[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1429 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1429

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 9, 2007

 Mr. Kildee (for himself, Mr. George Miller of California, Mr. Castle, 
 Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. Hinojosa, Mrs. McCarthy of New 
     York, Mr. Wu, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of 
  California, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Sestak, Mr. Loebsack, Ms. Hirono, Mr. 
 Altmire, Mr. Yarmuth, Ms. Clarke, and Ms. Shea-Porter) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
                                 Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   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.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Head Start Act of 2007''.

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--
            ``(1) by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional 
        development in a learning environment that supports children's 
        growth in language, literacy, mathematics, science, social and 
        emotional functioning, 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.

    Section 637 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9832) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (16) and (17) as paragraphs 
        (23) and (24), respectively,
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (14) and (15) as paragraphs 
        (20) and (21), respectively,
            (3) by redesignating paragraphs (11) through (13) as 
        paragraphs (16) through (18), respectively,
            (4) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph (14),
            (5) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (9) as 
        paragraphs (5) through (11), respectively,
            (6) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3),
            (7) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
            ``(2) The term `deficiency' means--
                    ``(A) systemic or significant material failure of a 
                Head Start 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 governance;
                            ``(iii) a failure to perform the 
                        requirements of section 641A(a), as determined 
                        by the Secretary;
                            ``(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 of Federal 
                        or State requirement; or
                    ``(B) material failure of the board of directors of 
                a Head Start agency to meet its legal and fiduciary 
                responsibilities.'',
            (8) by inserting after paragraph (3), as so redesignated 
        the following:
            ``(4) The term `family' means all persons living in the 
        same household who are--
                    ``(A) supported by the income of at least 1 parent 
                or guardian (including any relative acting in place of 
                a parent, such as a grandparent) of a child enrolling 
                or participating in a Head Start program; and
                    ``(B)(i) related to the parent or guardian by 
                blood, marriage, or adoption; or
                    ``(ii) residing in the legal custody of a relative 
                or nonrelative guardian in a foster care placement.'',
            (9) by inserting after paragraph (11), as so redesignated 
        the following:
            ``(12) The term `homeless children' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
        Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11437(a)(2)).
            ``(13) The term `homeless family' means the family of a 
        homeless child.'',
            (10) by inserting after paragraph (14), as so redesignated 
        the following:
            ``(15) The terms `limited English proficient' and `limited 
        English proficiency' mean with respect to an individual, that 
        such individual--
                    ``(A)(i) was not born in the United States or has a 
                native language that is not English;
                    ``(ii)(I) is a Native American, an Alaska Native, 
                or a native resident of a territory or possession of 
                the United States; and
                    ``(II) comes from an environment in which a 
                language that is not English has had a significant 
                impact on such individual's level of English language 
                proficiency; or
                    ``(iii) is migratory, has a native language that is 
                not English, and comes from an environment in which a 
                language that is not English is dominant; and
                    ``(B) has difficulty in speaking or understanding 
                the English language to an extent that may be 
                sufficient to prevent such individual from--
                            ``(i) successful achievement in classrooms 
                        in which the language of instruction is 
                        English; or
                            ``(ii) fully participating in society.'',
            (11) by inserting after paragraph (18), as so redesignated 
        the following:
            ``(19) 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 eligible children and families, 
        including activities that--
                    ``(A) are part of a sustained effort to improve 
                overall program quality and outcomes for eligible 
                children and 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 
                personnel may work more effectively with parents, as 
                appropriate;
                    ``(E) are designed to give teachers and staff the 
                knowledge and skills to provide instruction and 
                appropriate support services to children of diverse 
                backgrounds, as appropriate;
                    ``(F) if a 1-day or short-term workshop or 
                conference, must be as part of the professional 
                development plan defined in section 648A(f) and be 
                delivered by an institution of higher education or 
                other entity with expertise in delivering training in 
                early childhood development, family support, and other 
                assistance designed to improve the delivery of Head 
                Start services;
                    ``(G) assist teachers with--
                            ``(i) the acquisition of the content 
                        knowledge and teaching strategies needed to 
                        provide effective instruction and other school 
                        readiness services in early language and 
                        literacy, early mathematics, early science, 
                        cognitive skills, approaches to learning, 
                        creative arts, science, 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 understanding of effective 
                        instructional strategies that are--
                                    ``(I) based on scientifically based 
                                research; and
                                    ``(II) aligned with--
                                            ``(aa) the Head Start Child 
                                        Outcomes Framework developed by 
                                        the Secretary and State early 
                                        learning standards, as 
                                        appropriate; and
                                            ``(bb) the 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.'',
            (12) by inserting after paragraph (21), as so redesignated, 
        the following:
            ``(22) The term `scientifically based research'--
                    ``(A) means research that involves the application 
                of rigorous, systematic and objective procedures to 
                obtain reliable and valid knowledge relevant to 
                education activities and programs; and
                    ``(B) includes research that--
                            ``(i) employs systematic, empirical methods 
                        that draw on observation or experiment;
                            ``(ii) involves rigorous data analyses that 
                        are adequate to test the stated hypotheses and 
                        justify the general conclusions drawn;
                            ``(iii) relies on measurements or 
                        observational methods that provide reliable and 
                        valid data across evaluators and observers, 
                        across multiple measurements and observations, 
                        and across studies by the same or different 
                        investigators;
                            ``(iv) is evaluated using experimental or 
                        quasi-experimental designs in which 
                        individuals, entities, programs or activities 
                        are assigned to different conditions and with 
                        appropriate controls to evaluate the effects of 
                        the condition of interest, with a preference 
                        for random assignment experiments, or other 
                        designs to the extent that those designs 
                        contain within-condition or across-condition 
                        controls;
                            ``(v) ensures that experimental studies are 
                        presented in sufficient detail and clarity to 
                        allow for replication or, at a minimum, offer 
                        the opportunity to build systematically on 
                        their findings; and
                            ``(vi) has been accepted by a peer-reviewed 
                        journal or approved by a panel of independent 
                        experts through a comparably rigorous, 
                        objective, and scientific review.'', and
            (13) by amending paragraph (24), as so redesignated, to 
        read as follows:
            ``(24) 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, and the Republic of Palau.''.

SEC. 4. 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.

    ``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry 
out this subchapter $7,350,000,000 for fiscal year 2008 and such sums 
as may be necessary for fiscal years 2009 through 2012.
    ``(b) Specific Programs.--From the amount appropriated under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall make available to carry out 
research, demonstration, and evaluation activities (including 
longitudinal studies under section 649) not more than $20,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2008 and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 
the years 2009 through 2012, of which not more than $7,000,000 for each 
of the fiscal years 2008 through 2012 shall be available to carry out 
impact studies under section 649(g).''.

SEC. 5. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS; LIMITATION 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) Allotment of Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--Of the funds appropriated under section 
        639, the Secretary shall allot such amounts in accordance with 
        paragraphs (2) through (4), and subject to paragraphs (5) and 
        (6).
            ``(2) Thirteen percent set-aside.--The Secretary shall 
        reserve 13 percent of the amount appropriated for each fiscal 
        year for use in accordance with the following order of 
        priorities:
                    ``(A) Special populations.--For Indian Head Start 
                programs, services for children with disabilities, and 
                migrant and seasonal Head Start programs, except that--
                            ``(i) there shall be made available for 
                        each fiscal year for use by Indian Head Start 
                        programs and by migrant and seasonal Head Start 
                        programs, on a nationwide basis, not less than 
                        the amount that was obligated for use by Indian 
                        Head Start programs and by migrant and seasonal 
                        Head Start programs for fiscal year 2007;
                            ``(ii) migrant and seasonal Head Start 
                        programs shall receive not less than 5 percent 
                        of the amount appropriated for each fiscal year 
                        until such time as the Secretary can make 
                        funding decisions to ensure access to funding 
                        for eligible children of migrant and seasonal 
                        farmworkers is comparable to access to funding 
                        for other eligible children based on the data 
                        collected and reported pursuant to section 
                        648(l), except that no future reduction in 
                        funding shall result in the termination of Head 
                        Start services provided to any eligible child 3 
                        years of age or older who is participating in 
                        any such program on the date a reduction in 
                        funding occurs, and shall, to the extent 
                        possible, continue participation for children 
                        less than 3 years of age receiving services 
                        before such reduction in funding; and
                            ``(iii) Indian Head Start programs shall 
                        receive not less than 3.5 percent of the amount 
                        appropriated for each fiscal year until such 
                        time as the Secretary can make funding 
                        decisions to ensure access to funding for 
                        eligible Indian children is comparable to 
                        access to funding for other eligible children 
                        based on the data collected in accordance with 
                        the requirements of section 648(k), except that 
                        no future reduction in funding shall result in 
                        the termination of Head Start services provided 
                        to any eligible child 3 years of age or older 
                        who is participating in any such program on the 
                        date a reduction in funding occurs, and shall, 
                        to the extent possible, continue participation 
                        for children less than 3 years of age receiving 
                        services before such reduction in funding.
                    ``(B) Payments to territories and freely associated 
                states.--Subject to paragraph (7), for payments to 
                Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
                Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands of the United 
                States, and the Republic of Palau, except that payments 
                to the Republic of Palau shall not be made after fiscal 
                year 2009.
                    ``(C) Training and technical assistance.--Not less 
                than 2 percent of the amount appropriated for such 
                fiscal year for training and technical assistance 
                activities to foster program quality and management 
                improvement as described in section 648, of which--
                            ``(i) not less than 50 percent shall be 
                        available to local Head Start agencies to make 
                        program improvements identified by such 
                        agencies to use for the training and technical 
                        assistance activities described in section 
                        648(j);
                            ``(ii) not less than 30 percent shall be 
                        available to the Secretary to support a State-
                        based system or a national system, in the case 
                        of migrant and seasonal Head Start and Indian 
                        Head Start programs, of early childhood 
                        education training and technical assistance to 
                        local Head Start agencies as described in 
                        section 648(n); and
                            ``(iii) the remainder of such amount shall 
                        be available to the Secretary to assist local 
                        Head Start agencies in meeting and exceeding 
                        the standards described in section 641A(a)(1), 
                        including financial assistance to help Head 
                        Start programs address weaknesses identified by 
                        monitoring activities conducted by the 
                        Secretary under section 641A(c), except that--
                                    ``(I) not less than $3,000,000 
                                shall be available to carry out the 
                                activities described in section 
                                648(c)(4); and
                                    ``(II) no more than $5,000,000 
                                shall be reserved to carry out the 
                                activities described in section 
                                642B(b).
                    ``(D) Monitoring and terminations.--For 
                discretionary payments made by the Secretary, including 
                payments for all costs (other than compensation of 
                Federal employees) of reviews of Head Start agencies, 
                programs under section 641A(c), and of activities 
                carried out under paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of section 
                641A(d) related to correcting deficiencies and 
                conducting proceedings to terminate the designation of 
                Head Start agencies.
                    ``(E) Research.--For payments for research, 
                demonstration, and evaluation activities under section 
                649.
        No funds reserved under this paragraph or paragraph (3) may be 
        combined with funds appropriated under any other Act if the 
        purpose of combining funds is to make a single discretionary 
        grant or a single discretionary payment, unless such funds 
        appropriated under this subchapter are separately identified in 
        such grant or payment and are used for the purposes of this 
        subchapter.
            ``(3) Quality improvement funds.--
                    ``(A) Determination of funds.--
                            ``(i) For each of the fiscal years 2008 
                        through 2012, to provide assistance for 
                        activities specified in subparagraph (B), the 
                        Secretary shall reserve, from the amount (if 
                        any) by which the funds appropriated under 
                        section 639(a) for a fiscal year exceed the 
                        adjusted prior year appropriation, a share 
                        equal to the sum of--
                                    ``(I) 60 percent of such excess 
                                amount; and
                                    ``(II) any additional part of such 
                                excess amount the Secretary may find 
                                necessary to address a demonstrated 
                                need for such activities.
                            ``(ii) As used in clause (i), the term 
                        `adjusted prior year appropriation' means, with 
                        respect to a fiscal year, the amount 
                        appropriated under section 639(a) for the 
                        preceding fiscal year, adjusted to reflect the 
                        percentage change in the Consumer Price Index 
                        for All Urban Consumers (issued by the Bureau 
                        of Labor Statistics) during such preceding 
                        fiscal year.
                    ``(B) Quality improvement activities.--Funds 
                reserved under this paragraph shall be used to carry 
                out the following activities:
                            ``(i) Developing and financing the salary 
                        scales and benefit standards of educational 
                        staff, family service workers, and child 
                        counselors, as described in sections 644(a) and 
                        653, to ensure that salary levels and benefits 
                        are adequate to attract and retain qualified 
                        staff for such programs.
                            ``(ii) Providing on-going professional 
                        development to teachers that improves their 
                        understanding of child development, content 
                        knowledge, and appropriate teaching strategies 
                        needed to provide effective instruction and 
                        other school readiness services in the areas of 
                        early language and literacy, early mathematics, 
                        cognitive skills, approaches to learning, 
                        creative arts, science, physical health and 
                        development, and social and emotional 
                        development.
                            ``(iii) Improving the qualifications and 
                        skills of educational personnel to meet the 
                        professional standards established under 
                        section 648A(a)(1), including providing 
                        assistance to complete postsecondary course 
                        work, subject to section 648A(a)(2)(D).
                            ``(iv) 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.
                            ``(v) Employing additional qualified 
                        classroom staff necessary to reduce the child 
                        to teacher ratio in the classroom and family to 
                        staff ratio for family services workers.
                            ``(vi) Ensuring that such programs have 
                        qualified staff that can promote language 
                        skills and literacy growth of children and that 
                        can provide children with a variety of skills 
                        that have been identified, through 
                        scientifically based reading research, as 
                        predictive of later reading achievement.
                            ``(vii) Increasing hours of program 
                        operation, including--
                                    ``(I) conversion of part-day to 
                                full-day; and
                                    ``(II) number of weeks operated in 
                                a calendar year.
                    ``(C) Allocation.--
                            ``(i) Funds reserved under subparagraph (A) 
                        shall be allotted by the Secretary as follows:
                                    ``(I) 80 percent of such funds 
                                shall be allotted among the States in 
                                the same proportion as the Secretary 
                                allots funds among the States under 
                                paragraph (4) for the respective fiscal 
                                year.
                                    ``(II) 20 percent of such funds 
                                shall be allotted among the States, 
                                geographical areas specified in 
                                subsection (a)(2)(B) and Indian Head 
                                Start programs and migrant and seasonal 
                                Head Start programs, and used to make 
                                grants to Head Start agencies, at the 
                                discretion of the Secretary.
                            ``(ii) Funds allotted under clause (i) 
                        shall be used by the Secretary to make grants 
                        to Head Start agencies that receive grants from 
                        funds allotted under paragraph (4) for such 
                        fiscal year, in such amounts as the Secretary 
                        considers to be appropriate, for expenditure 
                        for activities specified in subparagraph (B).
                            ``(iii) Funds received under this 
                        subparagraph shall be used to supplement, not 
                        to supplant, funds received under paragraph (2) 
                        or (4).
            ``(4) Grant distribution.--Subject to section 639(b), the 
        Secretary shall allot the remaining amounts appropriated in 
        each fiscal year among the States, in accordance with latest 
        satisfactory data so that--
                    ``(A) each State receives an amount which is equal 
                to the amount the State received for fiscal year 2007; 
                and
                    ``(B) any amount available after all allotments are 
                made under subparagraph (A) for such fiscal year shall 
                be distributed proportionately on the basis of the 
                number of children less than 5 years of age from 
                families whose income is below the poverty line.
        For purposes of this paragraph, for each fiscal year the 
        Secretary shall use the most recent data available on the 
        number of children less than 5 years of age from families whose 
        income is below the poverty line, as published by the 
        Department of Commerce, unless the Secretary and the Secretary 
        of Commerce determine that use of the most recent data 
        available would be inappropriate or unreliable. If the 
        Secretary and the Secretary of Commerce determine that some or 
        all of the data referred to in this paragraph are inappropriate 
        or unreliable, the Secretaries shall issue a report setting 
        forth their reasons in detail.
            ``(5) Collaboration grants.--
                    ``(A) From amounts reserved and allotted under 
                paragraph (4), the Secretary shall award the 
                collaboration grants described in subparagraphs (B), 
                (C), and (D).
                    ``(B)(i) From the reserved sums, 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 and seasonal Head Start programs 
                to facilitate collaboration between Head Start agencies 
                and entities (including the State or national 
                administrative office) that carry out other activities 
                designed to benefit low-income families and children 
                from birth to school entry. The national administrative 
                offices shall use the funds made available through the 
                grants to carry out the authorities and 
                responsibilities described in subparagraphs (B) and 
                (C).
                    ``(ii) Grants described in clause (i) 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 families and children from 
                        birth to school entry;
                            ``(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 Head Start 
                        curricula and continuity of services with the 
                        Head Start Child Outcomes Framework and State 
                        early learning standards, as appropriate;
                            ``(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 subparagraph (D).
                    ``(C) In order to improve coordination and delivery 
                of early education services to children in the State, a 
                State that receives a collaboration grant under 
                subparagraph (B) shall--
                            ``(i) appoint or designate an individual to 
                        serve as, or carry out the responsibilities of, 
                        the State Director of Head Start Collaboration;
                            ``(ii) ensure that the State Director of 
                        Head Start Collaboration holds a position with 
                        sufficient authority and access to ensure that 
                        the collaboration described in subparagraph (B) 
                        is effective and involves a range of State 
                        agencies; and
                            ``(iii) 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.
                    ``(D) The State Director of Head Start 
                Collaboration shall--
                            ``(i) not later than 1 year after the State 
                        receives a collaboration grant under 
                        subparagraph (B), 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 
                                with the Head Start Child Outcomes 
                                Framework, and with State early 
                                learning standards, as appropriate;
                                    ``(II) shall be updated on an 
                                annual basis; and
                                    ``(III) shall be made available to 
                                the general public within the State;
                            ``(ii) develop a strategic plan that is 
                        based on the assessment described in clause (i) 
                        that will--
                                    ``(I) enhance collaboration and 
                                coordination of Head Start services 
                                with other entities providing early 
                                childhood programs and services (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 programs and 
                                services 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 such 
                                services;
                                    ``(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 care;
                                    ``(III) assist Head Start agencies 
                                to align curricula and assessments with 
                                the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework 
                                and to the State early learning 
                                standards, as appropriate; and
                                    ``(IV) enable Head Start agencies 
                                in the State to better access 
                                professional development opportunities 
                                for Head Start staff, such as by--
                                            ``(aa) working with local 
                                        Head Start 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
                                            ``(bb) enabling the State 
                                        Head Start agencies to better 
                                        conduct outreach to eligible 
                                        families;
                            ``(iii) promote partnerships between Head 
                        Start agencies, State and local governments, 
                        and the private sector to help ensure that 
                        children, who are in Head Start programs, are 
                        receiving comprehensive services to prepare the 
                        children to enter school ready to succeed;
                            ``(iv) consult with the chief State school 
                        officer, local educational agencies, and 
                        providers of early childhood education and 
                        care, regarding early care and education 
                        services at both the State and local levels;
                            ``(v) 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;
                            ``(vi) 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;
                            ``(vii) identify other resources and 
                        organizations (both public and private) for the 
                        provision of in-kind services to Head Start 
                        agencies in the State; and
                            ``(viii) work with the State Early Learning 
                        Council in order to assist the efforts of Head 
                        Start agencies to engage in effective 
                        coordination and collaboration.
            ``(6) Early head start.--
                    ``(A) Amounts reserved.--From amounts reserved and 
                allotted pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (4), the 
                Secretary shall use, for grants for programs described 
                in section 645A(a), a portion of the combined total of 
                such amounts that is not less than 12 percent for 
                fiscal year 2008, not less than 14 percent for fiscal 
                year 2009, not less than 16 percent for fiscal year 
                2010, not less than 18 percent for fiscal year 2011, 
                and not less than 20 percent for fiscal year 2012 of 
                the amount appropriated pursuant to section 639(a).
                    ``(B) Limitations.--
                                    ``(i) For any fiscal year for which 
                                the Secretary determines that the 
                                amount appropriated under section 
                                639(a) is not sufficient to permit the 
                                Secretary to reserve the portion 
                                described in subparagraph (A) without 
                                reducing the number of children served 
                                by Head Start programs or adversely 
                                affecting the quality of Head Start 
                                services, relative to the number of 
                                children served and the quality of the 
                                services during the preceding fiscal 
                                year, the Secretary may reduce the 
                                percentage of funds required to be 
                                reserved for the portion described in 
                                subparagraph (A) for the fiscal year 
                                for which the determination is made, 
                                but not below the percentage required 
                                to be so reserved for the preceding 
                                fiscal year.
                                    ``(ii) For any fiscal year for 
                                which the amount appropriated under 
                                section 639(a) is reduced to a level 
                                that requires a lower amount to be made 
                                available under this subchapter to Head 
                                Start agencies and entities described 
                                in section 645A, relative to the amount 
                                made available to such agencies and 
                                entities for the preceding fiscal year, 
                                adjusted as described in paragraph 
                                (3)(a)(ii), the Secretary shall 
                                proportionately reduce--
                                            ``(I) the amounts made 
                                        available to such entities for 
                                        programs carried out under 
                                        section 645A; and
                                            ``(II) the amounts made 
                                        available to such Head Start 
                                        agencies for Head Start 
                                        programs.
            ``(7) For purposes of this subsection, the term `State' 
        does not include Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated 
        States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and 
        the Republic of Palau.''.
    (b) Service Delivery Models.--Section 640(f) Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9835(f)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(f) Service Delivery Models.--
            ``(1) Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
        of the Improving Head Start Act of 2007, the Secretary shall 
        establish procedures to enable Head Start agencies to develop 
        locally designed or specialized service delivery models to 
        address local community needs, including models that leverage 
        the existing capacity and capabilities of the delivery system 
        of early childhood education and child care.
            ``(2) In establishing the procedures, the Secretary shall 
        establish procedures to provide for--
                    ``(A) the conversion of part-day programs to full-
                day programs or part-day slots to full-day slots; and
                    ``(B) serving additional infants and toddlers 
                pursuant to section 645(a)(4).''.
    (c) Expansion of Head Start Programs.--Section 640(g) of the Head 
Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(g)) is amended in paragraph (2)--
            (1) by striking ``For the purpose of expanding Head Start 
        programs, in'' and inserting ``In'', and
            (2) by amending subparagraphs (C) through (H) to read as 
        follows:
            ``(C) the extent to which the applicant has undertaken 
        community-wide strategic planning and needs assessments 
        involving other community organizations and local public 
        agencies serving children and families with Federal, State, or 
        local funds (including organizations and agencies providing 
        family support services, child abuse prevention services, 
        protective services, and foster care, and organizations serving 
        families in whose homes English is not the language customarily 
        spoken), and individuals, organizations, and public entities 
        serving children with disabilities or homeless children, 
        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));
            ``(D) the extent to which the family and community needs 
        assessment of the applicant reflects a need to provide full 
        working-day or full calendar year services and the extent to 
        which, and manner in which, the applicant demonstrates the 
        ability to collaborate and participate with the State and local 
        community providers of child care or preschool services to 
        provide full working-day full calendar year services;
            ``(E) the number of eligible children in each community who 
        are not participating in a Head Start program or any other 
        early childhood program;
            ``(F) the concentration of low-income families in each 
        community;
            ``(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;
            ``(H) the extent to which the applicant, in providing 
        services, successfully coordinated its 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 a Head Start program 
        operated by such agency will enroll following such program, 
        regarding such services and the education services provided by 
        such local educational agency; and
            ``(I) the amount of funds used by such agency to pay 
        administrative expenses and the amount of available funds 
        received by such agency under this section to service each 
        enrolled child.''.
    (d) Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs.--Section 640(l) of 
the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(l)) is amended--
            (1) by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:
    ``(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 
farmworkers and shall ensure that appropriate funding is provided to 
meet such needs, including training and technical assistance and the 
appointment of a national migrant and seasonal Head Start collaboration 
director and a national Indian Head Start collaboration director.'', 
and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(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 programs and Early Head Start 
programs.
    ``(B) The consultations shall be for the purpose of better meeting 
the needs of Indian children and children of Alaskan Natives, and their 
families, in accordance with subsections (a), (b), and (c) of section 
641, 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) A detailed report of each consultation shall be prepared and 
made available within 90 days of the annual consultation to all Indian 
tribes that receive assistance under this subchapter.''.
    (e) 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) Enrollment of Homeless Children.--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 homeless families 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) 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. 11431-11435).
    ``(n) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this subchapter shall be 
construed to require a State to establish a program of early education 
for children in the State, to require any child to participate in a 
program of early education, to attend school, or to participate in any 
initial screening before participating in such program, except as 
provided under sections 612(a)(3) and 635(a)(5) of the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act.
    ``(o) Materials.--All curricula and instructional materials funded 
under this subchapter shall be based on scientifically based research, 
age and developmentally appropriate, and focused on all areas of 
development (cognitive, social, emotional, and physical), learning 
(language and literacy, mathematics, science, and creative arts) and 
approaches to learning. Parents shall be permitted to inspect, upon 
request, any curricula or instructional materials used to carry out 
this subchapter.''.

SEC. 6. 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.--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, except that until such time that the Secretary develops 
and implements the system of application review 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 Act of 2007.
    ``(b) Application for Grants.--Each entity shall submit a plan to 
the Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may 
require.
    ``(c) Development of Application Review System.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop a system 
        that integrates the recommendations of the expert panel 
        convened under paragraph (3) to determine if a Head Start 
        agency is providing a quality comprehensive early learning 
        program that meets the educational, health, and nutritional 
        needs of the children and families it serves, and meets program 
        and financial management requirements and performance standards 
        described in section 641A(a)(1), based on--
                    ``(A) annual budget data;
                    ``(B) program reviews conducted under section 
                641A(c);
                    ``(C) annual audits required under section 647;
                    ``(D) classroom quality as measured under section 
                640A(c)(2)(H); and
                    ``(E) Program Information Report.
            ``(2) Expert panel.--No later than six months after the 
        enactment of the Improving Head Start 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 evaluating grant 
        renewal applications.
            ``(3) Composition of expert panel.--The Secretary, in 
        convening such panel, shall appoint the following:
                    ``(A) 5 members, who are competent, by virtue of 
                their training, expertise, and experience, in each of 
                at least one of the following areas:
                            ``(i) Early childhood program accreditation 
                        or quality assessment.
                            ``(ii) Research on early childhood 
                        development.
                            ``(iii) Governance and finance of non-
                        profit organizations.
                            ``(iv) Delivery of services to children and 
                        families with limited English proficiency.
                            ``(v) Delivery of services to children with 
                        disabilities.
                    ``(B) An employee from the Office of Head Start.
                    ``(C) An executive director of a Head Start agency.
            ``(4) Expert panel report.--Within 12 months of being 
        convened by the Secretary, the expert panel shall issue a 
        report to the Secretary that provides recommendations on a 
        proposed system of grant review that takes into account the 
        criteria in paragraph (1) to evaluate whether a Head Start 
        grantee is meeting mission to provide a high quality 
        comprehensive early education program, including adequately 
        meeting its governance and financial management requirements.
            ``(5) Public comment; report to congress.--No later than 6 
        months after receiving the report described in paragraph (4), 
        the Secretary shall publish a proposed system for application 
        evaluation in the Federal Register, providing at least 90 days 
        for public comment and shall provide a report to the Education 
        and Labor Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives and 
        the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee of the 
        U.S. Senate that provides a detailed description of such 
        proposed system, including clear rationale for any differences 
        between the proposed system and the recommendations of the 
        expert panel, if any such differences exist.
            ``(6) Implementation of application review system.--After 
        the Secretary has reviewed all public comments and finalized 
        the system of application renewal, the Secretary will use this 
        system to determine which grantees are successfully delivering 
        a high quality comprehensive early education program. Grantees 
        who are determined under such system to be--
                    ``(A) successfully delivering a high quality 
                comprehensive early education program shall have their 
                application renewed for a period of 5 years;
                    ``(B) under-performing and may enter into an open 
                competition as described in subparagraph (e); and
                    ``(C) notwithstanding paragraph (B), if an Indian 
                Head Start agency is determined to be underperforming, 
                the Secretary shall engage in government-to-government 
                consultation with the appropriate tribal government or 
                governments for the purpose of establishing a 
                performance enhancement plan for that agency. Such plan 
                is to be developed and implemented within 6 months of 
                the Secretary's determination. Not more than 6 months 
                after implementation of that plan, the Secretary shall 
                re-evaluate the performance of the Indian Head Start 
                agency. If the Indian Head Start agency remains 
                underperforming, the Secretary shall conduct an open 
                competition as described in subparagraph (e), subject 
                to the following limitations:
                            ``(i) Except as provided in paragraph (ii), 
                        a non-Indian Head Start agency may not receive 
                        a grant to carry out an Indian Head Start 
                        program.
                            ``(ii) 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, on an 
                        interim basis, 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.
    ``(d) Transparency, Reliability, and Validity.--The Secretary shall 
ensure the system of application evaluation is fair, consistent, and 
transparent and applied in a manner that awards 5 year grants in a 
timely manner to Head Start agencies providing a high quality 
comprehensive early education program. The Secretary shall periodically 
evaluate whether the criteria are being applied in a manner that is 
transparent, reliable, and valid.
    ``(e) Designation When No Entity Has Priority.--
            ``(1) In general.--If no entity in a community is 
        determined to be successfully delivering a high quality 
        comprehensive early education 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 in 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 (including mental and behavioral 
                health), educational, nutritional, social, and other 
                services needed to prepare children to succeed in 
                school and in life;
                    ``(C) the plan of such applicant to attract and 
                retain qualified staff capable of delivering a high 
                quality comprehensive early education program, 
                including demonstrating the ability to provide adequate 
                salary and benefits to maintain a high quality staff;
                    ``(D) the ability of such applicant to maintain 
                child-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 curriculum and teaching 
                practices that are based on scientifically based 
                research, are developmentally appropriate, and that 
                promote the school readiness of children participating 
                in the program;
                    ``(F) the plan of such applicant to meet standards 
                set forth in section 641A(a)(1), with particular 
                attention to the standards set forth in subparagraphs 
                (A) and (B) of such section;
                    ``(G) the proposed budget and plan of such 
                applicant to maintain strong fiscal controls and cost 
                effective fiscal management;
                    ``(H) the plan of such applicant to coordinate the 
                Head Start program the applicant proposes to carry out, 
                with other local early learning programs for young 
                children, including--
                            ``(i) programs implementing grants 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) and programs under section 619 and 
                        part C of the Individuals with Disabilities 
                        Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.);
                            ``(iii) State prekindergarten programs;
                            ``(iv) child care programs; and
                            ``(v) the educational programs that the 
                        children participating in the Head Start 
                        program will enter at the age of compulsory 
                        school attendance;
                    ``(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 seek 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;
                            ``(iii) to offer (directly or through 
                        referral to local entities, such as entities 
                        carrying out Even Start programs under 
                        subchapter 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, mental health services (either 
                        directly or through referral to local 
                        entities), including substance abuse counseling 
                        and information on maternal depression and 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) mental and behavioral health 
                                services; 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 
                        about the benefits of parent involvement and 
                        about the activities described in subparagraph 
                        (H) 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, in 
                        appropriate cases, in order to strengthen the 
                        role of fathers in families, in the education 
                        of their young children, and in the Head Start 
                        program, by working directly with fathers and 
                        father figures through activities such as--
                                    ``(I) in appropriate cases, 
                                including fathers in home visits and 
                                providing culturally appropriate 
                                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 cultural needs of the population served;
                    ``(M) the plan of such applicant to meet the needs 
                of children with disabilities;
                    ``(N) 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;
                    ``(O) the plan of such applicant to collaborate 
                with other entities carrying out public or private 
                early childhood education and child care programs in 
                the community;
                    ``(P) the plan of such applicant to meet the needs 
                of homeless children, including transportation needs, 
                and children in foster care and children and families 
                experiencing toxic stress;
                    ``(Q) the plan of such applicant to maintain a 
                qualified staff, including a teaching staff qualified 
                to implement research-based curricula aligned with the 
                Head Start Child Outcomes Framework developed by the 
                Secretary and to the early learning standards in State 
                in which such program would operate;
                    ``(R) the plan of such applicant to enter into 
                memoranda of understanding with local educational 
                agencies within the service area, as described in 
                section 642B(a); and
                    ``(S) other factors related to the requirements of 
                this subchapter.
    ``(f) Interim Provider.--If no agency in the community receives 
priority designation under subsection (c), 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 so 
designated.
    ``(g) Parent and Community Participation.--The Secretary shall 
require that the practice of significantly involving parents and area 
residents affected by the program 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) which provides a suitable organizational 
base and possesses the commonality of interest needed to operate a Head 
Start program.''.

SEC. 7. QUALITY 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. QUALITY STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD START AGENCIES AND 
              PROGRAMS.

    ``(a) Quality Standards.--
            ``(1) Establishment of standards.--The Secretary shall 
        modify, as necessary, program performance standards by 
        regulation applicable to Head Start agencies, programs, and 
        projects under this subchapter, including--
                    ``(A) performance standards with respect to 
                services required to be provided, including health, 
                parental involvement, nutritional, social, transition 
                activities described in section 642(d), and other 
                services;
                    ``(B) scientifically based and developmentally 
                appropriate early learning 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) prereading knowledge and skills that 
                        prepare children for early literacy in schools 
                        including phonological awareness, print 
                        awareness and print skills, and alphabetic 
                        knowledge;
                            ``(iii) mathematics knowledge and skills, 
                        including aspects of classification, seriation, 
                        number, spatial relations, and time;
                            ``(iv) science knowledge and skills, 
                        including measurement;
                            ``(v) cognitive abilities related to 
                        academic achievement and general knowledge;
                            ``(vi) social and emotional development 
                        related to early learning, school success, 
                        social problem-solving, and overall well-being;
                            ``(vii) approaches to learning related to 
                        child development and early learning;
                            ``(viii) creative arts; and
                            ``(ix) 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 (viii);
                    ``(C) administrative and financial management 
                standards;
                    ``(D) standards relating to the condition and 
                location of facilities for such agencies, programs, and 
                projects; and
                    ``(E) such other standards as the Secretary finds 
                to be appropriate.
            ``(2) Considerations in developing standards.--In 
        developing the 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 limited English 
                proficient 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 
                        October 27, 1998;
                            ``(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 report on 
                        Developmental Outcomes and Assessments for 
                        Young Children by the National Academy of 
                        Sciences, when it becomes available;
                            ``(iv) developments concerning research-
                        based practices with respect to early childhood 
                        education and development, children with 
                        disabilities, family services, program 
                        administration, and financial management;
                            ``(v) projected needs of an expanding Head 
                        Start program;
                            ``(vi) guidelines and standards currently 
                        in effect or under consideration that promote 
                        child health services and physical development, 
                        including outdoor activity that supports 
                        children's motor development and overall health 
                        and nutrition;
                            ``(vii) changes in the population of 
                        children who are eligible to participate in 
                        Head Start programs, including the language and 
                        cultural background and family structure of 
                        such 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; and
                            ``(ix) the unique challenges faced by 
                        individual programs, including those that are 
                        seasonal or short term, and those that serve 
                        rural populations; and
                    ``(C)(i) review and revise as necessary the 
                performance standards in effect under this subsection; 
                and
                    ``(ii) ensure that any such revisions in the 
                performance standards will not result in the 
                elimination of or any reduction in quality, scope or 
                types of health, education, parental involvement, 
                nutritional, social, or other services required to be 
                provided under such standards as in effect on October 
                27, 1998.
            ``(3) Standards relating to obligations to delegate 
        agencies.--In developing standards under this subsection, 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 and determine whether the Head Start agency complies 
        with the standards. The Secretary shall consider such 
        compliance during the review described in subsection (c)(1)(A) 
        and in determining whether to renew financial assistance to the 
        Head Start agency 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, shall use 
        the study on Developmental Outcomes and Assessments for Young 
        Children by the National Academy of Sciences to provide 
        guidance to Head Start agencies for utilizing scientifically-
        based measures that support, as appropriate--
                    ``(A) classroom instructional practices;
                    ``(B) identification of special needs; and
                    ``(C) program evaluation.
            ``(2) Characteristics of measures.--The measures under this 
        subsection shall
                    ``(A) be developmentally, linguistically, and 
                culturally appropriate for the population served;
                    ``(B) be reviewed not less than every 4 years, 
                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 English, Spanish, 
                and any other language, as appropriate);
                    ``(E) be administered by staff with appropriate 
                training for such administration;
                    ``(F) provide appropriate accommodations for 
                children with disabilities and children who are limited 
                English proficient; and
                    ``(G) be high-quality research-based measures that 
                have been demonstrated to assist with the purposes for 
                which they were devised.
            ``(3) Use of measures; limitations on use.--
                    ``(A) Measures shall be designed for the purpose 
                of--
                            ``(i) promoting the skills, knowledge, and 
                        competencies of children participating in Head 
                        Start programs specified in subsection 
                        (a)(1)(B)(ii), with an emphasis on measuring 
                        skills that scientifically-based 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;
                            ``(iii) identifying special needs; and
                            ``(iv) improving overall program 
                        performance in order to help programs identify 
                        problem areas that may require additional 
                        training and technical assistance resources.
                    ``(B) Such measures shall not be used to exclude 
                children from Head Start programs.
            ``(4) Suspended implementation of national reporting 
        system.--The Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) suspend implementation and terminate further 
                development and use of the National Reporting System; 
                and
                    ``(B) incorporate, as appropriate, recommendations 
                from the study on Developmental Outcomes and 
                Assessments for Young Children by the National Academy 
                of Sciences into any assessment used in the Head Start 
                programs, in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).
            ``(5) Special rule.--The use of assessment items and data 
        on any assessment authorized under this subchapter by an agent 
        or agents of the Federal Government to provide rewards or 
        sanctions for individual children or teachers is prohibited. 
        The Secretary shall not use the results of a single assessment 
        as the sole or primary method for assessing program 
        effectiveness or making grantee funding determinations at the 
        national, regional, or local level.
    ``(c) Monitoring of Local Agencies and Programs.--
            ``(1) In general.--To determine whether Head Start agencies 
        meet standards established under this subchapter with respect 
        to program, administrative, financial management, and other 
        requirements and in order to help programs identify areas for 
        improvement and areas of strengths as part of an on-going self-
        assessment process, the Secretary shall develop and use a risk-
        based assessment system to conduct the following reviews of 
        Head Start agencies, and of the Head Start programs operated by 
        such agencies:
                    ``(A) A full review 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 unannounced 
                reviews as appropriate, of programs with 1 or more 
                findings of deficiencies not later than 12 months after 
                the date of such finding.
                    ``(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, the diverse 
                        (including linguistic and cultural) needs of 
                        eligible children (including children with 
                        disabilities) and limited-English proficient 
                        children and their families; and
                            ``(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;
                    ``(B) include as part of the reviews of the 
                programs, a review and assessment of program strengths 
                and areas in need of improvement;
                    ``(C) include as part of the reviews of the 
                programs, a review and assessment of whether programs 
                have adequately addressed the population and community 
                needs (including populations of children with limited 
                English proficiency and children of migrant and 
                seasonal farm-working families);
                    ``(D) include as part of the review the extent to 
                which the program addresses the community needs and 
                strategic plan identified in section 640(g)(2)(C);
                    ``(E) include as part of the review the 
                implementation by qualified individuals with 
                demonstrated reliability, of a valid and reliable 
                research-based observational instrument that assesses 
                classroom quality, including multiple dimensions of 
                teacher-child interactions that are linked to positive 
                child development and later achievement;
                    ``(F) are conducted in a manner that evaluates 
                program performance, quality, and overall operations 
                with consistency and objectivity, and based on a 
                transparent and reliable system of review;
                    ``(G) in the case of Early Head Start programs, are 
                conducted by a review team that includes individuals 
                who are knowledgeable about the development of infants 
                and toddlers; and
                    ``(H) include as part of the review a protocol for 
                fiscal management that shall be used to assess the 
                compliance with program requirements for--
                            ``(i) using federal funds appropriately;
                            ``(ii) using federal funds specifically to 
                        purchase property and to compensate personnel;
                            ``(iii) securing and using qualified fiscal 
                        officer support; and
                            ``(iv) reporting financial information and 
                        implementing appropriate internal controls to 
                        safeguard federal funds.
            ``(3) Use of review findings.--The findings of the review 
        shall, at a minimum--
                    ``(A) be presented to an 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 Head Start agencies to inform 
                the development and implementation of their plan for 
                training and technical assistance.
    ``(d) Evaluations and Corrective Actions for Delegate Agencies.--
            ``(1) Procedures.--The Head Start agency shall establish 
        procedures relating to its delegate agencies, including--
                    ``(A) procedures for evaluating delegate agencies;
                    ``(B) procedures for defunding delegate agencies; 
                and
                    ``(C) procedures for appealing a defunding decision 
                relating to a delegate agency.
            ``(2) Evaluations.--Each Head Start agency--
                    ``(A) shall evaluate its delegate agencies using 
                the procedures established under this section; 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.--If the Head 
        Start agency identifies a deficiency of a delegate agency 
        through the evaluation, the Head Start agency may--
                    ``(A) initiate procedures to terminate the 
                designation of the delegate agency unless such agency 
                corrects the deficiency; and
                    ``(B) conduct monthly monitoring visits to such 
                delegate agency until all deficiencies are corrected or 
                the Head Start agency decides to defund such delegate 
                agency.
            ``(4) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection 
        shall be construed to modify, supersede, or affect 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; Termination.--
            ``(1) Determination.--If the Secretary determines, on the 
        basis of a review pursuant to subsection (c), that a Head Start 
        agency designated pursuant to section 641 fails to meet the 
        standards described in subsection (a) or fails to adequately 
        address the community needs and strategic plan identified in 
        section 640(g)(2)(C), the Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) inform the agency of the deficiencies that 
                shall be corrected;
                    ``(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, or Head Start program that is the subject 
                of a determination described in paragraph (1) 
                (excluding an agency or program 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 which 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) eliminate each deficiency 
                        identified, not later than the date for 
                        elimination of such deficiency specified in 
                        such plan (which shall not be later than 10 
                        months after the date the agency or program 
                        obtains approval of its quality improvement 
                        plan).
                    ``(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 for program 
                improvement.--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 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.--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. Such report shall be made 
available to all parents with children receiving assistance under this 
subchapter in an understandable and uniform format, and to the extent 
practicable, provided in a language that the parents can understand, 
and in addition, make the information widely available through public 
means such as distribution through public agencies, and at a minimum 
posting such information on the Internet immediately upon publication. 
Such reports shall contain detailed data on compliance with specific 
performance standards and measures sufficient to allow individual Head 
Start agencies to use such data to improve the quality of their 
program.
    ``(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 (including professional development plans) 
        and in implementing and complying with Head Start program 
        performance standards.
            ``(2) Report and improvement plans.--
                    ``(A) Report.--An agency conducting a self-
                assessment shall report the findings of the self-
                assessment to the relevant policy council, policy 
                committee, governing body, and Secretary. Each self-
                assessment shall identify areas of strength and 
                weakness.
                    ``(B) Improvement plan.--The agency shall develop 
                and report to the Secretary 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, delegate 
        Head Start agency, and entity that carries out an Early Head 
        Start program a 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 Head Start performance standards.
    ``(h) Enrollment Reporting Requirement.--
            ``(1) Head Start agencies shall report on a regular basis 
        to the Secretary--
                    ``(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.
            ``(2) The Secretary shall determine on a regular basis 
        which Head Start agencies are operating with an actual 
        enrollment that is less than the funded enrollment and shall 
        provide appropriate and timely training and technical 
        assistance to increase actual enrollment, as appropriate.
            ``(3) In this subsection:
                    ``(A) The term `actual enrollment' means, with 
                respect to a Head Start program, the actual number of 
                children enrolled in such program in a given month.
                    ``(B) The term `base grant' means, with respect to 
                Head Start agency for a fiscal year, that portion of 
                the grant derived from--
                            ``(i) amounts reserved for use in 
                        accordance with section 640(a)(2)(A), for a 
                        Head Start agency administering an Indian Head 
                        Start program or migrant and seasonal Head 
                        Start program;
                            ``(ii) amounts reserved for payments under 
                        section 640(a)(2)(B); or
                            ``(iii) amounts available under section 
                        640(a)(2)(D) or allotted among States under 
                        section 640(a)(4).
                    ``(C) 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 award.
    ``(i) Redistribution of Funds.--Funds held by the Secretary as a 
result of recapturing, withholding, or reducing a base grant, except 
when such action is the result of an open competition 641(d)) or 
termination 646(d) shall be redistributed in such fiscal year as 
follows:
            ``(1) If such funds are derived from an Indian Head Start 
        program, then such funds shall be redistributed to increase 
        enrollment in such fiscal year in 1 or more Indian Head Start 
        programs.
            ``(2) If such funds are derived from the operation of a 
        migrant and seasonal Head Start program, then such funds shall 
        be redistributed to increase enrollment in such fiscal year in 
        1 or more migrant and seasonal Head Start programs.
            ``(3) If such funds are derived from the operation of a 
        Head Start program in a State (excluding Indian Head Start 
        program and migrant and seasonal Head Start programs), then 
        such funds shall be redistributed to increase enrollment in 
        such fiscal year in 1 or more Head Start programs (excluding 
        Indian Head Start programs and migrant and seasonal Head Start 
        programs) that are carried out in such State, except that--
                    ``(A) not less than 50 percent of the funds shall 
                be prioritized to increase the program participation of 
                children and families served under Early Head Start; 
                and
                    ``(B) not less than 25 percent of the funds shall 
                be prioritized to increase program participation of 
                underserved populations of eligible children.''.

SEC. 8. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF HEAD START AGENCIES.

    Section 642 of the 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) Legal Authority.--To be designated as a Head Start agency 
under this subchapter, an agency must 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 which 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 must 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 must 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) Establish effective procedures by which parents and 
        area residents concerned will be enabled to directly 
        participate in decisions that influence the character of 
        programs affecting their interests.
            ``(2) Seek the involvement of parents, area residents, and 
        local business in the design and implementation of the program.
            ``(3) Establish effective procedures 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 to afford such parents 
        the opportunity to participate in the development and overall 
        conduct of the program at the local level, including a process 
        through which parents of children currently participating in a 
        Head Start program or an Early Head Start program select the 
        parent representatives to serve on the council under section 
        642(b)(4)(B)(ii).
            ``(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. 2741 et seq.)), to 
        parents of participating children, family literacy services and 
        parenting skills training.
            ``(5) Offer to parents of participating children mental 
        health services (either directly or through referral to local 
        entities), including substance abuse counseling, and including 
        information on maternal depression and on drug-exposed 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) mental and behavioral health services;
                    ``(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 about the benefits of parent involvement and about the 
        activities described in paragraphs (5) through (8) 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; and
            ``(B) Refer eligible parents to the child support offices 
        of State and local governments.
            ``(11) Provide parents of limited English proficient 
        children outreach and services under this subchapter, in an 
        understandable and uniform format and, to the extent 
        practicable, in a language that such parents can understand.
            ``(12) Provide technical and other support needed to enable 
        parents and area residents to secure on their own behalf 
        available assistance from public and private sources.
            ``(13) Promote the continued involvement of the parents 
        (including grandparents and kinship caregivers, as appropriate) 
        of children that participate in Head Start programs in the 
        education of their children upon transition to school, the Head 
        Start agency shall work 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) Provide parents of a child suspected of having a 
        disability information about services available under part C or 
        section 619 of the Individuals With Disabilities Act (20 U.S.C. 
        1419, 1431 et seq.) and refer such child to the appropriate 
        agency for an evaluation of eligibility under such Act.
    ``(c) Program Governance.--Head Start agencies must establish and 
maintain a formal structure of shared governance through which an 
independent governing body with legal and fiscal responsibility for 
administering and overseeing programs under this subchapter and a 
parent policy council and parent policy committee, as appropriate, 
shall ensure that such agency operates a high quality Head Start 
program in compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and local 
laws.
            ``(1) Governing body.--
                    ``(A) Composition.--The governing body shall be 
                composed as follows:
                            ``(i) Not less than 1 member with 
                        significant financial management or accounting 
                        experience.
                            ``(ii) Not less than 1 member shall have a 
                        background and expertise in early childhood 
                        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 be selected 
                        for their expertise in education, business 
                        administration, and community affairs and shall 
                        reflect the community served.
                            ``(v) Exceptions shall be made when members 
                        of the governing body oversee a public entity 
                        and are selected by public election or are 
                        political appointments.
                    ``(B) Conflict of interest.--Members of the 
                governing body shall--
                            ``(i) not have a conflict of interest with 
                        the Head Start agency or delegate agencies, 
                        exceptions shall be made when a board member of 
                        a public entity is selected by election or 
                        politically appointed;
                            ``(ii) not receive compensation for the 
                        purposes of serving on the governing body or 
                        for providing services to the Head Start 
                        agency, exceptions shall be made when a board 
                        member of a public entity is selected by 
                        election or politically appointed;
                            ``(iii) not be employed nor shall members 
                        of their immediate family be employed by the 
                        Head Start agency or one of its delegate 
                        agencies, exceptions shall be made when a board 
                        member of a public entity is selected by 
                        election or politically appointed; and
                            ``(iv) operate as an entity independent of 
                        staff employed by the Head Start agency entity 
                        or applicant, exceptions shall be made when a 
                        board member of a public entity is selected by 
                        election or politically appointed.
                    ``(C) Consultants.--In the case that persons 
                described in subparagraph (A) are not available to 
                serve as members, the governing body shall make use of 
                consultants in the areas described in subparagraph (A) 
                to work directly with the governing body.
                    ``(D) Training.--All members of the governing body 
                shall receive training in management responsibilities 
                and obligations, ethics, and financial literacy 
                management.
                    ``(E) Responsibilities of governing body.--The 
                governing body shall be responsible for--
                            ``(i) adoption of practices that assure 
                        active, independent and informed governance of 
                        the Head Start agency;
                            ``(ii) oversight to ensure that the Head 
                        Start agency under the direction of the 
                        executive director is delivering high quality 
                        services to children and families in compliance 
                        with all applicable standards in effect under 
                        this subchapter and with the applicable 
                        performance measures established by the 
                        Secretary under section 644;
                            ``(iii) establish an audit and finance 
                        committee whose primary responsibility shall 
                        be--
                                    ``(I) to approve annually the 
                                operating budget of the Head Start 
                                agency;
                                    ``(II) to review and recommend to 
                                the governing body the selection of 
                                independent auditors who shall report 
                                all critical accounting policies and 
                                practices to the finance and audit 
                                committee, except when the auditor is 
                                assigned by the State under State law;
                                    ``(III) to review and recommend to 
                                the governing body the termination or 
                                extension of the existing audit firm at 
                                least once every 5 years;
                                    ``(IV) to review and advise the 
                                governing body of the audit management 
                                letter provided pursuant to the chapter 
                                75 of title 31, United States Code, and 
                                of any audit findings; and
                                    ``(V) to monitor agency actions to 
                                correct any such audit findings or 
                                other actions necessary to comply with 
                                applicable laws (including regulations) 
                                governing financial statements and 
                                accounting practices;
                            ``(iv) approve all major policies of the 
                        agency, including the mission of the agency and 
                        policies addressing accounting, financial 
                        management, procurement, record 
                        confidentiality, and personnel (including 
                        specific standards governing salaries, salary 
                        adjustments, travel and per diem allowances, 
                        and other employee benefits);
                            ``(v) approve all major financial 
                        expenditures of the agency;
                            ``(vi) approve the selection or dismissal 
                        of the Head Start Director or the equivalent 
                        position within the Head Start agency;
                            ``(vii) approve or disapprove all policies, 
                        applications, and decisions of the Policy 
                        Council made under the authority of paragraph 
                        (2);
                            ``(viii) to oversee the program planning of 
                        the Head Start agency, including adoption of 
                        policies for setting long- and short-range 
                        goals and objectives;
                            ``(ix) oversee and approve the agency's 
                        applications to receive funds made available 
                        under this subchapter; and
                            ``(x) to establish, adopt and periodically 
                        update written standards of conduct that 
                        establish standards and formal procedures for 
                        disclosing, addressing, and resolving--
                                    ``(I) any conflict of interest, and 
                                any appearance of a conflict of 
                                interest, by members of the governing 
                                body, officers, employees, consultants 
                                and agents who provide services or 
                                furnish goods to the Head Start agency; 
                                and
                                    ``(II) complaints, including 
                                investigations, when appropriate.
            ``(2) Policy council.--
                    ``(A) Composition.--The Policy Council or Policy 
                Committee, as appropriate, shall be composed as 
                follows:
                            ``(i) Members of the Policy Council shall 
                        be either parents of children currently 
                        enrolled in the Head Start agency's (or 
                        delegate's) Head Start or Early Head Start 
                        program or that are parents of children who 
                        were enrolled in the program in the previous 
                        year (Parent Members) or shall be members of 
                        the community served by the Head Start agency 
                        or delegate (Community Members).
                            ``(ii) Parent members of the Policy Council 
                        shall constitute a majority of the members of 
                        the Policy Council and shall be elected by 
                        parents of currently enrolled children.
                            ``(iii) Parent members shall represent, 
                        proportionately, all program options and 
                        settings operated by the Head Start agency or 
                        delegate.
                            ``(iv) The term of a Policy Council member 
                        shall be no more than 2 years and no Policy 
                        Council member shall serve longer than 6 years.
                    ``(B) Responsibilities of policy council.--In order 
                to be designated as a Head Start agency, an entity or 
                delegate of such an entity shall have a Policy Council 
                which shall approve and submit to the governing body 
                decisions about the following activities:
                            ``(i) The strategic direction of the 
                        program, including long and short-term planning 
                        goals and objectives (such planning and goals 
                        shall take into account the annual community 
                        assessment and self-assessment).
                            ``(ii) Selection of delegate agencies and 
                        their service areas.
                            ``(iii) Recruitment, selection and 
                        enrollment priorities.
                            ``(iv) Funding applications and amendments 
                        to funding applications for Head Start or Early 
                        Head Start prior to submission of such 
                        applications.
                            ``(v) Budget planning for program 
                        expenditures.
                            ``(vi) Bylaws for the operation of the 
                        Policy Council including procedures by which 
                        Policy Council members are chosen.
                            ``(vii) Program personnel policies, 
                        including standards of conduct for program 
                        staff, contractors and volunteers.
                            ``(viii) Decisions regarding employment of 
                        Head Start staff other than the director and 
                        executive director.
                            ``(ix) Activities to support the active 
                        involvement of parents in supporting program 
                        operations.
                            ``(x) Program responsiveness to community 
                        and parent needs.
                    ``(C) Training.--Appropriate training and technical 
                assistance shall be provided to the members of the 
                Policy Council to ensure that the members understand 
                the information the members receive and effectively 
                oversee and participate in the programs of the Head 
                Start agency or delegate.
            ``(3) Impasse policy.--The Secretary shall develop policies 
        and procedures describing how Head Start agencies will 
        implement shared decision-making, including a process for 
        resolving any impasse between the Governing Body and the Policy 
        Council.
    ``(d) Collaboration and Coordination.--To be so designated, a Head 
Start agency must collaborate and coordinate with public and private 
entities to improve the available services to Head Start children and 
families, including the following activities:
            ``(1) Conduct outreach to schools in which children 
        participating in Head Start programs enroll, 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) In communities where both public prekindergarten 
        programs and Head Start programs operate, a Head Start agency 
        shall 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, as possible.
            ``(3) Head Start agency staff shall, with the permission of 
        the parents of children enrolled in Head Start programs, 
        regularly communicate with the elementary schools such children 
        will be attending--
                    ``(A) to share information about such children; and
                    ``(B) to ensure a smooth transition to elementary 
                school for such children.
            ``(4) Each Head Start agency shall collaborate, as 
        appropriate, with providers of social and community services 
        available to children and families participating in Head Start 
        programs, and may support such partnerships with financial 
        agreements, when applicable, for the provision of such 
        services.
            ``(5) A Head Start agency shall take steps to coordinate 
        activities 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, including--
                    ``(A) collaborating on the shared use of 
                transportation and facilities;
                    ``(B) collaborating to 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.
            ``(6) The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
        Education, shall--
                    ``(A) evaluate the effectiveness of the projects 
                and activities funded under section 642A;
                    ``(B) disseminate to Head Start agencies 
                information (including information from the evaluation 
                required by subparagraph (A)) on effective policies and 
                activities relating to the transition of children from 
                Head Start programs to public schools; and
                    ``(C) provide technical assistance to such agencies 
                to promote and assist such agencies to adopt and 
                implement such effective policies and activities.
    ``(e) Quality Standards, Curricula and Assessment.--To be so 
designated, each Head Start agency shall--
            ``(1) take steps to ensure, to the maximum extent possible, 
        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 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 promotes young children's school readiness in the areas of 
        language and cognitive development, early reading and 
        premathematics skills, socio-emotional development, physical 
        development, and approaches to learning. Such curricula shall 
        be--
                    ``(A) based on scientifically based research and 
                have standardized training procedures and curriculum 
                materials to support implementation;
                    ``(B) comprehensive, linked to ongoing assessment, 
                with developmental and learning goals and measurable 
                objectives; and focused on improving the learning 
                environment, teaching practices, family involvement, 
                and child outcomes across all areas of development; and
                    ``(C) aligned to the Head Start Child Outcomes 
                Framework developed by the Secretary and to State early 
                learning standards, as appropriate;
            ``(4) use ongoing, research-based assessment methods that 
        are developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically 
        responsive, and tied to children's daily activities in order to 
        support the educational instruction of children in the program, 
        including language skills, prereading knowledge and 
        premathematics knowledge. Assessment instruments shall be those 
        designed and validated for making decisions about teaching and 
        learning and aligned with the programs curricula and section 
        641A(a)(1);
            ``(5) use high-quality research-based developmental 
        screening tools that have been demonstrated to be standardized, 
        reliable, valid, and accurate for children from a range of 
        racial, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds, for the 
        purpose of meeting the relevant performance standards;
            ``(6) adopt, in consultation with experts in child 
        development and with classroom teachers, an assessment to be 
        used when hiring or evaluating any classroom teacher in a 
        center-based Head Start program. Such assessment shall measure 
        whether such teacher has mastered the functions described in 
        section 648A(a)(1) and attained a level of literacy appropriate 
        to implement Head Start curricula;
            ``(7) use the information provided from the assessment 
        conducted under section 640A(C)(2)(H) to adopt a professional 
        development plan that leads to improved teacher effectiveness; 
        and
            ``(8) establish measurable objectives for the provision of 
        health, educational, nutritional, and social services related 
        to the program mission and to school readiness and provided 
        under this subchapter.
    ``(f) 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.
    ``(g) 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 community-wide needs assessment, 
the needs of parents and children to be serviced by such agency, and 
the results of the reviews conducted under section 641A(c).
    ``(h) 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. 9. HEAD START TRANSITION AND ALIGNMENT WITH K-12 EDUCATION.

    Section 642A of the 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.

    ``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, McKinney-Vento liaisons as 
        established 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) establish on-going communication for developing 
        continuity of developmentally appropriate curricula between 
        Head Start and local educational agencies to ensure an 
        effective transition and appropriate shared expectations for 
        children's learning and development as they make such 
        transition to school;
            ``(4) organizing and participating in joint training, 
        including transition-related training for school staff and Head 
        Start staff;
            ``(5) conducting meetings involving parents, kindergarten 
        or elementary school teachers, and Head Start program teachers 
        to discuss the educational, developmental, and other needs of 
        individual children;
            ``(6) 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. 11431-11435);
            ``(7) assisting families, administrators, and teachers in 
        enhancing educational and developmental continuity and 
        continuity in parental involvement activities between Head 
        Start services and elementary school classes;
            ``(8) linking the services provided in such Head Start 
        program with the education services, including services 
        relating to language, literacy, and numeracy, provided by such 
        local educational agency;
            ``(9) 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;
            ``(10) developing and implementing a system to increase 
        program participation of underserved populations of eligible 
        children; and
            ``(11) 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.''.

SEC. 10. LOCAL AND STATE INTEGRATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

    The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831) is amended by inserting after 
section 642A the following:

``SEC. 642B. LOCAL AND STATE INTEGRATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

    ``(a) Local Integration.--In general, Head Start agencies shall 
enter into ongoing partnerships with local educational agencies and 
with State-funded preschool and other early childhood programs.
            ``(1) Memoranda of understanding.--Each Head Start agency 
        shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with any local 
        educational agencies or local councils, responsible for 
        managing publicly funded prekindergarten programs in the 
        service area of the Head Start agency (or if such agencies and 
        such councils are not applicable in the service area, with the 
        largest provider of publicly funded prekindergarten in the 
        service area), that shall include plans to coordinate the 
        following activities:
                    ``(A) Educational activities, curricula, and 
                instruction.
                    ``(B) Public information dissemination and access 
                to programs for families contacting any of the early 
                childhood programs.
                    ``(C) Selection priorities for eligible children to 
                be served by programs.
                    ``(D) Service delivery areas.
                    ``(E) Staff training, including opportunities for 
                joint staff training on topics such as academic content 
                standards, instructional methods, and social and 
                emotional development.
                    ``(F) Program technical assistance.
                    ``(G) Provision of additional services to meet the 
                needs of working parents.
                    ``(H) Planning and parent education for smooth 
                transitions to kindergarten as required in section 
                642A(3) and 642A(6).
                    ``(I) Provision and use of facilities, 
                transportation, and other program elements.
                    ``(J) Other elements mutually agreed to by the 
                parties to such memorandum.
            ``(2) Timing of memoranda.--Each Head Start agency shall 
        enter into a memorandum of understanding under paragraph (1) 
        not later than 1 year after the effective date of this section.
            ``(3) Secretarial review.--Each memorandum of understanding 
        entered into under paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the 
        Secretary not later than 30 days after entering into such 
        memorandum.
                    ``(A) If a Head Start agency is unable to comply 
                with the requirement in paragraph (1) the Head Start 
                agency shall notify the Secretary and the chief 
                executive officer of the State not later than 30 days 
                after determining that they are unable to enter into 
                such memorandum. The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
                State Early Learning Council and the State Director of 
                Head Start Collaboration, shall evaluate the causes of 
                failure to enter into a memorandum of understanding 
                under paragraph (1). With the assistance of the State 
                Early Learning Council and the State Director of Head 
                Start Collaboration, all parties shall again attempt to 
                enter into a memorandum of understanding under 
                paragraph (1). Then if no such memorandum of 
                understanding is entered into, the Secretary shall make 
                1 of the following determinations:
                            ``(i) The local educational agency, local 
                        council, or other appropriate entity is unable 
                        or unwilling to enter into such a memorandum 
                        despite reasonable efforts on the part of the 
                        Head Start agency.
                            ``(ii) The Head Start agency has not 
                        engaged in reasonable efforts to successfully 
                        negotiate and enter into a memorandum of 
                        understanding pursuant to paragraph (1).
                            ``(iii) There is an absence of publicly 
                        funded prekindergarten in the service area of 
                        the Head Start agency.
                    ``(B) If the Secretary determines the Head Start 
                agency is not making reasonable efforts to enter into a 
                memorandum of understanding pursuant to paragraph (1), 
                the Head Start agency shall be found to be noncompliant 
                with program performance standards.
                    ``(C) If the Secretary concludes that the local 
                educational agency, local council, or other appropriate 
                entity is not making reasonable efforts to reach such a 
                memorandum of understanding, the Head Start agency 
                shall not be found out of compliance with paragraph 
                (1).
            ``(4) Revision of memoranda.--Each memorandum of 
        understanding shall be revised and renewed annually by the 
        parties to such memorandum, in alignment with the beginning of 
        the school year.
            ``(5) Absence of prekindergarten.--In the absence of 
        publicly funded prekindergarten in the service area of a Head 
        Start agency, the Head Start agency shall submit notice to the 
        Secretary and the chief executive officer of the State and 
        shall work with the State Early Learning Council and the State 
        Director of Head Start Collaboration to improve coordination in 
        their service area.
    ``(b) State Early Learning Councils.--From the amounts reserved 
under section 640(a)(2)(C)(iii), the Secretary shall award, upon 
submission of a written request and pursuant to the requirements of 
paragraph (2), an early learning collaboration grant to each State for 
the purposes of supporting a State Early Learning Council responsible 
for advancing the development of a coordinated early childhood services 
delivery system in the State. A State that receives a grant under this 
subparagraph shall--
            ``(1) establish a State Early Learning Council, which shall 
        include--
                    ``(A) the State Director of Head Start 
                Collaboration;
                    ``(B) representatives from the State preschool 
                programs;
                    ``(C) representatives of local educational 
                agencies;
                    ``(D) the State official who oversees child care 
                programs;
                    ``(E) the State official who oversees section 619 
                and part C of the Individuals with Disabilities 
                Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.);
                    ``(F) the State official who oversees the State 
                educational agency;
                    ``(G) representatives from Head Start agencies 
                located in the State, including migrant and seasonal 
                Head Start programs and Indian Head Start programs;
                    ``(H) representatives of local child care programs 
                or organizations; and
                    ``(I) a representative of the State agency 
                responsible for health and mental health care;
        except that the chief executive officer of the State may 
        designate an existing entity to serve as the Early Learning 
        Council if such entity includes representatives described in 
        this paragraph;
            ``(2) ensure that allotted funds distributed to a State for 
        a fiscal year to carry out this subsection may be used by the 
        State to pay not more than 50 percent of the cost of carrying 
        out this subsection;
            ``(3) direct the early learning council to improve the 
        coordination and quality of early childhood services within the 
        State, including--
                    ``(A) to increase coordination and collaboration 
                among State preschool, Head Start programs, child care 
                programs, early childhood special education, and other 
                early childhood programs, including in the areas of 
                outcomes and standards, technical assistance, 
                coordination of services, cross-sector professional 
                development and training, community outreach, 
                communication, and better serving the needs of working 
                families through provision of full-day and full-year 
                early education services;
                    ``(B) to work with State agencies responsible for 
                education, child care, and early intervention to 
                provide leadership and assistance to local Head Start 
                programs, local education agencies, and State and 
                locally funded preschool and child care programs to 
                increase integration among early childhood programs 
                through adoption of local memoranda of understanding 
                described in subparagraph (A) and other means;
                    ``(C) to work with State agencies responsible for 
                education, child care, and early intervention to 
                provide leadership and assistance to develop 
                developmentally appropriate standards for children 
                birth through the early elementary grades to effect a 
                smooth transition to and success in the early 
                elementary grades;
                    ``(D) to develop or conduct periodic Statewide 
                needs assessments concerning early care and education 
                programs for children from birth to school entry;
                    ``(E) to work to identify and address barriers to 
                and opportunities for integration between entities 
                carrying out Federal and State child development, child 
                care, and early childhood education programs;
                    ``(F) to develop recommendations regarding means of 
                establishing a unified data collection system for early 
                care and education programs operating throughout the 
                State;
                    ``(G) to address coordination of early learning 
                programs with health care (including mental and 
                behavioral health care), welfare, family literacy and 
                services for homeless children;
                    ``(H) to support a State system of early childhood 
                education, and training and technical assistance that 
                improves the quality of early learning programs and the 
                capacity of such programs to deliver services pursuant 
                to section 648(b);
                    ``(I) to develop a plan for increasing the 
                participation of children underrepresented in State 
                early childhood education and child care programs, 
                including Head Start, State preschool programs, and 
                programs carried out under the Child Care and 
                Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et 
                seq.);
                    ``(J) developing a Statewide professional 
                development and career ladder plan for early care and 
                education in the State; and
                    ``(K) assisting 2- and 4-year public and private 
                institutions of higher education to develop 
                articulation agreements concerning degrees in early 
                childhood and related fields.
            ``(4) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to 
        provide the Early Learning Council with authority to modify, 
        supersede, or affect the operation of this subchapter.
            ``(5) Funds made available under this section shall be used 
        to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, and 
        local funds that would otherwise be expended to carry out the 
        purposes of this section.''.

SEC. 11. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS.

    Section 644 of the of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9839) is 
amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Standards.--Each Head Start agency shall observe 
        standards of organization, management, and administration which 
        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) Annual report.--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 then 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 following fiscal year.
                    ``(C) The total number of children and families 
                served and percent of average monthly enrollment, 
                including the percent 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) Procedural conduct.--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 which 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 which is in violation of law.'', 
                and
            (2) by amending subsection (f) to read as follows:
    ``(f) Facilities.--
            ``(1) The Secretary shall establish uniform procedures for 
        Head Start agencies to request approval to purchase facilities, 
        or to request approval of the purchase (after December 31, 
        1986) of facilities, to be used to carry out Head Start 
        programs. The Secretary shall suspend any proceedings pending 
        against any Head Start agency to claim costs incurred in 
        purchasing such facilities until the agency has been afforded 
        an opportunity to apply for approval of the purchase and the 
        Secretary has determined whether the purchase will be approved. 
        The Secretary shall not be required to repay claims previously 
        satisfied by Head Start agencies for costs incurred in the 
        purchase of such facilities.
            ``(2) Financial assistance provided under this subchapter 
        may not be used by a Head Start agency to purchase a facility 
        (including paying the cost of amortizing the principal and 
        paying interest on loans) to be used to carry out a Head Start 
        program unless the Secretary approves a request that is 
        submitted by such agency and contains--
                    ``(A) a description of the consultation conducted 
                by the Head Start agency with the providers in the 
                community demonstrating capacity and capability to 
                provide services under this subchapter, and of the 
                potential for collaboration with such providers and the 
                cost effectiveness of such collaboration as opposed to 
                the cost effectiveness of the purchase of a facility;
                    ``(B) a description of the site of the facility 
                proposed to be purchased or that was previously 
                purchased;
                    ``(C) the plans and specifications of such 
                facility;
                    ``(D) information demonstrating that--
                            ``(i) the proposed purchase will result, or 
                        the previous purchase has resulted, in savings 
                        when compared to the costs that would be 
                        incurred to acquire the use of an alternative 
                        facility to carry out such program; or
                            ``(ii) the lack of alternative facilities 
                        will prevent, or would have prevented, the 
                        operation of such program;
                    ``(E) in the case of a request regarding a 
                previously purchased facility, information 
                demonstrating that the facility will be used 
                principally as a Head Start center, or a direct support 
                facility for a Head Start program; and
                    ``(F) such other information and assurances as the 
                Secretary may require.
            ``(3) Upon a determination by the Secretary that suitable 
        facilities are not otherwise available to Indian tribes to 
        carry out Head Start programs, and that the lack of suitable 
        facilities will inhibit the operation of such programs, the 
        Secretary may authorize the use of financial assistance, from 
        the amount reserved under section 640(a)(2)(A), to make 
        payments for the purchase of facilities owned by such tribes. 
        The amount of such a payment for such a facility shall not 
        exceed the fair market value of the facility.''.

SEC. 12. PARTICIPATION IN HEAD START PROGRAMS.

    Section 645 of the of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by amending paragraph (1)(B)(i) to read as 
                follows:
                            ``(i) programs assisted under this 
                        subchapter may include, to a reasonable extent, 
                        participation of children in the area served 
                        who would benefit from such programs, including 
                        children referred by child welfare services, 
                        but whose families do not meet the low-income 
                        criteria prescribed pursuant to subparagraph 
                        (A) (A homeless child shall be deemed to meet 
                        the low-income criteria.); and'', and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(3) The amount of a basic allowance provided under section 403 of 
title 37, United States Code, on behalf of an individual who is a 
member of the uniformed services for housing that is acquired or 
constructed under the authority of subchapter IV of chapter 169 of 
title 10, United States Code, or any other related provision of law, 
shall not be considered to be income for purposes of determining the 
eligibility of a child of the individual for programs assisted under 
this subchapter.
    ``(4)(A) Upon written request and pursuant to the requirements of 
this paragraph, a Head Start agency may use funds under section 640(a) 
to serve infants and toddlers if the agency submits an application to 
the Secretary containing the following information, as specified in 
rules issued by the Secretary--
                    ``(i) the amount of funds under section 640(a) that 
                are proposed to be used in accordance with section 
                645A(b);
                    ``(ii) a community-wide 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 
                Head Start children will be met in the community;
                    ``(v) assurances that the agency will participate 
                in technical assistance activities (including a 
                planning period, start-up site visits, and national 
                training activities) in the same manner as recipients 
                of grants under section 645A; and
                    ``(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) Any Head Start agency approved under subparagraph (B) 
        shall be considered to be an Early Head Start agency and such 
        funds under (i) shall be subject to the same rules, 
        regulations, and conditions as apply to recipients of grants 
        under section 645A.'',
            (2) in subsection (c) by striking ``(age 3 to compulsory 
        school attendance)'', and
            (3) in subsection (d) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, an Indian 
tribe that operates both a Head Start program and an Early Head Start 
program under section 645A may, at its discretion, at any time during 
the grant period involved, reallocate funds between the Head Start 
program and the Early Head Start program in order to address 
fluctuations in client population, including pregnant women and 
children birth to compulsory school age. The reallocation of such funds 
between programs by an Indian tribe shall not serve as the basis for 
the Secretary to reduce a base grant (as defined in section 641A(g)(1)) 
for either program in succeeding years.''.

SEC. 13. EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS.

    Section 645A is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 645A. EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN UNDER 
              3 YEARS OF AGE.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make grants, in accordance 
with this section for programs (to be known as `Early Head Start 
programs') that provide family-centered services for low-income 
families with very young children designed to promote the development 
of the children, and to enable their parents to fulfill their roles as 
parents and to move toward self-sufficiency.
    ``(b) Scope and Design of Programs.--In carrying out a program 
described in subsection (a), an entity receiving assistance under this 
section shall--
            ``(1) provide, either directly or through referral, early, 
        continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and 
        family support services that will enhance the physical, social, 
        emotional, and intellectual development of participating 
        children;
            ``(2) ensure that the level of services provided to 
        families responds to their needs and circumstances;
            ``(3) promote positive parent-child interactions;
            ``(4) provide services to parents to support their role as 
        parents (including parenting skills training and training in 
        basic child development) and to help the families move toward 
        self-sufficiency (including educational and employment services 
        as appropriate);
            ``(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);
            ``(6) ensure formal linkages with local Head Start programs 
        in order to provide for continuity of services for children and 
        families;
            ``(7) in the case of a Head Start agency that operates a 
        program and that also provides Head Start services through the 
        age of mandatory school attendance, ensure that children and 
        families participating in the program receive such services 
        through such age;
            ``(8) ensure formal linkages with the agencies and entities 
        described in section 644(b) of the Individuals with 
        Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1444(b)) and 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.) and the agency responsible for 
        administering section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and 
        Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a);
            ``(9) develop and implement a systematic procedure for 
        transitioning children and parents from an Early Head Start 
        program under this section into a Head Start program or other 
        local early childhood education program;
            ``(10) establish channels of communication between staff of 
        Early Head Start programs under this section and staff of Head 
        Start programs or other local early childhood education 
        programs, to facilitate the coordination of programs; and
            ``(11) meet such other requirements concerning design and 
        operation of the program described in subsection (a) as the 
        Secretary may establish.
    ``(c) Persons Eligible To Participate.--Persons who may participate 
in programs described in subsection (a) include--
            ``(1) pregnant women; and
            ``(2) families with children under age 3;
who meet the income criteria specified for families in section 
645(a)(1).
    ``(d) Eligible Service Providers.--To be eligible to receive 
assistance under this section, an entity shall submit an application to 
the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretary may require. Entities that may apply to 
carry out activities under this section include--
            ``(1) entities operating Head Start programs under this 
        subpart;
            ``(2) Indian 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.
    ``(e) Selection of Grant Recipients.--From the portion specified in 
section 640(a)(6), the Secretary shall award grants under this 
subsection on a competitive basis to applicants meeting the criteria 
specified in subsection (d) (giving priority to entities with a record 
of providing early, continuous, and comprehensive childhood development 
and family services).
    ``(f) Distribution.--In awarding grants to eligible applicants 
under this section, the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) ensure an equitable national geographic distribution 
        of the grants; and
            ``(2) award grants to applicants proposing to serve 
        communities in rural areas and to applicants proposing to serve 
        communities in urban areas.
    ``(g) Monitoring, Training, Technical Assistance, and Evaluation.--
            ``(1) Requirement.--To ensure the successful operation of 
        programs assisted under this section, the Secretary shall use 
        funds from the portion specified in section 640(a)(6) to 
        monitor the operation of such programs, evaluate their 
        effectiveness, and provide training and technical assistance 
        tailored to the particular needs of such programs.
            ``(2) Training and technical assistance account.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Of the amount made available to 
                carry out this section for any fiscal year, not less 
                than 5 percent and not more than 10 percent shall be 
                reserved to fund a training and technical assistance 
                account.
                    ``(B) Activities.--Funds in the account may be used 
                by the Secretary for purposes including--
                            ``(i) making grants to, and entering into 
                        contracts with, organizations with specialized 
                        expertise relating to infants, toddlers, and 
                        families and the capacity needed to provide 
                        direction and support to a national training 
                        and technical assistance system, in order to 
                        provide such direction and support;
                            ``(ii) providing ongoing training and 
                        technical assistance for regional and program 
                        staff charged with monitoring and overseeing 
                        the administration of the program carried out 
                        under this section;
                            ``(iii) providing ongoing training and 
                        technical assistance for existing recipients 
                        (as of the date of such training or assistance) 
                        of grants under subsection (a) and support and 
                        program planning and implementation assistance 
                        for new recipients of such grants;
                            ``(iv) providing professional development 
                        and personnel enhancement activities, including 
                        the provision of funds to recipients of grants 
                        under subsection (a) for the recruitment and 
                        retention of qualified staff with an 
                        appropriate level of education and experience; 
                        and
                            ``(v) providing professional development 
                        designed to increase program participation for 
                        underserved populations of eligible children.
    ``(h) Center-Based Staff.--The Secretary shall ensure that, not 
later than September 30, 2009, 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 course work) in early childhood development''.

SEC. 14. PARENTAL CONSENT REQUIREMENT FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES.

    The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831) is amended by inserting after 
section 645A the following:

``SEC. 645B. PARENTAL CONSENT REQUIREMENT FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES.

    ``(a) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            ``(1) The term `health care service' includes--
                    ``(A) any nonemergency intrusive physical 
                examination; and
                    ``(B) any screening, including but not limited to, 
                a medical, dental, developmental, mental health, 
                social, or behavioral screening.
            ``(2) The term `nonemergency intrusive physical 
        examination' means, with respect to a child, a physical 
        examination that--
                    ``(A) is not immediately necessary to protect the 
                health or safety of such child, or the health or safety 
                of another individual; and
                    ``(B) includes incision or is otherwise invasive, 
                or includes exposure of private body parts.
    ``(b) Requirement.--Before administering any health care service to 
a child (or referring a child to obtain such service) in connection 
with participation in a program under this subchapter, a Head Start 
agency and an entity that receives assistance under section 645A shall 
obtain the written consent of a parent of such child indicating consent 
for each specific health care service to be performed.
    ``(c) Rule of Construction.--
            ``(1) Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
        prohibit a Head Start agency or an entity that receives 
        assistance under section 645A 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.
            ``(2) Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to 
        permit a Head Start agency, an entity that receives assistance 
        under section 645A, or the personnel of such agency or entity 
        to administer any health care service to a child (or to refer a 
        child to obtain such service) without the informed written 
        consent of a parent of such child indicating consent for each 
        specific health care service to be performed.
            ``(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require 
        a Head Start agency or an entity that receives assistance under 
        section 645A to provide separate consent forms for each 
        specific health care service.''.

SEC. 15. APPEALS, NOTICE, AND HEARING.

    Section 646(a)(3) of the of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9841(a)(3)) is amended to read as follows:
            ``(3) if financial assistance under this subchapter is 
        terminated or reduced, an application for a noncompeting 
        continuation award is denied based on a previous failure to 
        comply with terms applicable to financial assistance previously 
        provided under this subchapter, or suspension of financial 
        assistance is continued for more than 30 days, the recipient 
        with respect to whom such action is taken shall have the 
        opportunity to appeal such action in accordance with such 
        procedures, except that no funds made available under this 
        subchapter may be used to reimburse any such recipient for 
        legal fees and other costs incurred in pursuing such an 
        appeal.''.

SEC. 16. RECORDS AND AUDITS.

    Section 647 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9842) by adding at the 
end the following:
    ``(d) Each recipient of financial assistance under this subchapter 
shall--
            ``(1) maintain, and annually submit to the Secretary, a 
        complete accounting of its 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) within 30 days after the 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 Amendments of 1996'), submit to the Secretary 
        a copy of the audit management letter and of any audit findings 
        as it relates to the Head Start program; and
            ``(3) provide such additional documentation as the 
        Secretary may require.''.

SEC. 17. 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) The Secretary shall provide, directly or through grants or 
other arrangements--
            ``(1) technical assistance to communities in developing, 
        conducting, and administering programs under this subchapter; 
        and
            ``(2) training for specialized or other personnel needed in 
        connection with Head Start programs, in accordance with the 
        process, and the provisions for allocating resources, set forth 
        in subsections (b) and (c).
    ``(b) The process for determining the technical assistance and 
training activities to be carried out under this section shall--
            ``(1) 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 feasible;
            ``(2) 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; and
            ``(3) ensure the provision of technical assistance to 
        assist Head Start agencies, entities carrying out other child 
        care and early childhood programs, communities, and States in 
        collaborative efforts to provide quality full-working-day, full 
        calendar year services, including technical assistance related 
        to identifying and assisting in resolving barriers to 
        collaboration.
    ``(c) In allocating resources for technical assistance and training 
under this section, the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) give priority consideration to--
                    ``(A) 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)); 
                and
                    ``(B) assisting Head Start agencies in--
                            ``(i) ensuring the school readiness of 
                        children; and
                            ``(ii) meeting the educational performance 
                        measures described in section 641A(b)(4);
            ``(2) supplement amounts provided under section 
        640(a)(3)(C)(ii) in order to address the training and career 
        development needs of classroom staff (including instruction for 
        providing services to children with disabilities), and 
        nonclassroom 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;
            ``(3) assist Head Start agencies in the development of 
        collaborative initiatives with States and other entities within 
        the States, to foster effective early childhood professional 
        development systems;
            ``(4) 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--
                    ``(A) assisting Head Start agencies providing 
                family literacy services, in order to improve the 
                quality of such family literacy services; and
                    ``(B) 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;
            ``(5) assist Head Start agencies and programs in conducting 
        and participating in community-wide strategic planning and 
        needs assessment, including the needs of homeless children and 
        their families;
            ``(6) 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;
            ``(7) assist Head Start agencies in better serving the 
        needs of families with very young children;
            ``(8) assist Head Start agencies and programs in the 
        development of sound management practices, including financial 
        management procedures;
            ``(9) assist in efforts to secure and maintain adequate 
        facilities for Head Start programs;
            ``(10) assist Head Start agencies in developing innovative 
        program models, including mobile and home-based programs;
            ``(11) 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), significant programmatic, quality, and fiscal issues 
        to address;
            ``(12) assist Head Start agencies and programs in 
        increasing program participation of homeless children;
            ``(13) assist Head Start agencies and Head Start programs 
        in improving outreach to, and the quality of services available 
        to, 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
            ``(14) assist Head Start agencies in developing appropriate 
        methods and approaches for identifying and working with 
        children and families experiencing toxic stress.
    ``(d) The Secretary may provide, either directly or through grants 
to public or private nonprofit entities, training for Head Start 
personnel in the use of the performing and visual arts and interactive 
programs using electronic media to enhance the learning experience of 
Head Start children. Special consideration shall be given to entities 
that have demonstrated effectiveness in educational programming for 
preschool children that includes components for parental involvement, 
care provider training, and developmentally appropriate related 
activities.
    ``(e) The Secretary shall provide, either directly or through 
grants or other arrangements, funds from programs authorized under this 
subchapter to support an organization to administer a centralized child 
development and national assessment program leading to recognized 
credentials for personnel working in early childhood development and 
child care programs, training for personnel providing services to 
limited English proficient children (including services to promote the 
acquisition of the English language), training for personnel providing 
services to children determined to be abused or neglected, training for 
personnel providing services to children referred by or receiving child 
welfare services, training for personnel in helping children cope with 
community violence, and resource access projects for personnel working 
with disabled children.
    ``(f) The Secretary shall provide, either directly or through 
grants, or other arrangements, funds for training of Head Start 
personnel in addressing the unique needs of migrant and seasonal 
working families, families with 1 or more children with disabilities, 
families with a limited English proficiency, homeless families, and 
children and families experiencing toxic stress.
    ``(g) More than 50 percent of funds expended under this section 
shall be used to provide high quality, sustained, intensive, and 
classroom-focused training and technical assistance in order to have a 
positive and lasting impact on classroom instruction. Funds shall be 
used to carry out activities related to any or all of the following:
            ``(1) Education and early childhood development.
            ``(2) Child health, nutrition, and safety.
            ``(3) Family and community partnerships and services.
            ``(4) Other areas that impact the quality or overall 
        effectiveness of Head Start programs.
    ``(h) The Secretary shall develop and implement a program of 
outreach to recruit and train minority men 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.
    ``(i) Funds under this subchapter used for training shall be used 
for needs identified annually by a grant applicant or delegate agency 
in their program improvement plan, except that funds 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.
    ``(j) Funds made available under section 640(a)(2)(C)(i) shall be 
used by a Head Start agency for any of the following:
            ``(1) Activities that ensure that Head Start programs meet 
        or exceed the program performance standards described in 
        section 641A(a)(1).
            ``(2) 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.
            ``(3) Activities to pay expenses, including direct training 
        for expert consultants working with any staff, to improve the 
        management and implementation of Head Start services and 
        systems.
            ``(4) 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).
            ``(5) 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.
            ``(6) 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.
            ``(7) 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.
            ``(8) Activities to provide classes or in-service-type 
        programs to improve or enhance parenting skills, job skills, 
        adult and family literacy, including financial literacy, or 
        training to become a classroom aide or bus driver in a Head 
        Start program.
            ``(9) Additional activities deemed appropriate to the 
        improvement of Head Start agencies' programs, as determined by 
        the agencies' technical assistance and training plans.
            ``(10) Any other activities regarding the use of funds as 
        determined by the Secretary.
    ``(k) 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)(2)(A)(iii), 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 the Workforce 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) take appropriate action, consistent with section 444 
        of the General Education Provisions Act, to 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 Indian Head Start programs, by State Directors of Head 
        Start Collaboration, by the Indian Head Start Collaboration 
        Project Director and by other appropriate entities pursuant to 
        this subsection; 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) The Secretary shall--
            ``(1) in order to increase access to Head Start services 
        for eligible migrant and seasonal children, work in 
        collaboration with migrant and seasonal Head Start providers, 
        the Department of Agriculture (land grant universities), the 
        Department of Labor, the Bureau of Migrant Health, and the 
        Department of Education to--
                    ``(A) establish a system for collecting and 
                reporting data on farm workers and their families in 
                order to adequately account for the number of seasonal 
                and migrant children that are eligible for Head Start 
                and determine how many of these eligible children 
                receive services;
                    ``(B) identify barriers that prevent eligible 
                migrant and seasonal children from accessing Head Start 
                services and develop a plan for eliminating barriers 
                and increasing enrollment; and
                    ``(C) develop a system through which migrant and 
                seasonal Head Start programs can effectively track 
                health records and educational documents as a child 
                moves from state to state;
            ``(2) not later than 6 months after the effective date of 
        this subsection, publish in the Federal Register a notice on 
        how the Secretary plans to carry out 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) 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 Health, 
        Education, Labor and Pensions Committee of the Senate detailing 
        how the Secretary plans to carry out the activities identified 
        in (1);
            ``(4) submit a report to Congress annually on the migrant 
        and seasonal Head Start program including a report on the 
        progress made in carrying out the activities identified in 
        paragraph (1), the progress made in reaching out to and serving 
        eligible migrant and seasonal children, and information on 
        states where migrant and seasonal children are still 
        underserved;
            ``(5) take appropriate caution, consistent with section 444 
        of the General Education Provisions Act, to 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 and seasonal Head Start programs, by the State 
        director of Head Start Collaboration, by the Migrant and 
        Seasonal Farmworker Collaboration project Director; 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.
    ``(m) For purposes of this section, the term `eligible entities' 
means an institution of higher education or other entity with expertise 
in delivering training in early childhood develop?ent, family support, 
and other assistance designed to improve the delivery of Head Start 
services.
    ``(n) For the purposes of delivering a State-based training and 
technical assistance system, as described in section 640(a)(C)(ii), 
that will meet the needs of local grantees and provide high quality, 
sustained, and intensive training and technical assistance to Head 
Start programs in order to help them meet or exceed the program 
performance standards described in section 641A(a)(1), the Secretary 
shall--
            ``(1) enter into contracts in each State with 1 or more 
        entities who have a demonstrated expertise in supporting the 
        delivery of high quality early education programs, except that 
        bi-State contracts may be entered in to if the demographics of 
        proximal States make such a system more appropriate;
            ``(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;
                    ``(B) the State Head Start collaboration office; 
                and
                    ``(C) the State Head Start Association;
            ``(3) provide a report to the appropriate committees in 
        Congress no later than 90 days after the end of the fiscal 
        year, summarizing the funding for such contracts and the 
        activities carried out thereunder; and
            ``(4) periodically evaluate the usefulness of the delivery 
        of services in each State and their effectiveness in promoting 
        program quality.
    ``(o) To support enhance early language and preliteracy development 
of children in Head Start programs, and to provide the children with 
high-quality oral language skills, and environments that are rich in 
literature, in which to acquire language and preliteracy skills, each 
Head Start agency shall ensure that--
            ``(1) all of the agency's Head Start teachers receive 
        ongoing training in language and emergent literacy (referred to 
        in this subsection as `literacy training'), and including 
        appropriate curricula and assessment to improve instruction and 
        learning;
            ``(2) 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 home language;
            ``(3) the literacy training shall include training in how 
        to work with parents to enhance positive language and early 
        literacy development at home;
            ``(4) the literacy training shall include specific methods 
        to best address the needs of children who are limited English 
        proficient; and
            ``(5) 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.
    ``(p) The Secretary is encouraged to contract, on a competitive 
basis, with an institution of higher education (as defined in section 
102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965) to develop an on-line 
graduate-level professional development program with the goal of 
improving the leadership of those working in Head Start programs and 
improving teacher quality and the capacity of effective Head Start 
teachers.''.

SEC. 18. STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT.

    Section 648A of the 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) In general.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
                not later than September 30, 2013, at least 50 percent 
                of all Head Start teachers nationwide in center-based 
                programs have--
                            ``(i) a baccalaureate, or advanced degree 
                        in early childhood education;
                            ``(ii) a baccalaureate or advanced degree 
                        in a field related to early childhood 
                        education, with experience in teaching 
                        preschool children; or
                            ``(iii) except that teachers providing 
                        services in migrant and seasonal Head Start 
                        classrooms that serve children under age 3 
                        shall be required to meet the teacher 
                        requirements described in section 645A(h).
                    ``(B) Progress.--Each Head Start agency shall 
                provide to the Secretary a report indicating the number 
                and percentage of teachers and teacher's aides with 
                child development associate credentials and associate, 
                baccalaureate, or advanced degrees. The Secretary shall 
                compile all program reports and make them 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.
                    ``(C) Requirement for new head start teachers.--In 
                accordance with rules issued by the Secretary and made 
                effective 2 years after the effective date of this 
                subparagraph, all Head Start agencies shall require 
                that all Head Start teachers hired after such rules 
                take effect to provide Head Start services in center-
                based programs--
                            ``(i) have an associate, baccalaureate, or 
                        advanced degree in early childhood education or 
                        a related field; or
                            ``(ii) be currently enrolled in a program 
                        of study leading to an associate degree in 
                        early childhood education or a related field, 
                        and agree to complete degree requirements not 
                        later than 3 years after the date of hire.
                    ``(D) Service requirements.--The Secretary shall 
                establish requirements to ensure that individuals who 
                receive financial assistance under this subchapter in 
                order to comply with the requirements under section 
                648A(a)(2) shall subsequently teach in a Head Start 
                center for a period of time equivalent to the period 
                for which they received assistance or repay the amount 
                of the funds.
                    ``(E) Limitation.--The Secretary shall require that 
                any Federal funds provided directly or indirectly to 
                comply with subparagraph (A) shall be used toward 
                degrees awarded by an institution of higher education, 
                as defined by sections 101 or 102 of the Higher 
                Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1001, 1002).'',
            (2) by amending subsection (b) 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, review 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; and
            ``(4) promote the establishment of a credential that 
        indicates attainment of the competencies and that is accepted 
        nationwide'', and
            (3) is amended 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.''.

SEC. 19. RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND EVALUATION.

    Section 649 of the 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 and based on existing 
                scientifically based 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 (7) by adding ``and'' at the end,
                    (B) in paragraph (8) by striking ``; and'' at the 
                end and inserting a period,
                    (C) by striking paragraphs (9) and (10), and
                    (D) by striking the last sentence,
            (3) in subsection (g)--
                    (A) in paragraph(1)(A)--
                            (i) by striking clause (i), and
                            (ii) by redesignating clauses (ii) and 
                        (iii) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, 
                        and
                    (B) 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
            (4) by amending subsection (h) to read as follows:
    ``(h) Limited English Proficient Children.--
            ``(1) Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of the Improving Head Start Act of 2007, the 
        Secretary shall conduct a study on the status of limited 
        English proficient children and their families in participating 
        Head Start programs and Early Head Start programs.
            ``(2) Report.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit to 
        Congress, not later than September 2008, a report containing 
        the results of such study, including information on--
                    ``(A)(i) the demographics of limited English 
                proficient children less than 5 years of age and the 
                geographical distribution of such children; and
                    ``(ii) the number of such children receiving Head 
                Start services and the number of such children 
                receiving Early Head Start services, and the 
                geographical distribution of such children receiving 
                such services;
                    ``(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 for 
                assessing language needs and for making the transition 
                of limited English proficient children to kindergarten, 
                including the extent to which Head Start 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 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 
                        Head Start programs;
                            ``(ii) the correlation between such 
                        progress and the type and quality of 
                        instruction and educational programs provided 
                        to limited English proficient children; and
                            ``(iii) the correlation between such 
                        progress and the health and family services 
                        provided by Head Start programs to limited 
                        English proficient children and their families; 
                        and
                    ``(F) the extent to which Head Start programs make 
                use of funds under section 640(a)(3) to improve the 
                quality of Head Start services provided to limited 
                English proficient children and their families.''.

SEC. 20. REPORTS.

    Section 650 of the of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9846) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``Committee on Education and the 
                Workforce of the House of Representatives and the 
                Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate'' 
                each place it appears and inserting ``Committee on 
                Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and 
                the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
                of the Senate'',
                    (B) by striking ``and non-English language 
                background children'' and inserting ``children, 
                homeless children, children in foster care, and limited 
                English proficient children'', and
                    (C) in paragraph (8) by inserting ``homelessness, 
                whether the child is in foster care or was referred by 
                a child welfare agency,'' after ``, background'', and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Set-Aside Activities.--Not later than 60 days after the end 
of each fiscal year, 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 
detailing the different amounts of expenditures under section 640(a)(2) 
and the activities carried out thereunder.
    ``(d) Fiscal Protocol.--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 assurance that Head Start agencies are complying 
with applicable fiscal laws and regulations. The Secretary shall report 
the findings and conclusions of the annual review to the House 
Committee on Education and Labor, and the Senate Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor and Pensions within 30 days of completing the 
review.''.

SEC. 21. WAGES AND COMPENSATION.

    Section 653 of the of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9848) is 
amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 653. WAGES AND COMPENSATION.

    ``(a) Comparability of Wages.--The Secretary shall take such action 
as may be necessary to assure that persons employed in carrying out 
programs financed under this subchapter shall not receive compensation 
at a rate which is (1) in excess of the average rate of compensation 
paid in the area where the program is carried out to a substantial 
number of the persons providing substantially comparable services, or 
in excess of the average rate of compensation paid to a substantial 
number of the persons providing substantially comparable services in 
the area of the person's immediately preceding employment, whichever is 
higher; or (2) less than the minimum wage rate prescribed in section 
6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. The Secretary shall 
encourage Head Start agencies to provide compensation according to 
salary scales that are based on training and experience.
    ``(b) Federal Rate Limitation.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
of law, no Federal funds shall be used to pay all or any part of the 
compensation of an individual employed by a Head Start agency in 
carrying out programs under this subchapter, either as direct or 
indirect costs of any proration thereof, at a rate in excess of the 
rate then payable for level II of the Executive Schedule under section 
5316 of title 5, United State Code.''.
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