and children to be served by 
such agency, and the results of the reviews conducted under section 
641A(c).
    ``(i) Financial Management.--In order to receive funds under this 
subchapter, a Head Start agency shall document strong fiscal controls, 
including the employment of well-qualified fiscal staff with a history 
of successful management of a public or private organization.''.
  SEC. 10. HEAD START TRANSITION AND ALIGNMENT WITH K-12 EDUCATION.
    Section 642A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837a) is amended to 
read as follows:
``SEC. 642A. HEAD START TRANSITION AND ALIGNMENT WITH K-12 EDUCATION.
    ``(a) In General.--Each Head Start agency shall take steps to 
coordinate with the local educational agency serving the community 
involved and with schools in which children participating in a Head 
Start program operated by such agency will enroll following such 
program to promote continuity of services and effective transitions, 
including--
        ``(1) developing and implementing a systematic procedure for 
    transferring, with parental consent, Head Start program records for 
    each participating child to the school in which such child will 
    enroll;
        ``(2) establishing ongoing channels of communication between 
    Head Start staff and their counterparts in the schools (including 
    teachers, social workers, local educational agency liaisons 
    designated under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento 
    Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)), and health 
    staff) to facilitate coordination of programs;
        ``(3) establishing ongoing communications between the Head 
    Start agency and local educational agency for developing continuity 
    of developmentally appropriate curricular objectives (which for the 
    purpose of the Head Start program shall be aligned with the Head 
    Start Child Outcomes Framework and, as appropriate, State early 
    learning standards) and for shared expectations for children's 
    learning and development as the children transition to school;
        ``(4) organizing and participating in joint training, including 
    transition-related training for school staff and Head Start staff;
        ``(5) establishing comprehensive transition policies and 
    procedures that support children transitioning to school, including 
    by engaging the local educational agency in the establishment of 
    such policies;
        ``(6) conducting outreach to parents and elementary school 
    (such as kindergarten) teachers to discuss the educational, 
    developmental, and other needs of individual children;
        ``(7) helping parents of limited English proficient children 
    understand--
            ``(A) the instructional and other services provided by the 
        school in which such child will enroll after participation in 
        Head Start; and
            ``(B) as appropriate, the information provided to parents 
        of limited English proficient children under section 3302 of 
        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7012);
        ``(8) developing and implementing a family outreach and support 
    program, in cooperation with entities carrying out parental 
    involvement efforts under title I of the Elementary and Secondary 
    Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), and family outreach 
    and support efforts under subtitle B of title VII of the McKinney-
    Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.), taking 
    into consideration the language needs of parents of limited English 
    proficient children;
        ``(9) assisting families, administrators, and teachers in 
    enhancing educational and developmental continuity and continuity 
    of parental involvement in activities between Head Start services 
    and elementary school classes;
        ``(10) linking the services provided in such Head Start program 
    with educational services, including services relating to language, 
    literacy, and numeracy, provided by such local educational agency;
        ``(11) helping parents (including grandparents and kinship 
    caregivers, as appropriate) to understand the importance of 
    parental involvement in a child's academic success while teaching 
    them strategies for maintaining parental involvement as their child 
    moves from Head Start to elementary school;
        ``(12) helping parents understand the instructional and other 
    services provided by the school in which their child will enroll 
    after participation in the Head Start program;
        ``(13) developing and implementing a system to increase program 
    participation of underserved populations of eligible children; and
        ``(14) coordinating activities and collaborating to ensure that 
    curricula used in the Head Start program are aligned with--
            ``(A) the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework, as developed 
        by the Secretary; and
            ``(B) State early learning standards, as appropriate, with 
        regard to cognitive, social, emotional, and physical 
        competencies that children entering kindergarten are expected 
        to demonstrate.
    ``(b) Construction.--In this section, a reference to a Head Start 
agency, or its program, services, facility, or personnel, shall not be 
construed to be a reference to an Early Head Start agency, or its 
program, services, facility, or personnel.
    ``(c) Dissemination and Technical Assistance.--The Secretary, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall--
        ``(1) disseminate to Head Start agencies information on 
    effective policies and activities relating to the transition of 
    children from Head Start programs to public schools; and
        ``(2) provide technical assistance to such agencies to promote 
    and assist such agencies to adopt and implement such effective 
    policies and activities.''.
  SEC. 11. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, COORDINATION, AND IMPROVEMENT.
    (a) Head Start Collaboration.--The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 642A the following:


        ``HEAD START COLLABORATION; STATE EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE

    ``Sec. 642B.  (a)(1) From amounts made available under section 
640(a)(2)(B)(vi), the Secretary shall award the collaboration grants 
described in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4).
    ``(2)(A) The Secretary shall award, upon submission of a written 
request, a collaboration grant to each State and to each national 
administrative office serving Indian Head Start programs and migrant or 
seasonal Head Start programs to facilitate collaboration among Head 
Start agencies (including Early Head Start agencies) and entities that 
carry out activities designed to benefit low-income children from birth 
to school entry, and their families. The national administrative 
offices shall use the funds made available through the grants to carry 
out the authorities and responsibilities described in subparagraph (B) 
and paragraphs (3) and (4), as appropriate.
    ``(B) Grants described in subparagraph (A) shall be used to--
        ``(i) assist Head Start agencies to collaborate with entities 
    involved in State and local planning processes to better meet the 
    needs of low-income children from birth to school entry, and their 
    families;
        ``(ii) assist Head Start agencies to coordinate activities with 
    the State agency responsible for administering the State program 
    carried out under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 
    1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) and entities providing resource and 
    referral services in the State, to make full-working-day and full 
    calendar year services available to children;
        ``(iii) promote alignment of curricula used in Head Start 
    programs and continuity of services with the Head Start Child 
    Outcomes Framework and, as appropriate, State early learning 
    standards;
        ``(iv) promote better linkages between Head Start agencies and 
    other child and family agencies, including agencies that provide 
    health, mental health, or family services, or other child or family 
    supportive services, such as services provided under section 619 or 
    part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 
    U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.); and
        ``(v) carry out the activities of the State Director of Head 
    Start Collaboration authorized in paragraph (4).
    ``(3) In order to improve coordination and delivery of early 
childhood education and development to children in the State, a State 
that receives a collaboration grant under paragraph (2) shall--
        ``(A) appoint or designate an individual to serve as, or carry 
    out the responsibilities of, the State Director of Head Start 
    Collaboration;
        ``(B) ensure that the State Director of Head Start 
    Collaboration holds a position with sufficient authority and access 
    to ensure that the collaboration described in paragraph (2) is 
    effective and involves a range of State agencies; and
        ``(C) involve the State Head Start Association in the selection 
    of the Director and involve the Association in determinations 
    relating to the ongoing direction of the collaboration office 
    involved.
    ``(4) The State Director of Head Start Collaboration shall--
        ``(A) not later than 1 year after the State receives a 
    collaboration grant under paragraph (2), conduct an assessment 
    that--
            ``(i) addresses the needs of Head Start agencies in the 
        State with respect to collaboration, coordination and alignment 
        of services, and alignment of curricula and assessments used in 
        Head Start programs with the Head Start Child Outcomes 
        Framework and, as appropriate, State early learning standards;
            ``(ii) shall be updated on an annual basis; and
            ``(iii) shall be made available to the general public 
        within the State;
        ``(B) develop a strategic plan that is based on the assessment 
    described in subparagraph (A) that will--
            ``(i) enhance collaboration and coordination of Head Start 
        services by Head Start agencies with other entities providing 
        early childhood education and development (such as child care 
        or services offered by museums), health care, mental health 
        care, welfare, child protective services, education and 
        community service activities, family literacy services, reading 
        readiness programs (including such programs offered by public 
        and school libraries), services relating to children with 
        disabilities, other early childhood education and development 
        for limited English proficient children and homeless children, 
        and services provided for children in foster care and children 
        referred to Head Start programs by child welfare agencies, 
        including agencies and State officials responsible for services 
        described in this clause;
            ``(ii) assist Head Start agencies to develop a plan for the 
        provision of full working-day, full calendar year services for 
        children enrolled in Head Start programs who need such 
        services;
            ``(iii) assist Head Start agencies to align curricula and 
        assessments used in Head Start programs with the Head Start 
        Child Outcomes Framework and, as appropriate, State early 
        learning standards;
            ``(iv) enable Head Start agencies to better access 
        professional development opportunities for Head Start staff, 
        such as by working with Head Start agencies to enable the 
        agencies to meet the degree requirements described in section 
        648A(a)(2)(A), including providing distance learning 
        opportunities for Head Start staff, where needed to make higher 
        education more accessible to Head Start staff; and
            ``(v) enable the Head Start agencies to better conduct 
        outreach to eligible families;
        ``(C) promote partnerships between Head Start agencies, State 
    and local governments, and the private sector to help ensure that 
    children from low-income families, who are in Head Start programs 
    or are preschool age, are receiving comprehensive services to 
    prepare the children for elementary school;
        ``(D) consult with the chief State school officer, local 
    educational agencies, and providers of early childhood education 
    and development, at both the State and local levels;
        ``(E) promote partnerships between Head Start agencies, 
    schools, law enforcement, relevant community-based organizations, 
    and substance abuse and mental health treatment agencies to 
    strengthen family and community environments and to reduce the 
    impact on child development of substance abuse, child abuse, 
    domestic violence, and other high-risk behaviors that compromise 
    healthy development;
        ``(F) promote partnerships between Head Start agencies and 
    other organizations in order to enhance Head Start program quality, 
    including partnerships to promote inclusion of more books in Head 
    Start classrooms;
        ``(G) identify other resources and organizations (both public 
    and private) for the provision of in-kind services to Head Start 
    agencies in the State; and
        ``(H) serve on the State Advisory Council in order to assist 
    the efforts of Head Start agencies to engage in effective 
    coordination and collaboration.''.
    (b) State Early Education and Care.--Section 642B of the Head Start 
Act, as added by subsection (a), is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
    ``(b)(1)(A) The Governor of the State shall--
        ``(i) designate or establish a council to serve as the State 
    Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care for children 
    from birth to school entry (in this subchapter referred to as the 
    `State Advisory Council'); and
        ``(ii) designate an individual to coordinate activities of the 
    State Advisory Council, as described in subparagraph (D)(i).
    ``(B) The Governor may designate an existing entity in the State to 
serve as the State Advisory Council, and shall appoint representatives 
to the State Advisory Council at the Governor's discretion. In 
designating an existing entity, the Governor shall take steps to ensure 
that its membership includes, to the extent possible, representatives 
consistent with subparagraph (C).
    ``(C) Members of the State Advisory Council shall include, to the 
maximum extent possible--
        ``(i) a representative of the State agency responsible for 
    child care;
        ``(ii) a representative of the State educational agency;
        ``(iii) a representative of local educational agencies;
        ``(iv) a representative of institutions of higher education in 
    the State;
        ``(v) a representative of local providers of early childhood 
    education and development services;
        ``(vi) a representative from Head Start agencies located in the 
    State, including migrant and seasonal Head Start programs and 
    Indian Head Start programs;
        ``(vii) the State Director of Head Start Collaboration;
        ``(viii) a representative of the State agency responsible for 
    programs under section 619 or part C of the Individuals with 
    Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.);
        ``(ix) a representative of the State agency responsible for 
    health or mental health care; and
        ``(x) representatives of other entities determined to be 
    relevant by the Governor of the State.
    ``(D)(i) The State Advisory Council shall, in addition to any 
responsibilities assigned to the Council by the Governor of the State--
        ``(I) conduct a periodic statewide needs assessment concerning 
    the quality and availability of early childhood education and 
    development programs and services for children from birth to school 
    entry, including an assessment of the availability of high-quality 
    pre-kindergarten services for low-income children in the State;
        ``(II) identify opportunities for, and barriers to, 
    collaboration and coordination among Federally-funded and State-
    funded child development, child care, and early childhood education 
    programs and services, including collaboration and coordination 
    among State agencies responsible for administering such programs;
        ``(III) develop recommendations for increasing the overall 
    participation of children in existing Federal, State, and local 
    child care and early childhood education programs, including 
    outreach to underrepresented and special populations;
        ``(IV) develop recommendations regarding the establishment of a 
    unified data collection system for public early childhood education 
    and development programs and services throughout the State;
        ``(V) develop recommendations regarding statewide professional 
    development and career advancement plans for early childhood 
    educators in the State;
        ``(VI) assess the capacity and effectiveness of 2- and 4-year 
    public and private institutions of higher education in the State 
    toward supporting the development of early childhood educators, 
    including the extent to which such institutions have in place 
    articulation agreements, professional development and career 
    advancement plans, and practice or internships for students to 
    spend time in a Head Start or prekindergarten program; and
        ``(VII) make recommendations for improvements in State early 
    learning standards and undertake efforts to develop high-quality 
    comprehensive early learning standards, as appropriate.
    ``(ii) The State Advisory Council shall hold public hearings and 
provide an opportunity for public comment on the activities described 
in clause (i). The State Advisory Council shall submit a statewide 
strategic report addressing the activities described in clause (i) to 
the State Director of Head Start Collaboration and the Governor of the 
State.
    ``(iii) After submission of a statewide strategic report under 
clause (ii), the State Advisory Council shall meet periodically to 
review any implementation of the recommendations in such report and any 
changes in State and local needs.
    ``(2)(A) The Secretary shall use the portion reserved under section 
640(a)(4)(A)(iii) to award, on a competitive basis, one-time startup 
grants of not less than $500,000 to eligible States to enable such 
States to pay for the Federal share of developing and implementing a 
plan pursuant to the responsibilities included under paragraph 
(1)(D)(i). A State that receives funds under this paragraph shall use 
such funds to facilitate the development or enhancement of high-quality 
systems of early childhood education and care designed to improve 
school preparedness through one or more of the following activities--
        ``(i) promoting school preparedness of children from birth 
    through school entry, including activities to encourage families 
    and caregivers to engage in highly interactive, developmentally and 
    age-appropriate activities to improve children's early social, 
    emotional, and cognitive development, support the transition of 
    young children to school, and foster parental and family 
    involvement in the early education of young children;
        ``(ii) supporting professional development, recruitment, and 
    retention initiatives for early childhood educators;
        ``(iii) enhancing existing early childhood education and 
    development programs and services (in existence on the date on 
    which the grant involved is awarded), including quality improvement 
    activities authorized under the Child Care and Development Block 
    Grant Act of 1990; and
        ``(iv) carrying out other activities consistent with the 
    State's plan and application, pursuant to subparagraph (B).
    ``(B) To be eligible to receive a grant under this paragraph, a 
State shall prepare and submit to the Secretary a plan and application, 
for a 3-year period, at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary shall require, including--
        ``(i) the statewide strategic report described in paragraph 
    (1)(D)(ii), including a description of the State Advisory Council's 
    responsibilities under paragraph (1)(D)(i);
        ``(ii) a description, for each fiscal year, of how the State 
    will make effective use of funds available under this paragraph, 
    with funds described in subparagraph (C), to create an early 
    childhood education and care system, by developing or enhancing 
    programs and activities consistent with the statewide strategic 
    report described in paragraph (1)(D)(i);
        ``(iii) a description of the State early learning standards and 
    the State's goals for increasing the number of children entering 
    kindergarten ready to learn;
        ``(iv) information identifying the agency or joint interagency 
    office, and individual, designated to carry out the activities 
    under this paragraph, which may be the individual designated under 
    paragraph (1)(A)(ii); and
        ``(v) a description of how the State plans to sustain 
    activities under this paragraph beyond the grant period.
    ``(C) The Federal share of the cost of activities proposed to be 
conducted under subparagraph (A) shall be 30 percent, and the State 
shall provide the non-Federal share.
    ``(D) Funds made available under this paragraph shall be used to 
supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local funds 
expended to carry out activities related to early childhood education 
and care in the State.
    ``(E) Not later than 18 months after the date a State receives a 
grant under this paragraph, the State shall submit an interim report to 
the Secretary. A State that receives a grant under this paragraph shall 
submit a final report to the Secretary at the end of the grant period. 
Each report shall include--
        ``(i) a description of the activities and services carried out 
    under the grant, including the outcomes of such activities and 
    services in meeting the needs described in the periodic needs 
    assessment and statewide strategic report;
        ``(ii) information about how the State used such funds to meet 
    the goals of this subsection through activities to develop or 
    enhance high-quality systems of early childhood education and care, 
    increase effectiveness of delivery systems and use of funds, and 
    enhance existing programs and services;
        ``(iii) information regarding the remaining needs described in 
    the periodic statewide needs assessment and statewide strategic 
    report that have not yet been addressed by the State; and
        ``(iv) any other information that the Secretary may require.
    ``(F) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to provide the 
State Advisory Council with authority to modify, supersede, or negate 
the requirements of this subchapter.''.
  SEC. 12. SUBMISSION OF PLANS.
    Section 643 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9838) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: ``This section shall not apply to 
contracts, agreements, grants, loans, or other assistance for Indian 
Head Start programs or migrant or seasonal Head Start programs.''.
  SEC. 13. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS.
    Section 644 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9839) is amended--
        (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``(a)(1) Each Head Start agency shall observe standards of 
organization, management, and administration that will ensure, so far 
as reasonably possible, that all program activities are conducted in a 
manner consistent with the purposes of this subchapter and the 
objective of providing assistance effectively, efficiently, and free of 
any taint of partisan political bias or personal or family favoritism. 
Each such agency shall establish or adopt rules to carry out this 
section, which shall include rules to assure full staff accountability 
in matters governed by law, regulations, or agency policy. Each agency 
shall also provide for reasonable public access to information, 
including public hearings at the request of appropriate community 
groups and reasonable public access to books and records of the agency 
or other agencies engaged in program activities or operations involving 
the use of authority or funds for which it is responsible.
    ``(2) Each Head Start agency shall make available to the public a 
report published at least once in each fiscal year that discloses the 
following information from the most recently concluded fiscal year, 
except that reporting such information shall not reveal personally 
identifiable information about an individual child or parent:
        ``(A) The total amount of public and private funds received and 
    the amount from each source.
        ``(B) An explanation of budgetary expenditures and proposed 
    budget for the fiscal year.
        ``(C) The total number of children and families served, the 
    average monthly enrollment (as a percentage of funded enrollment), 
    and the percentage of eligible children served.
        ``(D) The results of the most recent review by the Secretary 
    and the financial audit.
        ``(E) The percentage of enrolled children that received medical 
    and dental exams.
        ``(F) Information about parent involvement activities.
        ``(G) The agency's efforts to prepare children for 
    kindergarten.
        ``(H) Any other information required by the Secretary.
    ``(3) Each such agency shall adopt for itself and other agencies 
using funds or exercising authority for which it is responsible, rules 
designed to--
        ``(A) establish specific standards governing salaries, salary 
    increases, travel and per diem allowances, and other employee 
    benefits;
        ``(B) assure that only persons capable of discharging their 
    duties with competence and integrity are employed and that 
    employees are promoted or advanced under impartial procedures 
    calculated to improve agency performance and effectiveness;
        ``(C) guard against personal or financial conflicts of 
    interest; and
        ``(D) define employee duties in an appropriate manner that will 
    in any case preclude employees from participating, in connection 
    with the performance of their duties, in any form of picketing, 
    protest, or other direct action that is in violation of law.''; and
        (2) in subsection (f)--
            (A) in paragraph (2)--
                (i) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (E) as 
            subparagraphs (B) through (F), respectively; and
                (ii) by inserting before subparagraph (B), as 
            redesignated by clause (i), the following:
        ``(A) a description of the efforts by the agency to coordinate 
    or collaborate with other providers in the community to seek 
    assistance, including financial assistance, prior to the use of 
    funds under this section;''; and
            (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``, from the amount 
        reserved under section 640(a)(2)(A),''.
  SEC. 14. PARTICIPATION IN HEAD START PROGRAMS.
    Section 645 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840) is amended--
        (1) in subsection (a)--
            (A) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
    ``(a)(1)(A) The Secretary shall by regulation prescribe eligibility 
for the participation of persons in Head Start programs assisted under 
this subchapter.
    ``(B) Except as provided in paragraph (2), such regulation shall 
provide--
        ``(i) that children from low-income families shall be eligible 
    for participation in programs assisted under this subchapter if 
    their families' incomes are below the poverty line, or if their 
    families are eligible or, in the absence of child care, would 
    potentially be eligible for public assistance;
        ``(ii) that homeless children shall be deemed to be eligible 
    for such participation;
        ``(iii) that programs assisted under this subchapter may 
    include--
            ``(I) to a reasonable extent (but not to exceed 10 percent 
        of participants), participation of children in the area served 
        who would benefit from such programs but who are not eligible 
        under clause (i) or (ii); and
            ``(II) from the area served, an additional 35 percent of 
        participants who are not eligible under clause (i) or (ii) and 
        whose families have incomes below 130 percent of the poverty 
        line, if--
                ``(aa) the Head Start agency involved establishes and 
            implements outreach and enrollment policies and procedures 
            that ensure such agency is meeting the needs of children 
            eligible under clause (i) or (ii) (or subclause (I) if the 
            child involved has a disability) prior to meeting the needs 
            of children eligible under this subclause; and
                ``(bb) in prioritizing the selection of children to be 
            served, the Head Start agency establishes criteria that 
            provide that the agency will serve children eligible under 
            clause (i) or (ii) prior to serving the children eligible 
            under this subclause;
        ``(iv) that any Head Start agency serving children eligible 
    under clause (iii)(II) shall report annually to the Secretary 
    information on--
            ``(I) how such agency is meeting the needs of children 
        eligible under clause (i) or (ii), in the area served, 
        including local demographic data on families of children 
        eligible under clause (i) or (ii);
            ``(II) the outreach and enrollment policies and procedures 
        established by the agency that ensure the agency is meeting the 
        needs of children eligible under clause (i) or (ii) (or clause 
        (iii)(I) if the child involved has a disability) prior to 
        meeting the needs of children eligible under clause (iii)(II);
            ``(III) the efforts, including outreach efforts (that are 
        appropriate to the community involved), of such agency to be 
        fully enrolled with children eligible under clause (i) or (ii);
            ``(IV) the policies, procedures, and selection criteria 
        such agency is implementing to serve eligible children, 
        consistent with clause (iii)(II);
            ``(V) the agency's enrollment level, and enrollment level 
        over the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in which the 
        report is submitted;
            ``(VI) the number of children served by the agency, 
        disaggregated by whether such children are eligible under 
        clause (i), clause (ii), clause (iii)(I), or clause (iii)(II); 
        and
            ``(VII) the eligibility criteria category of the children 
        on the agency's waiting list;
        ``(v) that a child who has been determined to meet the 
    eligibility criteria described in this subparagraph and who is 
    participating in a Head Start program in a program year shall be 
    considered to continue to meet the eligibility criteria through the 
    end of the succeeding program year.
    ``(C) In determining, for purposes of this paragraph, whether a 
child who has applied for enrollment in a Head Start program meets the 
eligibility criteria, an entity may consider evidence of family income 
during the 12 months preceding the month in which the application is 
submitted, or during the calendar year preceding the calendar year in 
which the application is submitted, whichever more accurately reflects 
the needs of the family at the time of application.''; and
            (B) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(3)(A) In this paragraph:
        ``(i) The term `dependent' has the meaning given the term in 
    paragraphs (2)(A) and (4)(A)(i) of section 401(a) of title 37, 
    United States Code.
        ``(ii) The terms `member' and `uniformed services' have the 
    meanings given the terms in paragraphs (23) and (3), respectively, 
    of section 101 of title 37, United States Code.
    ``(B) The following amounts of pay and allowance of a member of the 
uniformed services shall not be considered to be income for purposes of 
determining the eligibility of a dependent of such member for programs 
funded under this subchapter:
        ``(i) The amount of any special pay payable under section 310 
    of title 37, United States Code, relating to duty subject to 
    hostile fire or imminent danger.
        ``(ii) The amount of basic allowance payable under section 403 
    of such title, including any such amount that is provided on behalf 
    of the member for housing that is acquired or constructed under the 
    alternative authority for the acquisition and improvement of 
    military housing under subchapter IV of chapter 169 of title 10, 
    United States Code, or any other related provision of law.
    ``(4) After demonstrating a need through a communitywide strategic 
planning and needs assessment, a Head Start agency may apply to the 
Secretary to convert part-day sessions, particularly consecutive part-
day sessions, into full-working-day sessions.
    ``(5)(A) Upon written request and pursuant to the requirements of 
this paragraph, a Head Start agency may use funds that were awarded 
under this subchapter to serve children age 3 to compulsory school age, 
in order to serve infants and toddlers if the agency submits an 
application to the Secretary containing, as specified in rules issued 
by the Secretary, all of the following information:
        ``(i) The amount of such funds that are proposed to be used in 
    accordance with section 645A(b).
        ``(ii) A communitywide strategic planning and needs assessment 
    demonstrating how the use of such funds would best meet the needs 
    of the community.
        ``(iii) A description of how the needs of pregnant women, and 
    of infants and toddlers, will be addressed in accordance with 
    section 645A(b), and with regulations prescribed by the Secretary 
    pursuant to section 641A in areas including the agency's approach 
    to child development and provision of health services, approach to 
    family and community partnerships, and approach to program design 
    and management.
        ``(iv) A description of how the needs of eligible children will 
    be met in the community.
        ``(v) Assurances that the agency will participate in technical 
    assistance activities (including planning, start-up site visits, 
    and national training activities) in the same manner as recipients 
    of grants under section 645A.
        ``(vi) Evidence that the agency meets the same eligibility 
    criteria as recipients of grants under section 645A.
    ``(B) An application that satisfies the requirements specified in 
subparagraph (A) shall be approved by the Secretary unless the 
Secretary finds that--
        ``(i) the agency lacks adequate capacity and capability to 
    carry out an effective Early Head Start program; or
        ``(ii) the information provided under subparagraph (A) is 
    inadequate.
    ``(C) In approving such applications, the Secretary shall take into 
account the costs of serving persons under section 645A.
    ``(D) Any Head Start agency with an application approved under 
subparagraph (B) shall be considered to be an Early Head Start agency 
and shall be subject to the same rules, regulations, and conditions as 
apply to recipients of grants under section 645A, with respect to 
activities carried out under this paragraph.'';
        (2) in the first sentence of subsection (c), by striking ``(age 
    3 to compulsory school attendance)''; and
        (3) in subsection (d)--
            (A) by striking paragraph (3); and
            (B) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, an Indian 
tribe or tribes that operates both an Early Head Start program under 
section 645A and a Head Start program may, at its discretion, at any 
time during the grant period involved, reallocate funds between the 
Early Head Start program and the Head Start program in order to address 
fluctuations in client populations, including pregnant women and 
children from birth to compulsory school age. The reallocation of such 
funds between programs by an Indian tribe or tribes during a year shall 
not serve as the basis for the Secretary to reduce a base grant (as 
defined in section 640(a)(7)) for either program in succeeding 
years.''.
  SEC. 15. EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS.
    Section 645A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840a) is amended--
        (1) by striking the section heading and inserting the 
    following:
``SEC. 645A. EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS.'';
        (2) in subsection (a) by striking ``The Secretary'' and all 
    that follows through ``for programs'' and inserting ``The Secretary 
    shall make grants to entities (referred to in this subchapter as 
    `Early Head Start agencies') in accordance with this section for 
    programs (referred to in this subchapter as `Early Head Start 
    programs')'';
        (3) in subsection (b)--
            (A) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
        ``(4) provide services to parents to support their role as 
    parents (including parenting skills training and training in basic 
    child development) and services to help the families move toward 
    self-sufficiency (including educational and employment services, as 
    appropriate);'';
            (B) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:
        ``(5) coordinate services with services provided by programs in 
    the State (including home-based services) and programs in the 
    community (including programs for infants and toddlers with 
    disabilities and programs for homeless infants and toddlers) to 
    ensure a comprehensive array of services (such as health and mental 
    health services and family support services);'';
            (C) by redesignating paragraphs (6), (7), (8), and (9), as 
        paragraphs (7), (10), (11), and (12), respectively;
            (D) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
        ``(6) ensure that children with documented behavioral problems, 
    including problems involving behavior related to prior or existing 
    trauma, receive appropriate screening and referral;'';
            (E) by inserting after paragraph (7), as redesignated by 
        subparagraph (C), the following:
        ``(8) develop and implement a systematic procedure for 
    transitioning children and parents from an Early Head Start program 
    to a Head Start program or other local early childhood education 
    and development program;
        ``(9) establish channels of communication between staff of the 
    Early Head Start program, and staff of a Head Start program or 
    other local providers of early childhood education and development 
    programs, to facilitate the coordination of programs;''; and
            (F) by striking paragraph (11), as redesignated by 
        subparagraph (C), and inserting the following:
        ``(11) ensure formal linkages with providers of early 
    intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities 
    under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
    1400 et seq.), with the State interagency coordinating council, as 
    established in part C of the Individuals with Disabilities 
    Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), and with the agency 
    responsible for administering section 106 of the Child Abuse 
    Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a);'';
        (4) in subsection (c), by striking ``income criteria specified 
    for families in section 645(a)(1)'' and inserting ``eligibility 
    criteria specified in section 645(a)(1), including the criteria 
    specified in section 645(a)(1)(B)(ii)'';
        (5) in subsection (d), by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) and 
    inserting the following:
        ``(1) entities operating Head Start programs under this 
    subchapter;
        ``(2) entities operating Indian Head Start programs or migrant 
    or seasonal Head Start programs; and
        ``(3) other public entities, and nonprofit or for-profit 
    private entities, including community-based and faith-based 
    organizations, capable of providing child and family services that 
    meet the standards for participation in programs under this 
    subchapter and meet such other appropriate requirements relating to 
    the activities under this section as the Secretary may 
    establish.'';
        (6) in subsection (e), by striking ``From'' and all that 
    follows through ``under this subsection'' and inserting ``The 
    Secretary shall award grants under this section'';
        (7) by striking subsection (g) and inserting the following:
    ``(g) Monitoring, Training, Technical Assistance, and Evaluation.--
        ``(1) Requirement.--In order to ensure the successful operation 
    of programs assisted under this section, the Secretary shall use 
    funds made available under section 640(a)(2)(E) to monitor the 
    operation of such programs, and funds made available under section 
    640(a)(2)(C)(i)(I) to provide training and technical assistance 
    tailored to the particular needs of such programs, consistent with 
    section 640(c).
        ``(2) Training and technical assistance.--
            ``(A) Activities.--Of the portion set aside under section 
        640(a)(2)(C)(i)(I)--
                ``(i) not less than 50 percent shall be made available 
            to Early Head Start agencies to use directly, which may 
            include, at their discretion, the establishment of local or 
            regional agreements with community experts, institutions of 
            higher education, or private consultants, for training and 
            technical assistance activities in order to make program 
            improvements identified by such agencies;
                ``(ii) not less than 25 percent shall be available to 
            the Secretary to support a State-based training and 
            technical assistance system, or a national system, 
            described in section 648(e), including infant and toddler 
            specialists, to support Early Head Start agencies, 
            consistent with subparagraph (B); and
                ``(iii) the remainder of such amount shall be made 
            available to the Secretary to assist Early Head Start 
            agencies in meeting and exceeding the standards described 
            in section 641A(a)(1) (directly, or through grants, 
            contracts, or other agreements or arrangements with an 
            entity with demonstrated expertise relating to infants, 
            toddlers, and families) by--

                    ``(I) providing ongoing training and technical 
                assistance to Early Head Start agencies, including 
                developing training and technical assistance materials 
                and resources to support program development and 
                improvement and best practices in providing services to 
                children and families served by Early Head Start 
                programs;
                    ``(II) supporting a national network of infant and 
                toddler specialists designed to improve the quality of 
                Early Head Start programs;
                    ``(III) providing ongoing training and technical 
                assistance on Early Head Start program development and 
                improvement for regional staff charged with monitoring 
                and overseeing the administration of the program 
                carried out under this section; and
                    ``(IV) if funds remain after the activities 
                described in subclauses (I), (II), and (III) are 
                carried out, carry out 1 or more of the following 
                activities:

                        ``(aa) Providing support and program planning 
                    and implementation assistance for new Early Head 
                    Start agencies, including for agencies who want to 
                    use funds as described in section 645(a)(5) to 
                    serve infants and toddlers.
                        ``(bb) Creating special training and technical 
                    assistance initiatives targeted to serving high-
                    risk populations, such as children in the child 
                    welfare system and homeless children.
                        ``(cc) Providing professional development 
                    designed to increase program participation for 
                    underserved populations of eligible children.
            ``(B) Contracts.--For the purposes of supporting a State-
        based system, as described in subparagraph (A)(ii), that will 
        meet the needs of Early Head Start agencies and provide high-
        quality, sustained, and intensive training and technical 
        assistance on programming for infants and toddlers to Early 
        Head Start agencies, and in order to help such agencies meet or 
        exceed the standards described in section 641A(a)(1), the 
        Secretary shall--
                ``(i) use funds reserved under subparagraph (A)(ii) in 
            combination with funds reserved under section 
            640(a)(2)(C)(i)(II)(bb) to ensure the contracts described 
            in section 648(e)(1) provide for a minimum of 1 full-time 
            specialist with demonstrated expertise in the development 
            of infants and toddlers; and
                ``(ii) ensure that such contracts and the services 
            provided in the contracts are integrated with and augment 
            the contracts awarded and services provided under section 
            648(e);''; and
        (8) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(h) Center-Based Staff.--The Secretary shall--
        ``(1) ensure that, not later than September 30, 2010, all 
    teachers providing direct services to children and families 
    participating in Early Head Start programs located in Early Head 
    Start centers, have a minimum of a child development associate 
    credential, and have been trained (or have equivalent coursework) 
    in early childhood development; and
        ``(2) establish staff qualification goals to ensure that not 
    later than September 30, 2012, all such teachers have been trained 
    (or have equivalent coursework) in early childhood development with 
    a focus on infant and toddler development.
    ``(i) Staff Qualifications and Development.--
        ``(1) Home visitor staff standards.--In order to further 
    enhance the quality of home visiting services provided to families 
    of children participating in home-based, center-based, or 
    combination program options under this subchapter, the Secretary 
    shall establish standards for training, qualifications, and the 
    conduct of home visits for home visitor staff in Early Head Start 
    programs.
        ``(2) Contents of standards.--The standards for training, 
    qualifications, and the conduct of home visits shall include 
    content related to--
            ``(A) structured child-focused home visiting that promotes 
        parents' ability to support the child's cognitive, social, 
        emotional, and physical development;
            ``(B) effective strengths-based parent education, including 
        methods to encourage parents as their child's first teachers;
            ``(C) early childhood development with respect to children 
        from birth through age 3;
            ``(D) methods to help parents promote emergent literacy in 
        their children from birth through age 3, including use of 
        research-based strategies to support the development of 
        literacy and language skills for children who are limited 
        English proficient;
            ``(E) ascertaining what health and developmental services 
        the family receives and working with providers of these 
        services to eliminate gaps in service by offering annual 
        health, vision, hearing, and developmental screening for 
        children from birth to entry into kindergarten, when needed;
            ``(F) strategies for helping families coping with crisis; 
        and
            ``(G) the relationship of health and well-being of pregnant 
        women to prenatal and early child development.''.
  SEC. 16. APPEALS, NOTICE, AND HEARING.
    Section 646(a) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9841(a)) is 
amended--
        (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
    ``procedures to assure that'';
        (2) in paragraphs (1) and (2), by inserting ``procedures to 
    assure that'' after the paragraph designation;
        (3) by striking paragraphs (3) and (4) and inserting the 
    following:
        ``(3) procedures to assure that financial assistance under this 
    subchapter may be terminated or reduced, and an application for 
    refunding may be denied, after the recipient has been afforded 
    reasonable notice and opportunity for a full and fair hearing, 
    including--
            ``(A) a right to file a notice of appeal of a decision not 
        later than 30 days after notice of the decision from the 
        Secretary; and
            ``(B) access to a full and fair hearing of the appeal, not 
        later than 120 days after receipt by the Secretary of the 
        notice of appeal;
        ``(4) procedures (including mediation procedures) are developed 
    and published, to be used in order to--
            ``(A) resolve in a timely manner conflicts potentially 
        leading to an adverse action between--
                ``(i) recipients of financial assistance under this 
            subchapter; and
                ``(ii) delegate agencies, or policy councils of Head 
            Start agencies;
            ``(B) avoid the need for an administrative hearing on an 
        adverse action; and
            ``(C) prohibit a Head Start agency from expending financial 
        assistance awarded under this subchapter for the purpose of 
        paying legal fees, or other costs incurred, pursuant to an 
        appeal under paragraph (3);
        ``(5) procedures to assure that the Secretary may suspend 
    financial assistance to a recipient under this subchapter--
            ``(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), for not more 
        than 30 days; or
            ``(B) in the case of a recipient under this subchapter that 
        has multiple and recurring deficiencies for 180 days or more 
        and has not made substantial and significant progress toward 
        meeting the goals of the grantee's quality improvement plan or 
        eliminating all deficiencies identified by the Secretary, 
        during the hearing of an appeal described in paragraph (3), for 
        any amount of time; and
        ``(6) procedures to assure that in cases where a Head Start 
    agency prevails in a decision under paragraph (4), the Secretary 
    may determine and provide a reimbursement to the Head Start agency 
    for fees deemed reasonable and customary.''.
  SEC. 17. RECORDS AND AUDITS.
    Section 647 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9842) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Each recipient of financial assistance under this subchapter 
shall--
        ``(1) maintain, and annually submit to the Secretary, a 
    complete accounting of the recipient's administrative expenses 
    (including a detailed statement identifying the amount of financial 
    assistance provided under this subchapter used to pay expenses for 
    salaries and compensation and the amount (if any) of other funds 
    used to pay such expenses);
        ``(2) not later than 30 days after the date of completion of an 
    audit conducted in the manner and to the extent provided in chapter 
    75 of title 31, United States Code (commonly known as the `Single 
    Audit Act of 1984'), submit to the Secretary a copy of the audit 
    management letter and of any audit findings as they relate to the 
    Head Start program; and
        ``(3) provide such additional documentation as the Secretary 
    may require.''.
  SEC. 18. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING.
    Section 648 of the of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9843) is 
amended to read as follows:
    ``SEC. 648. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING.
    ``(a) Secretarial Training and Technical Assistance.--
        ``(1) Authority.--From the funds provided under section 
    640(a)(2)(C)(i), the Secretary shall provide, directly or through 
    grants, contracts, or other agreements or arrangements as the 
    Secretary considers appropriate, technical assistance and training 
    for Head Start programs for the purposes of improving program 
    quality and helping prepare children to succeed in school.
        ``(2) Process.--The process for determining the technical 
    assistance and training activities to be carried out under this 
    section shall--
            ``(A) ensure that the needs of local Head Start agencies 
        and programs relating to improving program quality and to 
        program expansion are addressed to the maximum extent 
        practicable; and
            ``(B) incorporate mechanisms to ensure responsiveness to 
        local needs, including an ongoing procedure for obtaining input 
        from the individuals and agencies carrying out Head Start 
        programs.
        ``(3) Activities.--In providing training and technical 
    assistance and for allocating resources for such assistance under 
    this section, the Secretary shall--
            ``(A) give priority consideration to--
                ``(i) activities to correct program and management 
            deficiencies identified through reviews carried out 
            pursuant to section 641A(c) (including the provision of 
            assistance to local programs in the development of quality 
            improvement plans under section 641A(d)(2));
                ``(ii) assisting Head Start agencies in ensuring the 
            school readiness of children; and
                ``(iii) activities that supplement those funded with 
            amounts provided under section 640(a)(5)(B) to address the 
            training and career development needs of classroom staff 
            (including instruction for providing services to children 
            with disabilities, and for activities described in section 
            1222(d) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
            1965), and non-classroom staff, including home visitors and 
            other staff working directly with families, including 
            training relating to increasing parent involvement and 
            services designed to increase family literacy and improve 
            parenting skills; and
            ``(B) to the maximum extent practicable--
                ``(i) assist Head Start agencies in the development of 
            collaborative initiatives with States and other entities 
            within the States, to foster effective professional 
            development systems for early childhood education and 
            development services;
                ``(ii) provide technical assistance and training, 
            either directly or through a grant, contract, or 
            cooperative agreement with an entity that has experience in 
            the development and operation of successful family literacy 
            services programs, for the purpose of--

                    ``(I) assisting Head Start agencies providing 
                family literacy services, in order to improve the 
                quality of such family literacy services; and
                    ``(II) enabling those Head Start agencies that 
                demonstrate effective provision of family literacy 
                services, based on improved outcomes for children and 
                their parents, to provide technical assistance and 
                training to other Head Start agencies and to service 
                providers that work in collaboration with such agencies 
                to provide family literacy services;

                ``(iii) assist Head Start agencies and programs in 
            conducting and participating in communitywide strategic 
            planning and needs assessments, including the needs of 
            homeless children and their families, and in conducting 
            self-assessments;
                ``(iv) assist Head Start agencies and programs in 
            developing and implementing full-working-day and full 
            calendar year programs where community need is clearly 
            identified and making the transition to such programs, with 
            particular attention to involving parents and programming 
            for children throughout the day, and assist the agencies 
            and programs in expediting the sharing of information about 
            innovative models for providing full-working-day, full 
            calendar year services for children;
                ``(v) assist Head Start agencies in better serving the 
            needs of families with very young children, including 
            providing support and program planning and implementation 
            assistance for Head Start agencies that apply to serve or 
            are serving additional infants and toddlers, in accordance 
            with section 645(a)(5);
                ``(vi) assist Head Start agencies and programs in the 
            development of sound management practices, including 
            financial management procedures;
                ``(vii) assist in efforts to secure and maintain 
            adequate facilities for Head Start programs;
                ``(viii) assist Head Start agencies in developing 
            innovative program models, including mobile and home-based 
            programs;
                ``(ix) provide support for Head Start agencies 
            (including policy councils and policy committees) that meet 
            the standards described in section 641A(a) but that have, 
            as documented by the Secretary through reviews conducted 
            pursuant to section 641A(c), programmatic, quality, and 
            fiscal issues to address;
                ``(x) assist Head Start agencies and programs in 
            improving outreach to, increasing program participation of, 
            and improving the quality of services available to meet the 
            unique needs of--

                    ``(I) homeless children;
                    ``(II) limited English proficient children and 
                their families, particularly in communities that have 
                experienced a large percentage increase in the 
                population of limited English proficient individuals, 
                as measured by the Bureau of the Census; and
                    ``(III) children with disabilities, particularly if 
                such program's enrollment opportunities or funded 
                enrollment for children with disabilities is less than 
                10 percent;

                ``(xi) assist Head Start agencies and programs to 
            increase the capacity of classroom staff to meet the needs 
            of eligible children in Head Start classrooms that are 
            serving both children with disabilities and children 
            without disabilities;
                ``(xii) assist Head Start agencies and programs to 
            address the unique needs of programs located in rural 
            communities, including--

                    ``(I) removing barriers related to the recruitment 
                and retention of Head Start teachers in rural 
                communities;
                    ``(II) developing innovative and effective models 
                of professional development for improving staff 
                qualifications and skills for staff living in rural 
                communities;
                    ``(III) removing barriers related to outreach 
                efforts to eligible families in rural communities;
                    ``(IV) removing barriers to parent involvement in 
                Head Start programs in rural communities;
                    ``(V) removing barriers to providing home visiting 
                services in rural communities; and
                    ``(VI) removing barriers to obtaining health 
                screenings for Head Start participants in rural 
                communities;

                ``(xiii) provide training and technical assistance to 
            members of governing bodies, policy councils, and, as 
            appropriate, policy committees, to ensure that the members 
            can fulfill their functions;
                ``(xiv) provide activities that help ensure that Head 
            Start programs have qualified staff who can promote 
            prevention of childhood obesity by integrating 
            developmentally appropriate research-based initiatives that 
            stress the importance of physical activity and healthy, 
            nutritional choices in daily classroom and family routines;
                ``(xv) assist Indian Head Start agencies to provide on-
            site and off-site training to staff, using approaches that 
            identify and enhance the positive resources and strengths 
            of Indian children and families, to improve parent and 
            family engagement and staff development, particularly with 
            regard to child and family development; and
                ``(xvi) assisting Head Start agencies in selecting and 
            using the measures described in section 641A(b).
    ``(b) Additional Support.--The Secretary shall provide, either 
directly or through grants, contracts or other arrangements, funds from 
section 640(a)(2)(C)(i)(II)(cc) to--
        ``(1) support an organization to administer a centralized child 
    development and national assessment program leading to recognized 
    credentials for personnel working in early childhood education and 
    development programs; and
        ``(2) support training for personnel--
            ``(A) providing services to limited English proficient 
        children and their families (including services to promote the 
        acquisition of the English language);
            ``(B) providing services to children determined to be 
        abused or neglected or children referred by or receiving child 
        welfare services;
            ``(C) in helping children cope with community violence;
            ``(D) to recognize common health, including mental health, 
        problems in children for appropriate referral;
            ``(E) to address the needs of children with disabilities 
        and their families;
            ``(F) to address the needs of migrant and seasonal 
        farmworker families; and
            ``(G) to address the needs of homeless families.
    ``(c) Outreach.--The Secretary shall develop and implement a 
program of outreach to recruit and train professionals from diverse 
backgrounds to become Head Start teachers in order to reflect the 
communities in which Head Start children live and to increase the 
provision of quality services and instruction to children with diverse 
backgrounds.
    ``(d) Funds to Agencies.--Funds made available under section 
640(a)(2)(C)(i)(II)(aa) shall be used by a Head Start agency to provide 
high-quality, sustained, and intensive training and technical 
assistance as follows:
        ``(1) For 1 or more of the following:
            ``(A) Activities that ensure that Head Start programs meet 
        or exceed the standards described in section 641A(a)(1).
            ``(B) Activities that ensure that Head Start programs have 
        adequate numbers of trained, qualified staff who have skills in 
        working with children and families, including children and 
        families who are limited English proficient and children with 
        disabilities and their families.
            ``(C) Activities to improve the management and 
        implementation of Head Start services and systems, including 
        direct training for expert consultants working with staff.
            ``(D) Activities that help ensure that Head Start programs 
        have qualified staff who can promote language skills and 
        literacy growth of children and who can provide children with a 
        variety of skills that have been identified as predictive of 
        later reading achievement, school success, and the skills, 
        knowledge, abilities, development, and progress described in 
        section 641A(a)(1)(B)(ii).
            ``(E) Activities to improve staff qualifications and to 
        assist with the implementation of career development programs 
        and to encourage the staff to continually improve their skills 
        and expertise, including developing partnerships with programs 
        that recruit, train, place, and support college students in 
        Head Start centers to deliver an innovative early learning 
        program to preschool children.
            ``(F) Activities that help local programs ensure that the 
        arrangement, condition, and implementation of the learning 
        environments in Head Start programs are conducive to providing 
        effective program services to children and families.
            ``(G) Activities to provide training necessary to improve 
        the qualifications of Head Start staff and to support staff 
        training, child counseling, health services, and other services 
        necessary to address the needs of children enrolled in Head 
        Start programs, including children from families in crises, 
        children who experience chronic violence or homelessness, 
        children who experience substance abuse in their families, and 
        children under 3 years of age, where applicable.
            ``(H) Activities to provide classes or in-service-type 
        programs to improve or enhance parenting skills, job skills, 
        and adult and family literacy, including financial literacy, or 
        training to become a classroom aide or bus driver in a Head 
        Start program.
            ``(I) Additional activities deemed appropriate to the 
        improvement of Head Start programs, as determined by the 
        technical assistance and training plans of the Head Start 
        agencies.
        ``(2) To support enhanced early language and literacy 
    development of children in Head Start programs, and to provide the 
    children with high-quality oral language skills and with 
    environments that are rich in literature in which to acquire 
    language and early literacy skills. Each Head Start agency, in 
    consultation with the State-based training and technical assistance 
    system, as appropriate, shall ensure that--
            ``(A) all of the agency's Head Start teachers receive 
        ongoing training in language and emergent literacy (referred to 
        in this subsection as `literacy training'), including 
        appropriate curricula and assessment to improve instruction and 
        learning;
            ``(B) such literacy training shall include training in 
        methods to promote vocabulary development and phonological 
        awareness (including phonemic awareness) in a developmentally, 
        culturally, and linguistically appropriate manner and support 
        children's development in their native language;
            ``(C) the literacy training shall include training in how 
        to work with parents to enhance positive language and early 
        literacy development at home;
            ``(D) the literacy training shall include specific methods 
        to best address the needs of children who are limited English 
        proficient;
            ``(E) the literacy training shall include training on how 
        to best address the language and literacy needs of children 
        with disabilities, including training on how to work with 
        specialists in language development; and
            ``(F) the literacy training shall be tailored to the early 
        childhood literacy background and experience of the teachers 
        involved;
    except that funds made available under section 640(a)(2)(C)(i) 
    shall not be used for long-distance travel expenses for training 
    activities available locally or regionally or for training 
    activities substantially similar to locally or regionally available 
    training activities.
    ``(e) State-Based Training and Technical Assistance System.--For 
the purposes of delivering a State-based training and technical 
assistance system (which may include a consortium of 2 or more States 
within a region) or a national system in the case of migrant or 
seasonal Head Start and Indian Head Start programs, as described in 
section 640(a)(2)(C)(i)(II)(bb), that will meet the needs of local 
grantees, as determined by such grantees, and provide high-quality, 
sustained, and intensive training and technical assistance to Head 
Start agencies and programs in order to improve their capacity to 
deliver services that meet or exceed the standards described in section 
641A(a)(1), the Secretary shall--
        ``(1) enter into contracts in each State with 1 or more 
    entities that have a demonstrated expertise in supporting the 
    delivery of high-quality early childhood education and development 
    programs, except that contracts for a consortium of 2 or more 
    States within a geographic region may be entered into if such a 
    system is more appropriate to better meet the needs of local 
    grantees within a region, as determined by such grantees;
        ``(2) ensure that the entities described in subparagraph (1) 
    determine the types of services to be provided through consultation 
    with--
            ``(A) local Head Start agencies (including Indian Head 
        Start agencies and migrant or seasonal Head Start agencies, as 
        appropriate);
            ``(B) the State Head Start collaboration office; and
            ``(C) the State Head Start Association;
        ``(3) encourage States to supplement the funds authorized in 
    section 640(a)(2)(C)(i)(II)(bb) with Federal, State, or local funds 
    other than funds made available under this subchapter, to expand 
    training and technical assistance activities beyond Head Start 
    agencies to include other providers of other early childhood 
    education and development programs within a State;
        ``(4) provide a report to the Committee on Education and Labor 
    of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, 
    Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, not later than 90 
    days after the end of the fiscal year, summarizing the funding for 
    such contracts and the activities carried out thereunder;
        ``(5) periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the delivery 
    of services in each State in promoting program quality; and
        ``(6) ensure that in entering into such contracts as described 
    in paragraph (1), such entities will address the needs of grantees 
    in both urban and rural communities.
    ``(f) Indoor Air Quality.--The Secretary shall consult with 
appropriate Federal agencies and other experts, as appropriate, on 
issues of air quality related to children's health and inform Head 
Start agencies of existing programs or combination of programs that 
provide methods for improving indoor air quality.
    ``(g) Career Advancement Partnership Program.--
        ``(1) Authority.--From amounts allocated under section 
    640(a)(2)(C) the Secretary is authorized to award demonstration 
    grants, for a period of not less than 5 years, to historically 
    Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, and 
    Tribal Colleges and Universities--
            ``(A) to implement education programs that increase the 
        number of associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees in 
        early childhood education and related fields that are earned by 
        Head Start agency staff members, parents of children served by 
        such agencies, and members of the communities involved;
            ``(B) to provide assistance for stipends and costs related 
        to tuition, fees, and books for enrolling Head Start agency 
        staff members, parents of children served by such an agency, 
        and members of the communities involved in courses required to 
        complete the degree and certification requirement to become 
        teachers in early childhood education and related fields;
            ``(C) to develop program curricula to promote high-quality 
        services and instruction to children with diverse backgrounds, 
        including--
                ``(i) in the case of historically Black colleges and 
            universities, to help Head Start Agency staff members 
            develop skills and expertise needed to teach in programs 
            serving large numbers of African American children;
                ``(ii) in the case of Hispanic-serving institutions, 
            programs to help Head Start Agency staff members develop 
            skills and expertise needed to teach in programs serving 
            large numbers of Hispanic children, including programs to 
            develop the linguistic skills and expertise needed to teach 
            in programs serving a large number of children with limited 
            English proficiency; and
                ``(iii) in the case of Tribal Colleges and 
            Universities, to help Head Start Agency staff members 
            develop skills and expertise needed to teach in programs 
            serving large numbers of Indian children, including 
            programs concerning tribal culture and language;
            ``(D) to provide other activities to upgrade the skills and 
        qualifications of educational personnel to meet the 
        professional standards in subsection (a) to better promote 
        high-quality services and instruction to children and parents 
        from populations served by historically Black colleges and 
        universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, or Tribal Colleges 
        and Universities;
            ``(E) to provide technology literacy programs for Indian 
        Head Start agency staff members and families of children served 
        by such agency; and
            ``(F) to develop and implement the programs described under 
        subparagraph (A) in technology-mediated formats, including 
        through such means as distance learning and use of advanced 
        technology, as appropriate.
        ``(2) Other assistance.--The Secretary shall, using resources 
    within the Department of Health and Human Services--
            ``(A) provide appropriate technical assistance to 
        historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving 
        institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities receiving 
        grants under this section, including coordinating with the 
        White House Initiative on historically Black colleges and 
        universities; and
            ``(B) ensure that the American Indian Programs Branch of 
        the Office of Head Start of the Administration for Children and 
        Families of the Department of Health and Human Services can 
        effectively administer the programs under this section and 
        provide appropriate technical assistance to Tribal Colleges and 
        Universities under this section.
        ``(3) Application.--Each historically Black college or 
    university, Hispanic-serving institution, or Tribal College or 
    University desiring a grant under this section shall submit an 
    application, in partnership with at least 1 Head Start agency 
    enrolling large numbers of students from the populations served by 
    historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving 
    institutions, or Tribal Colleges and Universities, to the 
    Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
    information as the Secretary may require, including a certification 
    that the institution of higher education has established a formal 
    partnership with 1 or more Head Start agencies for the purposes of 
    conducting the activities described in paragraph (1).
        ``(4) Definitions.--In this subsection:
            ``(A) The term `Hispanic-serving institution' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 502 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a).
            ``(B) The term `historically Black college or university' 
        has the meaning given the term `part B institution' in section 
        322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)).
            ``(C) The term `Tribal College or University' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 316(b) of the Higher 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)).
        ``(5) Teaching requirement.--A student at an institution 
    receiving a grant under this subsection who receives assistance 
    under a program funded under this subsection shall teach in a 
    center-based Head Start program for a period of time equivalent to 
    the period for which they received assistance or shall repay such 
    assistance.''.
  SEC. 19. STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT.
    Section 648A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9843a) is amended--
        (1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
    ``(a) Classroom Teachers.--
        ``(1) Professional requirements.--The Secretary shall ensure 
    that each Head Start classroom in a center-based program is 
    assigned 1 teacher who has demonstrated competency to perform 
    functions that include--
            ``(A) planning and implementing learning experiences that 
        advance the intellectual and physical development of children, 
        including improving the readiness of children for school by 
        developing their literacy, phonemic, and print awareness, their 
        understanding and use of language, their understanding and use 
        of increasingly complex and varied vocabulary, their 
        appreciation of books, their understanding of early math and 
        early science, their problem-solving abilities, and their 
        approaches to learning;
            ``(B) establishing and maintaining a safe, healthy learning 
        environment;
            ``(C) supporting the social and emotional development of 
        children; and
            ``(D) encouraging the involvement of the families of the 
        children in a Head Start program and supporting the development 
        of relationships between children and their families.
        ``(2) Degree requirements.--
            ``(A) Head start teachers.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
        not later than September 30, 2013, at least 50 percent of Head 
        Start teachers nationwide in center-based programs have--
                ``(i) a baccalaureate or advanced degree in early 
            childhood education; or
                ``(ii) a baccalaureate or advanced degree and 
            coursework equivalent to a major relating to early 
            childhood education, with experience teaching preschool-age 
            children.
            ``(B) Additional staff.--The Secretary shall ensure that, 
        not later than September 30, 2013, all--
                ``(i) Head Start education coordinators, including 
            those that serve as curriculum specialists, nationwide in 
            center-based programs--

                    ``(I) have the capacity to offer assistance to 
                other teachers in the implementation and adaptation of 
                curricula to the group and individual needs of children 
                in a Head Start classroom; and
                    ``(II) have--

                        ``(aa) a baccalaureate or advanced degree in 
                    early childhood education; or
                        ``(bb) a baccalaureate or advanced degree and 
                    coursework equivalent to a major relating to early 
                    childhood education, with experience teaching 
                    preschool-age children; and
                ``(ii) Head Start teaching assistants nationwide in 
            center-based programs have--

                    ``(I) at least a child development associate 
                credential;
                    ``(II) enrolled in a program leading to an 
                associate or baccalaureate degree; or
                    ``(III) enrolled in a child development associate 
                credential program to be completed within 2 years.

            ``(C) Progress.--
                ``(i) Implementation.--The Secretary shall--

                    ``(I) require Head Start agencies to--

                        ``(aa) describe continuing progress each year 
                    toward achieving the goals described in 
                    subparagraphs (A) and (B); and
                        ``(bb) annually submit to the Secretary a 
                    report indicating the number and percentage of 
                    classroom personnel described in subparagraphs (A) 
                    and (B) in center-based programs with child 
                    development associate credentials or associate, 
                    baccalaureate, or advanced degrees;

                    ``(II) compile and submit a summary of all program 
                reports described in subclause (I)(bb) to the Committee 
                on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives 
                and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                Pensions of the Senate; and
                    ``(III) not impose any penalties or sanctions on 
                any individual Head Start agency, program, or staff in 
                the monitoring of local agencies and programs under 
                this subchapter not meeting the requirements of 
                subparagraph (A) or (B).

            ``(D) Construction.--In this paragraph a reference to a 
        Head Start agency, or its program, services, facility, or 
        personnel, shall not be considered to be a reference to an 
        Early Head Start agency, or its program, services, facility, or 
        personnel.
        ``(3) Alternative credentialing and degree requirements.--The 
    Secretary shall ensure that, for center-based programs, each Head 
    Start classroom that does not have a teacher who meets the 
    qualifications described in clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (2)(A) 
    is assigned one teacher who has the following during the period 
    specified:
            ``(A) Through September 30, 2011--
                ``(i) a child development associate credential that is 
            appropriate to the age of children being served in center-
            based programs;
                ``(ii) a State-awarded certificate for preschool 
            teachers that meets or exceeds the requirements for a child 
            development associate credential;
                ``(iii) an associate degree in early childhood 
            education;
                ``(iv) an associate degree in a related field and 
            coursework equivalent to a major relating to early 
            childhood education, with experience teaching preschool-age 
            children; or
                ``(v) a baccalaureate degree and has been admitted into 
            the Teach For America program, passed a rigorous early 
            childhood content exam, such as the Praxis II, participated 
            in a Teach For America summer training institute that 
            includes teaching preschool children, and is receiving 
            ongoing professional development and support from Teach For 
            America's professional staff.
            ``(B) As of October 1, 2011--
                ``(i) an associate degree in early childhood education;
                ``(ii) an associate degree in a related field and 
            coursework equivalent to a major relating to early 
            childhood education, with experience teaching preschool-age 
            children; or
                ``(iii) a baccalaureate degree and has been admitted 
            into the Teach For America program, passed a rigorous early 
            childhood content exam, such as the Praxis II, participated 
            in a Teach For America summer training institute that 
            includes teaching preschool children, and is receiving 
            ongoing professional development and support from Teach For 
            America's professional staff.
        ``(4) Waiver.--On request, the Secretary shall grant--
            ``(A) through September 30, 2011, a 180-day waiver ending 
        on or before September 30, 2011, of the requirements of 
        paragraph (3)(A) for a Head Start agency that can demonstrate 
        that the agency has attempted unsuccessfully to recruit an 
        individual who has the qualifications described in any of 
        clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (3)(A) with respect to an 
        individual who--
                ``(i) is enrolled in a program that grants a 
            credential, certificate, or degree described in clauses (i) 
            through (iv) of paragraph (3)(A); and
                ``(ii) will receive such credential, certificate, or 
            degree under the terms of such program not later than 180 
            days after beginning employment as a teacher with such 
            agency; and
            ``(B) as of October 1, 2011, a 3-year waiver of the 
        requirements of paragraph (3)(B) for a Head Start agency that 
        can demonstrate that--
                ``(i) the agency has attempted unsuccessfully to 
            recruit an individual who has the qualifications described 
            in clause (i) or (ii) of such paragraph, with respect to an 
            individual who is enrolled in a program that grants a 
            degree described in clause (i) or (ii) of such paragraph 
            and will receive such degree in a reasonable time; and
                ``(ii) each Head Start classroom has a teacher who has, 
            at a minimum--

                    ``(I) a child development associate credential that 
                is appropriate to the age of children being served in 
                center-based programs; or
                    ``(II) a State-awarded certificate for preschool 
                teachers that meets or exceeds the requirements for a 
                child development associate credential.

        ``(5) Teacher in-service requirement.--Each Head Start teacher 
    shall attend not less than 15 clock hours of professional 
    development per year. Such professional development shall be high-
    quality, sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused in order to 
    have a positive and lasting impact on classroom instruction and the 
    teacher's performance in the classroom, and regularly evaluated by 
    the program for effectiveness.
        ``(6) Service requirements.--The Secretary shall establish 
    requirements to ensure that, in order to enable Head Start agencies 
    to comply with the requirements of paragraph (2)(A), individuals 
    who receive financial assistance under this subchapter to pursue a 
    degree described in paragraph (2)(A) shall--
            ``(A) teach or work in a Head Start program for a minimum 
        of 3 years after receiving the degree; or
            ``(B) repay the total or a prorated amount of the financial 
        assistance received based on the length of service completed 
        after receiving the degree.
        ``(7) Use of funds.--The Secretary shall require that any 
    Federal funds provided directly or indirectly to comply with 
    paragraph (2)(A) shall be used toward degrees awarded by an 
    institution of higher education, as defined by section 101 or 102 
    of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001, 1002).'';
        (2) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
    ``(c) Family Service Workers.--To improve the quality and 
effectiveness of staff providing in-home and other services (including 
needs assessment, development of service plans, family advocacy, and 
coordination of service delivery) to families of children participating 
in Head Start programs, the Secretary, in coordination with concerned 
public and private agencies and organizations examining the issues of 
standards and training for family service workers, shall--
        ``(1) review and, as necessary, revise or develop new 
    qualification standards for Head Start staff providing such 
    services;
        ``(2) review, and as necessary, revise or develop maximum 
    caseload requirements, as suggested by best practices;
        ``(3) promote the development of model curricula (on subjects 
    including parenting training and family literacy) designed to 
    ensure the attainment of appropriate competencies by individuals 
    working or planning to work in the field of early childhood and 
    family services;
        ``(4) promote the establishment of a credential that indicates 
    attainment of the competencies and that is accepted nationwide; and
        ``(5) promote the use of appropriate strategies to meet the 
    needs of special populations (including populations of limited 
    English proficient children).'';
        (3) in subsection (d)--
            (A) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting ``(including a 
        center)'' after ``agency''; and
            (B) in paragraph (6), by striking ``amounts appropriated 
        under this subchapter and allotted under section 640(a)(2)(D)'' 
        and inserting ``amounts made available under section 
        640(a)(2)(E)''; and
        (4) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Professional Development Plans.--Each Head Start agency and 
program shall create, in consultation with an employee, a professional 
development plan for all full-time Head Start employees who provide 
direct services to children and shall ensure that such plans are 
regularly evaluated for their impact on teacher and staff 
effectiveness. The agency and the employee shall implement the plan to 
the extent feasible and practicable.
    ``(g) Staff Recruitment and Selection Procedures.--Before a Head 
Start agency employs an individual, such agency shall--
        ``(1) conduct an interview of such individual;
        ``(2) verify the personal and employment references provided by 
    such individual; and
        ``(3) obtain--
            ``(A) a State, tribal, or Federal criminal record check 
        covering all jurisdictions where the grantee provides Head 
        Start services to children;
            ``(B) a State, tribal, or Federal criminal record check as 
        required by the law of the jurisdiction where the grantee 
        provides Head Start services; or
            ``(C) a criminal record check as otherwise required by 
        Federal law.''.
  SEC. 20. RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND EVALUATION.
    Section 649 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9844) is amended--
        (1) by amending subsection (a)(1)(B) to read as follows:
            ``(B) use the Head Start programs to develop, test, and 
        disseminate new ideas based on existing scientifically valid 
        research, for addressing the needs of low-income preschool 
        children (including children with disabilities, homeless 
        children, children who have been abused or neglected, and 
        children in foster care) and their families and communities 
        (including demonstrations of innovative non-center-based 
        program models such as home-based and mobile programs), and 
        otherwise to further the purposes of this subchapter.'';
        (2) in subsection (d)--
            (A) in paragraph (8), by adding ``and'' at the end;
            (B) by striking paragraphs (9) and (10), and inserting the 
        following:
        ``(10)(A) contribute to understanding the impact of Head Start 
    services delivered in classrooms which include both children with 
    disabilities and children without disabilities, on all of the 
    children; and
        ``(B) disseminate promising practices for increasing the 
    availability and quality of such services and such classrooms.'';
            (C) in paragraph (5), by striking ``early childhood 
        education, or child development services'' and inserting 
        ``early childhood education and development or services 
        programs'';
            (D) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (8) as 
        paragraphs (6) through (9), respectively;
            (E) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
        ``(5)(A) identify successful strategies that promote good oral 
    health and provide effective linkages to quality dental services 
    through pediatric dental referral networks, for infants and 
    toddlers participating in Early Head Start programs and children 
    participating in other Head Start programs; and
        ``(B) identify successful strategies that promote good vision 
    health through vision screenings for such infants, toddlers, and 
    children, and referrals for appropriate followup care for those 
    identified as having a vision problem;''; and
            (F) by striking the last sentence; and
        (3) in subsection (e)(3), by striking ``child care, early 
    childhood education, or child development services'' and inserting 
    ``early childhood education and development services or programs'';
        (4) in subsection (g) by amending paragraph (7)(C) to read as 
    follows:
            ``(C) Transmittal of report to congress.--Not later than 
        September 30, 2009, the Secretary shall transmit the final 
        report to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
        and Pensions of the Senate.''; and
        (5) by striking subsection (h) and inserting the following:
    ``(h) Limited English Proficient Children.--
        ``(1) Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
    of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, the 
    Secretary shall conduct a study on the status of limited English 
    proficient children and their families participating in Head Start 
    programs (including Early Head Start programs).
        ``(2) Report.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the 
    Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives 
    and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
    Senate, not later than September 30, 2010, a report containing the 
    results of the study, including information on--
            ``(A) the demographics of limited English proficient 
        children from birth through age 5, including the number of such 
        children receiving Head Start services and Early Head Start 
        services, and the geographic distribution of children described 
        in this subparagraph;
            ``(B) the nature of the Head Start services and of the 
        Early Head Start services provided to limited English 
        proficient children and their families, including the types, 
        content, duration, intensity, and costs of family services, 
        language assistance, and educational services;
            ``(C) procedures in Head Start programs and Early Head 
        Start programs for the assessment of language needs and the 
        transition of limited English proficient children to 
        kindergarten, including the extent to which such programs meet 
        the requirements of section 642A for limited English proficient 
        children;
            ``(D) the qualifications and training provided to Head 
        Start teachers and Early Head Start teachers who serve limited 
        English proficient children and their families;
            ``(E) the languages in which Head Start teachers and Early 
        Head Start teachers are fluent, in relation to the population, 
        and instructional needs, of the children served;
            ``(F) the rate of progress made by limited English 
        proficient children and their families in Head Start programs 
        and in Early Head Start programs, including--
                ``(i) the rate of progress made by limited English 
            proficient children toward meeting the additional 
            educational standards described in section 
            641A(a)(1)(B)(ii) while enrolled in such programs;
                ``(ii) a description of the type of assessment or 
            assessments used to determine the rate of progress made by 
            limited English proficient children;
                ``(iii) the correlation between such progress and the 
            type and quality of instruction and educational programs 
            provided to limited English proficient children; and
                ``(iv) the correlation between such progress and the 
            health and family services provided by such programs to 
            limited English proficient children and their families; and
            ``(G) the extent to which Head Start programs and Early 
        Head Start programs make use of funds under section 
        640(a)(2)(D) to improve the quality of such services provided 
        to limited English proficient children and their families.
    ``(i) Research and Evaluation Activities Relevant to Diverse 
Communities.--For purposes of conducting the study described in 
subsection (h), activities described in section 640(l)(5)(A), and other 
research and evaluation activities relevant to limited English 
proficient children and their families, migrant and seasonal farmworker 
families, and other families from diverse populations served by Head 
Start programs, the Secretary shall award, on a competitive basis, 
funds from amounts made available under section 640(a)(2)(D) to 1 or 
more organizations with a demonstrated capacity for serving and 
studying the populations involved.
    ``(j) Review of Assessments.--
        ``(1) Application of study.--When the study on Developmental 
    Outcomes and Assessments for Young Children by the National Academy 
    of Sciences is made available to the Secretary, the Secretary 
    shall--
            ``(A) integrate the results of the study, as appropriate 
        and in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3), into each 
        assessment used in Head Start programs; and
            ``(B) use the results of the study to develop, inform, and 
        revise as appropriate the standards and measures described in 
        section 641A, consistent with section 641A(a)(2)(C)(ii).
        ``(2) Inform and revise.--In informing and revising any 
    assessment used in the Head Start programs, the Secretary shall--
            ``(A) receive recommendations from the Panel on 
        Developmental Outcomes and Assessments for Young Children of 
        the National Academy of Sciences; and
            ``(B) with respect to the development or refinement of such 
        assessment, ensure--
                ``(i) consistency with relevant, nationally recognized 
            professional and technical standards;
                ``(ii) validity and reliability for all purposes for 
            which assessments under this subchapter are designed and 
            used;
                ``(iii) developmental and linguistic appropriateness of 
            such assessments for children assessed, including children 
            who are limited English proficient; and
                ``(iv) that the results can be used to improve the 
            quality of, accountability of, and training and technical 
            assistance in, Head Start programs.
        ``(3) Additional requirements.--The Secretary, in carrying out 
    the process described in paragraph (2), shall ensure that--
            ``(A) staff administering any assessments under this 
        subchapter have received appropriate training to administer 
        such assessments;
            ``(B) appropriate accommodations for children with 
        disabilities and children who are limited English proficient 
        are made;
            ``(C) the English and Spanish (and any other language, as 
        appropriate) forms of such assessments are valid and reliable 
        in the languages in which they are administered; and
            ``(D) such assessments are not used to exclude children 
        from Head Start programs.
        ``(4) Suspended implementation of national reporting system.--
    The Secretary shall suspend implementation and terminate further 
    development and use of the National Reporting System.
    ``(k) Indian Head Start Study.--The Secretary shall--
        ``(1) work in collaboration with the Head Start agencies that 
    carry out Indian Head Start programs, the Indian Head Start 
    collaboration director, and other appropriate entities, including 
    tribal governments and the National Indian Head Start Directors 
    Association--
            ``(A) to undertake a study or set of studies designed to 
        focus on the American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start-
        eligible population, with a focus on issues such as curriculum 
        development, availability and need for services, appropriate 
        research methodologies and measures for these populations, and 
        best practices for teaching and educating American Indian and 
        Alaska Native Head Start Children;
            ``(B) to accurately determine the number of children 
        nationwide who are eligible to participate in Indian Head Start 
        programs each year;
            ``(C) to document how many of these children are receiving 
        Head Start services each year;
            ``(D) to the extent practicable, to ensure that access to 
        Indian Head Start programs for eligible children is comparable 
        to access to other Head Start programs for other eligible 
        children; and
            ``(E) to make the funding decisions required in section 
        640(a)(4)(D)(ii), after completion of the studies required in 
        that section, taking into account--
                ``(i) the Federal government's unique trust 
            responsibility to American Indians and Alaska Natives;
                ``(ii) limitations faced by tribal communities in 
            accessing non-Federal sources of funding to supplement 
            Federal funding for early childhood programs; and
                ``(iii) other factors that uniquely and adversely 
            impact children in American Indian and Alaska Native 
            communities such as highly elevated poverty, unemployment 
            and violent crime rates, as well as depressed levels of 
            educational achievement and limited access to non-Federal 
            health, social and educational resources;
        ``(2) in carrying out paragraph (1), consult with the Secretary 
    of Education about the Department of Education's systems for 
    collecting and reporting data about, and maintaining records on, 
    American Indian and Alaska Native students;
        ``(3) not later than 9 months after the effective date of this 
    subsection, publish in the Federal Register a notice of how the 
    Secretary plans to carry out paragraph (1) and shall provide a 
    period for public comment. To the extent practicable, the Secretary 
    shall consider comments received before submitting a report to the 
    Congress;
        ``(4) not later than 1 year after the effective date of this 
    subsection, submit a report to the Committee on Education and Labor 
    of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, 
    Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, detailing how the 
    Department of Health and Human Services plans to carry out 
    paragraph (1);
        ``(5) through regulation, ensure the confidentiality of any 
    personally identifiable data, information, and records collected or 
    maintained by the Secretary, by Head Start agencies that carry out 
    Indian Head Start programs, and by State Directors of Head Start 
    Collaboration, by the Indian Head Start Collaboration Project 
    Director and by other appropriate entities pursuant to this 
    subsection (such regulations shall provide the policies, 
    protections, and rights equivalent to those provided a parent, 
    student, or educational agency or institution under section 444 of 
    the General Education Provisions Act); and
        ``(6) ensure that nothing in this subsection shall be construed 
    to authorize the development of a nationwide database of personally 
    identifiable information on individuals involved in studies or 
    other collections of data under this subsection.
    ``(l) Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Program Study.--
        ``(1) Data.--In order to increase access to Head Start services 
    for children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers, the Secretary 
    shall work in collaboration with providers of migrant and seasonal 
    Head Start programs, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of 
    Labor, the Bureau of Migrant Health, and the Secretary of Education 
    to--
            ``(A) collect, report, and share data, within a coordinated 
        system, on children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers and 
        their families, including health records and educational 
        documents of such children, in order to adequately account for 
        the number of children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers who 
        are eligible for Head Start services and determine how many of 
        such children receive the services; and
            ``(B) identify barriers that prevent children of migrant 
        and seasonal farmworkers who are eligible for Head Start 
        services from accessing Head Start services, and develop a plan 
        for eliminating such barriers, including certain requirements 
        relating to tracking, health records, and educational 
        documents, and increasing enrollment.
        ``(2) Publication of plan.--Not later than 1 year after the 
    date of enactment of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness 
    Act of 2007, the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register a 
    notice about how the Secretary plans to implement the activities 
    identified in paragraph (1) and shall provide a period for public 
    comment. To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall consider 
    comments received before implementing any of the activities 
    identified in paragraph (1).
        ``(3) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
    enactment of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 
    2007, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report 
    to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
    Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
    Pensions of the Senate detailing how the Secretary plans to 
    implement the activities identified in paragraph (1), including the 
    progress made in reaching out to and serving eligible children of 
    migrant and seasonal farmworkers, and information on States where 
    such children are still underserved.
        ``(4) Protection of confidentiality.--The Secretary shall, 
    through regulation, ensure the protection of the confidentiality of 
    any personally identifiable data, information, and records 
    collected or maintained by the Secretary, by Head Start agencies 
    that carry out migrant or seasonal Head Start programs, by the 
    State director of Head Start Collaboration, and by the Migrant and 
    Seasonal Farmworker Collaboration project Director (such 
    regulations shall provide the policies, protections, and rights 
    equivalent to those provided a parent, student, or educational 
    agency or institution under section 444 of the General Education 
    Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g)).
        ``(5) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection shall 
    be construed to authorize the development of a nationwide database 
    of personally identifiable data, information, or records on 
    individuals involved in studies or other collections of data under 
    this subsection.
    ``(m) Program Emergency Preparedness.--
        ``(1) Purpose.--The purpose of this subsection is to evaluate 
    the emergency preparedness of the Head Start programs, including 
    Early Head Start programs, and make recommendations for how Head 
    Start shall enhance its readiness to respond to an emergency.
        ``(2) Study.--The Secretary shall evaluate the Federal, State, 
    and local preparedness of Head Start programs, including Early Head 
    Start programs, to respond appropriately in the event of a large-
    scale emergency, such as the hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, 
    the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, or other incidents 
    where assistance may be warranted under the Robert T. Stafford 
    Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et 
    seq.).
        ``(3) Report to congress.--Not later than 18 months after the 
    date of the enactment of the Improving Head Start for School 
    Readiness Act of 2007, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to 
    Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives 
    and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
    Senate a report containing the results of the evaluation required 
    under paragraph (2), including--
            ``(A) recommendations for improvements to Federal, State, 
        and local preparedness and response capabilities to large-scale 
        emergencies, including those that were developed in response to 
        hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, as they relate to Head 
        Start programs, including Early Head Start programs, and the 
        Secretary's plan to implement such recommendations;
            ``(B) an evaluation of the procedures for informing 
        families of children in Head Start programs about the program 
        protocols for response to a large-scale emergency, including 
        procedures for communicating with such families in the event of 
        a large-scale emergency;
            ``(C) an evaluation of such procedures for staff training 
        on State and local evacuation and emergency protocols; and
            ``(D) an evaluation of procedures for Head Start agencies 
        and the Secretary to coordinate with appropriate Federal, 
        State, and local emergency management agencies in the event of 
        a large scale emergency and recommendations to improve such 
        procedures.''.
  SEC. 21. REPORTS.
    Section 650 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9846) is amended--
        (1) in subsection (a)--
            (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
                (i) by striking ``Education and the Workforce'' and 
            inserting ``Education and Labor'';
                (ii) by striking ``Labor and Human Resources'' and 
            inserting ``Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions''; and
                (iii) by striking ``(including disabled and non-English 
            language background children)'' and inserting ``(including 
            children with disabilities, limited English proficient 
            children, homeless children, children in foster care, and 
            children participating in Indian Head Start programs and 
            migrant or seasonal Head Start programs)'';
            (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting before the semicolon the 
        following: ``, and information on the number of children served 
        under this subsection, disaggregated by type of eligibility 
        criterion'';
            (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``funds expended'' and 
        all that follows through ``640(a)(3),'' and inserting ``funds 
        made available under section 640(a)'';
            (D) in paragraph (8), by inserting ``homelessness, whether 
        the child is in foster care or was referred by a child welfare 
        agency,'' after ``background,'';
            (E) in paragraph (12), by inserting ``vision care,'' after 
        ``dental care,'';
            (F) in paragraph (14)--
                (i) by striking ``Alaskan Natives'' and inserting 
            ``Alaska Natives''; and
                (ii) by striking ``seasonal farmworkers'' and inserting 
            ``seasonal farmworker families''; and
            (G) in the flush matter at the end--
                (i) by striking ``Education and the Workforce'' and 
            inserting ``Education and Labor''; and
                (ii) by striking ``Labor and Human Resources'' and 
            inserting ``Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions'';
        (2) in subsection (b)--
            (A) by striking ``Education and the Workforce'' and 
        inserting ``Education and Labor'';
            (B) by striking ``Labor and Human Resources'' and inserting 
        ``Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions''; and
            (C) by striking ``Native Alaskan'' and inserting ``Alaska 
        Native''; and
        (3) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Fiscal Protocol.--
        ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct an annual review 
    to assess whether the design and implementation of the triennial 
    reviews described in section 641A(c) include compliance procedures 
    that provide reasonable assurances that Head Start agencies are 
    complying with applicable fiscal laws and regulations.
        ``(2) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the date the 
    Secretary completes the annual review under paragraph (1), the 
    Secretary shall report the findings and conclusions of the annual 
    review to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
    Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
    Pensions of the Senate.
    ``(d) Disability-Related Services.--
        ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall track the provision of 
    disability-related services for children, in order to--
            ``(A) determine whether Head Start agencies are making 
        timely referrals to the State or local agency responsible for 
        providing services under section 619 or part C of the 
        Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 
        1431 et seq.);
            ``(B) identify barriers to timely evaluations and 
        eligibility determinations by the State or local agency 
        responsible for providing services under section 619 or part C 
        of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and
            ``(C) determine under what circumstances and for what 
        length of time Head Start agencies are providing disability-
        related services for children who have not been determined 
        under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 
        U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) to be children with disabilities.
        ``(2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
    enactment of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 
    2007, the Secretary shall provide a report to the Committee on 
    Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and the 
    Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate 
    on the activities described in paragraph (1).
    ``(e) Evaluation and Recommendations Regarding Obesity 
Prevention.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the 
Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions of the Senate a report on the Secretary's progress in 
assisting program efforts to prevent and reduce obesity in children who 
participate in Head Start programs, including progress on implementing 
initiatives within the Head Start program to prevent and reduce obesity 
in such children.''.
  SEC. 22. COMPARABILITY OF WAGES.
    Section 653 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9848) is amended--
        (1) by striking ``The Secretary shall take'' and inserting 
    ``(a) Comparability of Wages.--The Secretary shall take''; and
        (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Limitation.--
        ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
    no Federal funds may be used to pay any part of the compensation of 
    an individual employed by a Head Start agency, if such 
    compensation, including non-Federal funds, exceeds an amount equal 
    to the rate payable for level II of the Executive Schedule under 
    section 5313 of title 5, United States Code.
        ``(2) Compensation.--In this subsection, the term 
    `compensation'--
            ``(A) includes salary, bonuses, periodic payments, 
        severance pay, the value of any vacation time, the value of a 
        compensatory or paid leave benefit not excluded by subparagraph 
        (B), and the fair market value of any employee perquisite or 
        benefit not excluded by subparagraph (B); and
            ``(B) excludes any Head Start agency expenditure for a 
        health, medical, life insurance, disability, retirement, or any 
        other employee welfare or pension benefit.''.
  SEC. 23. LIMITATION WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES.
    Section 655 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9850) is amended by 
inserting ``or in'' after ``assigned by''.
  SEC. 24. POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.
    Section 656 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9851) is amended--
        (1) by striking all that precedes ``chapter 15'' and inserting 
    the following:
    ``SEC. 656. POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.
    ``(a) State or Local Agency.--For purposes of''; and
        (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) Restrictions.--
        ``(1) In general.--A program assisted under this subchapter, 
    and any individual employed by, or assigned to or in, a program 
    assisted under this subchapter (during the hours in which such 
    individual is working on behalf of such program), shall not engage 
    in--
            ``(A) any partisan or nonpartisan political activity or any 
        other political activity associated with a candidate, or 
        contending faction or group, in an election for public or party 
        office; or
            ``(B) any activity to provide voters or prospective voters 
        with transportation to the polls or similar assistance in 
        connection with any such election.
        ``(2) Registration.--No funds appropriated under this 
    subchapter may be used to conduct voter registration activities. 
    Nothing in this subchapter prohibits the availability of Head Start 
    facilities during hours of operation for the use of any nonpartisan 
    organization to increase the number of eligible citizens who 
    register to vote in elections for Federal office.
        ``(3) Rules and regulations.--The Secretary, after consultation 
    with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, may issue 
    rules and regulations to provide for the enforcement of this 
    section, which may include provisions for summary suspension of 
    assistance or other action necessary to permit enforcement on an 
    emergency basis.''.
  SEC. 25. PARENTAL CONSENT REQUIREMENT FOR HEALTH SERVICES.
    The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:
``SEC. 657A. PARENTAL CONSENT REQUIREMENT FOR NONEMERGENCY INTRUSIVE 
PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS.
    ``(a) Definition.--The term `nonemergency intrusive physical 
examination' means, with respect to a child, a physical examination 
that--
        ``(1) is not immediately necessary to protect the health or 
    safety of the child involved or the health or safety of another 
    individual; and
        ``(2) requires incision or is otherwise invasive, or involves 
    exposure of private body parts.
    ``(b) Requirement.--A Head Start agency shall obtain written 
parental consent before administration of any nonemergency intrusive 
physical examination of a child in connection with participation in a 
program under this subchapter.
    ``(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to prohibit agencies from using established methods, for 
handling cases of suspected or known child abuse and neglect, that are 
in compliance with applicable Federal, State, or tribal law.''.
  SEC. 26. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD.
    The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), as amended by section 
25, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 657B. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD.
    ``(a) Definition.--In this section, the term `center of excellence' 
means a Center of Excellence in Early Childhood designated under 
subsection (b).
    ``(b) Designation and Bonus Grants.--The Secretary shall, subject 
to the availability of funds under this section, establish a program 
under which the Secretary shall--
        ``(1) designate not more than 200 exemplary Head Start agencies 
    (including Early Head Start agencies, Indian Head Start agencies, 
    and migrant and seasonal Head Start agencies) as Centers of 
    Excellence in Early Childhood; and
        ``(2) make bonus grants to the centers of excellence to carry 
    out the activities described in subsection (d).
    ``(c) Application and Designation.--
        ``(1) Application.--
            ``(A) Nomination and submission.--
                ``(i) In general.--To be eligible to receive a 
            designation as a center of excellence under subsection (b), 
            except as provided in clause (ii), a Head Start agency in a 
            State shall be nominated by the Governor of the State, 
            after selection for nomination by such Governor through a 
            competitive process, and shall submit an application to the 
            Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
            information as the Secretary may require.
                ``(ii) Indian and migrant and seasonal head start 
            programs.--In the case of an Indian Head Start agency or a 
            migrant or seasonal Head Start agency, to be eligible to 
            receive a designation as a center of excellence under 
            subsection (b), such an agency shall be nominated by the 
            head of the appropriate regional office of the Department 
            of Health and Human Services and shall submit an 
            application to the Secretary in accordance with clause (i).
            ``(B) Contents.--At a minimum, the application shall 
        include--
                ``(i) evidence that the Head Start program carried out 
            by the agency involved has significantly improved the 
            school readiness of children who have participated in the 
            program;
                ``(ii) evidence that the program meets or exceeds 
            standards described in section 641A(a)(1), as evidenced by 
            the results of monitoring reviews described in section 
            641A(c), and has no findings of deficiencies in the 
            preceding 3 years;
                ``(iii) evidence that the program is making progress 
            toward meeting the requirements described in section 648A;
                ``(iv) an assurance that the Head Start agency will 
            develop a collaborative partnership with the State (or a 
            State agency) and other providers of early childhood 
            education and development programs and services in the 
            local community involved to conduct activities under 
            subsection (d);
                ``(v) a nomination letter from the Governor, or 
            appropriate regional office, demonstrating the agency's 
            ability to provide the coordination, transition, and 
            training services of the program to be carried out under 
            the bonus grant involved, including coordination of 
            activities with State and local agencies that provide early 
            childhood education and development to children and 
            families in the community served by the agency, and carry 
            out the activities described under subsection (d)(1); and
                ``(vi) a description of how the center involved, in 
            order to expand accessibility and continuity of quality 
            early childhood education and development services and 
            programs, will coordinate activities, as appropriate, 
            assisted under this section with--

                    ``(I) programs carried out under the Child Care and 
                Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et 
                seq.);
                    ``(II) the Early Head Start programs carried out 
                under section 645A;
                    ``(III) Early Reading First and Even Start programs 
                carried out under subparts 2 and 3 of part B of title I 
                of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
                (20 U.S.C. 6371 et seq., 6381 et seq.);
                    ``(IV) other preschool programs carried out under 
                title I of that Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);
                    ``(V) programs carried out under section 619 and 
                part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
                Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.);
                    ``(VI) State prekindergarten programs; and
                    ``(VII) other programs of early childhood education 
                and development.

        ``(2) Selection.--In selecting agencies to designate as centers 
    of excellence under subsection (b), the Secretary shall designate 
    not less than 1 from each of the 50 States, the District of 
    Columbia, an Indian Head Start program, a migrant or seasonal Head 
    Start program, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
        ``(3) Priority.--In making bonus grant determinations under 
    this section, the Secretary shall give priority to agencies that, 
    through their applications, demonstrate that their programs are of 
    exceptional quality and would serve as exemplary models for 
    programs in the same geographic region. The Secretary may also 
    consider the populations served by the applicants, such as agencies 
    that serve large proportions of families of limited English 
    proficient children or other underserved populations, and may make 
    bonus grants to agencies that do an exceptional job meeting the 
    needs of children in such populations.
        ``(4) Term of designation.--
            ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
        Secretary shall designate a Head Start agency as a center of 
        excellence for a 5-year term. During the period of that 
        designation, subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
        agency shall be eligible to receive a bonus grant under 
        subsection (b).
            ``(B) Revocation.--The Secretary may revoke an agency's 
        designation under subsection (b) if the Secretary determines 
        that the agency is not demonstrating adequate performance or 
        has had findings of deficiencies described in paragraph 
        (1)(B)(ii).
        ``(5) Amount of bonus grant.--The Secretary shall base the 
    amount of funding provided through a bonus grant made under 
    subsection (b) to a center of excellence on the number of children 
    eligible for Head Start services in the community involved. The 
    Secretary shall, subject to the availability of funding, make such 
    a bonus grant in an amount of not less than $200,000 per year.
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--A center of excellence that receives a bonus 
grant under subsection (b)--
        ``(1) shall use not less than 15 percent of the funds made 
    available through the bonus grant to disseminate to other Head 
    Start agencies in the State involved, best practices for achieving 
    early academic success, including--
            ``(A) best practices for achieving school readiness, 
        including developing early literacy and mathematics skills, for 
        children at risk for school difficulties;
            ``(B) best practices for achieving the acquisition of the 
        English language for limited English proficient children, if 
        appropriate to the population served; and
            ``(C) best practices for providing high-quality 
        comprehensive services for eligible children and their 
        families;
        ``(2) may use the funds made available through the bonus 
    grant--
            ``(A) to provide Head Start services to additional eligible 
        children;
            ``(B) to better meet the needs of working families in the 
        community served by the center by serving more children in 
        existing Early Head Start programs (existing as of the date the 
        center is designated under this section) or in full-working-
        day, full calendar year Head Start programs;
            ``(C) to further coordinate early childhood education and 
        development programs and services and social services available 
        in the community served by the center for at-risk children 
        (birth through age 8), their families, and pregnant women;
            ``(D) to provide professional development for Head Start 
        teachers and staff, including joint training for Head Start 
        teachers and staff, child care providers, public and private 
        preschool and elementary school teachers, and other providers 
        of early childhood education and development programs;
            ``(E) to provide effective transitions between Head Start 
        programs and elementary schools and to facilitate ongoing 
        communication between Head Start and elementary school teachers 
        concerning children receiving Head Start services to improve 
        the teachers' ability to work effectively with low-income, at-
        risk children and their families;
            ``(F) to develop or maintain partnerships with institutions 
        of higher education and nonprofit organizations, including 
        community-based organizations, that recruit, train, place, and 
        support college students to serve as mentors and reading 
        partners to preschool children in Head Start programs; and
            ``(G) to carry out other activities determined by the 
        center to improve the overall quality of the Head Start program 
        carried out by the agency and the program carried out under the 
        bonus grant involved.
    ``(e) Research and Reports.--
        ``(1) Research.--The Secretary shall, subject to the 
    availability of funds to carry out this subsection, award a grant 
    or contract to an independent organization to conduct research on 
    the ability of the centers of excellence to use the funds received 
    under this section to improve the school readiness of children 
    receiving Head Start services, and to positively impact school 
    results in the earliest grades. The organization shall also conduct 
    research to measure the success of the centers of excellence at 
    encouraging the center's delegate agencies, additional Head Start 
    agencies, and other providers of early childhood education and 
    development programs in the communities involved to meet measurable 
    improvement goals, particularly in the area of school readiness.
        ``(2) Research report.--Not later than 48 months after the date 
    of enactment of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act 
    of 2007, the organization shall prepare and submit to the Secretary 
    and Congress a report containing the results of the research 
    described in paragraph (1).
        ``(3) Reports to the secretary.--Each center of excellence 
    shall submit an annual report to the Secretary, at such time and in 
    such manner as the Secretary may require, that contains a 
    description of the activities the center carried out with funds 
    received under this section, including a description of how such 
    funds improved services for children and families.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2008 through 2012 to make bonus grants to centers of excellence under 
subsection (b) to carry out activities described in subsection (d) and 
research and report activities described in subsection (e).''.
  SEC. 27. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
    The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), as amended by section 
26, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 657C. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
    ``(a) Limitation.--Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to 
authorize or permit the Secretary or any employee or contractor of the 
Department of Health and Human Services to mandate, direct, or control, 
the selection of a curriculum, a program of instruction, or 
instructional materials, for a Head Start program.
    ``(b) Special Rule.--Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed 
to authorize a Head Start program or a local educational agency to 
require the other to select or implement a specific curriculum or 
program of instruction.
    ``(c) Definition.--In this subchapter, the term `health', when used 
to refer to services or care provided to enrolled children, their 
parents, or their siblings, shall be interpreted to refer to both 
physical and mental health.''.
  SEC. 28. COMPLIANCE WITH IMPROPER PAYMENTS INFORMATION ACT OF 2002.
    (a) Definitions.--In this section, the term--
        (1) ``appropriate committees'' means--
            (A) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
        of the Senate; and
            (B) the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
        Representatives; and
        (2) ``improper payment'' has the meaning given that term under 
    section 2(d)(2) of the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 
    (31 U.S.C. 3321 note).
    (b) Requirement for Compliance Certification and Report.--The 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit a report to the 
appropriate committees that--
        (1) contains a certification that the Department of Health and 
    Human Services has, for each program and activity of the 
    Administration for Children and Families, performed and completed a 
    risk assessment to determine programs and activities that are at 
    significant risk of making improper payments; and
        (2) describes the actions to be taken to reduce improper 
    payments for the programs and activities determined to be at 
    significant risk of making improper payments.
  SEC. 29. REFERENCES IN OTHER ACTS.
    (a) Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.--Section 
1112(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 6312(c)) is amended--
        (1) in paragraph (1)(G), by striking ``performance standards 
    established under section 641A(a) of the Head Start Act'' and 
    inserting ``education performance standards in effect under section 
    641A(a)(1)(B) of the Head Start Act''; and
        (2) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``Head Start performance 
    standards as in effect under section 641A(a) of the Head Start 
    Act'' and inserting ``education performance standards in effect 
    under section 641A(a)(1)(B) of the Head Start Act''.
    (b) Early Learning Opportunities Act.--Section 810(b)(1) of the 
Early Learning Opportunities Act (20 U.S.C. 9409(b)(1)) is amended by 
striking ``entities funded under section 640(a)(5) of the Head Start 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(a)(5))'' and inserting ``entities funded under 
section 640(a)(2)(B)(vi) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9835(a)(2)(B)(vi))''.
    (c) Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.--
        (1) Section 9(b)(12)(A)(iii) of the Richard B. Russell National 
    School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(12)(A)(iii)) is amended by 
    striking ``the child is a member of a family that meets the low-
    income criteria prescribed under section 645(a)(1)(A) of the Head 
    Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(A))'' and inserting ``the child 
    meets the eligibility criteria prescribed under section 
    645(a)(1)(B) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(B))''.
        (2) Section 17(c)(5) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1766(c)(5)) is 
    amended by striking ``the child is a member of a family that meets 
    the low-income criteria prescribed under section 645(a)(1)(A) of 
    the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(A))'' and inserting ``the 
    child meets the eligibility criteria prescribed under section 
    645(a)(1)(B) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(B))''.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.