1.This Act may be cited as the
Kindergarten Plus Act of
2008
.
2.Congress makes the following
findings:
(1)Kindergarten has
proven to be a beneficial experience for children, putting children on a path
that positively influences their learning and development in later school
years.
(2)Kindergarten and
the years leading up to kindergarten are critical in preparing children to
succeed in elementary school, especially if the children are from low-income
families or have other risks of difficulty in school.
(3)Disadvantaged
children, on average, lag behind other children in literacy, numeracy, and
social skills, even before formal schooling begins.
(4)For many children
entering kindergarten, the achievement gap between children from low-income
households compared to children from high-income households is already
evident.
(5)Eighty-five
percent of beginning kindergartners in the highest socioeconomic group,
compared to 39 percent in the lowest socioeconomic group, can recognize letters
of the alphabet. Similarly, 98 percent of beginning kindergartners in the
highest socioeconomic group, compared to 84 percent of their peers in the
lowest socioeconomic group, can recognize numbers and shapes.
(6)Once
disadvantaged children are in school, they learn at the same rate as other
children. Therefore, providing disadvantaged children with additional time in
kindergarten, in the summer before such children ordinarily enter kindergarten
and in the summer before first grade, will help schools close achievement gaps
and accelerate the academic progress of their disadvantaged students.
(7)High quality,
extended-year kindergarten that provides children with enriched learning
experiences is an important factor in helping to close achievement gaps, rather
than having the gaps continue to widen.
3.In this Act:
(1)The term eligible student means a child
who—
(A)is a 5-year old,
or will be eligible to attend kindergarten at the beginning of the next school
year;
(B)comes from a
family with an income at or below 185 percent of the poverty line; and
(C)is not already
served by a high-quality program in the summer before or the summer after the
child enters kindergarten.
(2)The term Kindergarten Plus means a voluntary
full day of kindergarten, during the summer before and during the summer after,
the traditional kindergarten school year (as determined by the State).
(3)The term local educational agency
has the meaning given the term in
section
9101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(4)The
term parent includes a legal guardian or other person standing in
loco parentis (such as a grandparent or stepparent with whom the child lives,
or a person who is legally responsible for the child's welfare).
(5)The term parental involvement means the
participation of parents in regular, 2-way, and meaningful communication with
school personnel involving student academic learning and other school
activities, including ensuring that parents—
(A)play an integral
role in assisting their child's learning;
(B)are encouraged to
be actively involved in their child's education at school; and
(C)are full partners
in their child's education and are included, as appropriate, in decisionmaking
and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child.
(6)The term poverty line means the poverty line
(as defined by the Office of Management and Budget, and revised annually in
accordance with section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act
(42 U.S.C.
9902(2))) applicable to a family of the size involved.
(7)The term eligible provider means a local
educational agency or a private not-for-profit agency or organization, with a
demonstrated record in the delivery of early childhood education services to
preschool-age children, that provides high-quality early learning and
development experiences that—
(A)are aligned with
the expectations for what children should know and be able to do when the
children enter kindergarten and grade 1, as established by the State
educational agency; or
(B)in the case of an
entity that is not a local educational agency and that serves children who have
not entered kindergarten, meet the performance standards and performance
measures described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (a)(1), and
subsection (b), of section 641A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836a) or the
prekindergarten standards of the State where the entity is located.
(8)The term school readiness means the
cognitive, social, emotional, approaches to learning, and physical development
of a child, including early literacy and early mathematics skills, that
prepares the child to learn and succeed in elementary school.
(9)The
term Secretary means the Secretary of Education.
(10)The term State educational agency
has the meaning given the term in
section
9101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
4.Grants to State
educational agencies authorized
(a)The Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a
competitive basis, to State educational agencies to enable the State
educational agencies to provide Kindergarten Plus within the State.
(b)To the extent possible, the Secretary shall ensure that each
grant awarded under this section is of sufficient size to enable the State
educational agency receiving the grant to provide Kindergarten Plus to all
eligible students served by the local educational agencies within the State
with the highest concentrations of eligible students.
(c)The Secretary shall not award a grant to a State
educational agency under this section in an amount that is less than
$500,000.
(d)A State educational agency shall use—
(1)not more than 3
percent of the grant funds received under this Act for administration of the
Kindergarten Plus programs supported under this Act;
(2)not more than 5
percent of the grant funds received under this Act to develop professional
development activities and curricula for teachers and staff of Kindergarten
Plus programs in order to develop a continuum of developmentally appropriate
curricula and practices for preschool, kindergarten, and grade 1 that
ensures—
(A)an effective
transition to kindergarten and to grade 1 for students; and
(B)appropriate
expectations for the students' learning and development as the students make
the transition to kindergarten and to grade 1; and
(3)the remainder of
the grant funds to award subgrants to local educational agencies.
(e)In
awarding grants under this Act the Secretary shall give priority to State
educational agencies that—
(1)on their own or
in combination with other government agencies, provide full-day kindergarten to
all kindergarten-age children who are from families with incomes below 185
percent of the poverty line within the State; or
(2)demonstrate
progress toward providing full-day kindergarten to all kindergarten-age
children who are from families with incomes below 185 percent of the poverty
line within the State by submitting a plan that shows how the State educational
agency will, at a minimum, double the number of such children that were served
by a full-day kindergarten program in the school year preceding the school year
for which assistance is first sought.
5.Subgrants to
local educational agencies
(a)Each State educational agency that receives a grant under
this Act—
(1)shall reserve an
amount sufficient to continue to fund multiyear subgrants awarded under this
section; and
(2)shall award
subgrants to local educational agencies within the State to enable the local
educational agencies to pay the Federal share of the costs of carrying out
Kindergarten Plus programs for eligible students.
(b)In
awarding subgrants under this section the State educational agency shall give
priority to local educational agencies—
(1)serving the
greatest number or percentage of kindergarten-age children who are from
families with incomes below 185 percent of the poverty line, based on data from
the most recent school year; and
(2)that propose to
significantly reduce the class size and student-to-teacher ratio of the classes
in their Kindergarten Plus programs below the average class size and
student-to-teacher ratios of kindergarten classes served by the local
educational agencies.
(c)The Federal share of the costs of carrying out a
Kindergarten Plus program shall be—
(1)100 percent for
the first, second, and third years of the program;
(2)85 percent for
the fourth year of the program; and
(3)75 percent for
the fifth year of the program.
(d)The non-Federal share of the costs of carrying out
a Kindergarten Plus program may be in the form of in-kind contributions.
6.
(a)In order to receive a grant under this Act, a State
educational agency shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time
and containing such information as the Secretary determines appropriate.
(b)The
application shall be developed by the State educational agency in consultation
with representatives of early childhood education programs, early childhood
education teachers, principals, pupil services personnel, administrators,
paraprofessionals, other school staff, early childhood education providers
(including Head Start agencies, State prekindergarten program staff, and child
care providers), teacher organizations, parents, and parent
organizations.
(c)At
a minimum, the application shall include—
(1)a description of
developmentally appropriate teaching practices and curricula for children that
will be put in place to be used by local educational agencies and eligible
providers offering Kindergarten Plus programs to carry out this Act;
(2)a general
description of the nature of the Kindergarten Plus programs to be conducted
with funds received under this Act, including—
(A)the number of
hours each day and the number of days each week that children in each
Kindergarten Plus program will attend the program; and
(B)if a Kindergarten
Plus program meets for less than 9 hours a day, how the needs of full-time
working families will be addressed;
(3)goals and
objectives to ensure that high-quality Kindergarten Plus programs are
provided;
(4)an assurance that
students enrolled in Kindergarten Plus programs funded under this Act will
receive additional comprehensive services (such as nutritional services, health
care, and mental health care), as needed; and
(5)a description of
how—
(A)the State
educational agency will coordinate and integrate services provided under this
Act with other educational programs, such as Even Start, Head Start, Reading
First, Early Reading First, State-funded preschool programs, preschool programs
funded under section 619 or other provisions of part B of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1411 et seq.), and kindergarten
programs;
(B)the State will
provide professional development for teachers and staff of local educational
agencies and eligible providers that receive subgrants under this Act regarding
how to address the school readiness needs of children (including early
literacy, early mathematics, and positive behavior) before the children enter
kindergarten, throughout the school year, and into the summer after
kindergarten;
(C)the State will
assist Kindergarten Plus programs to provide exemplary parent education and
parental involvement activities such as training and materials to assist
parents in being their children’s first teachers at home or home
visiting;
(D)the State will
conduct outreach to parents with eligible students, including parents whose
native language is not English, parents of children with disabilities, and
parents of migratory children; and
(E)the State
educational agency will ensure that each Kindergarten Plus program uses
developmentally appropriate practices, including practices and materials that
are culturally and linguistically appropriate for the population of children
being served in the program.
7.
(a)In order to receive a subgrant under this Act, a local
educational agency shall submit an application to the State educational agency
at such time and containing such information as the State educational agency
determines appropriate.
(b)The
application shall be developed by the local educational agency in consultation
with early childhood education teachers, principals, pupil services personnel,
administrators, paraprofessionals, other school staff, early childhood
education providers (including Head Start agencies, State prekindergarten
program staff, and child care providers), teacher organizations, parents, and
parent organizations.
(c)At
a minimum, the application shall include a description of—
(1)the standards,
research-based and developmentally appropriate curricula, teaching practices,
and ongoing assessments for the purposes of improving instruction and services,
to be used by the local educational agency that—
(A)are aligned with
the State expectations for what children should know and be able to do when the
children enter kindergarten and grade 1, as set by the State educational
agency; and
(B)include—
(i)language skills,
including an expanded use of vocabulary;
(ii)interest in and
appreciation of books, reading, writing alone or with others, and phonological
and phonemic awareness;
(iii)premathematics
knowledge and skills, including aspects of classification, seriation, number
sense, spatial relations, and time;
(iv)other cognitive
abilities related to academic achievement;
(v)social and
emotional development, including self-regulation skills;
(vi)physical
development, including gross and fine motor development skills;
(vii)in the case of
limited English proficiency, progress toward the acquisition of the English
language; and
(viii)approaches to
learning;
(2)how the local
educational agency will ensure that the Kindergarten Plus program uses
curricula and practices that—
(A)are
developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate for the population
of children served in the program; and
(B)are aligned with
the State learning standards and expectations for children in kindergarten and
grade 1;
(3)how the
Kindergarten Plus program will improve the school readiness of children served
by the local educational agency under this Act, especially in mathematics and
reading;
(4)how the
Kindergarten Plus program will provide continuity of services and learning for
children who were previously served by a different program;
(5)how the local
educational agency will ensure that the Kindergarten Plus program has
appropriate services and accommodations in place to serve children with
disabilities and children who are limited English proficient;
(6)how the local
educational agency will perform a needs assessment to avoid duplication with
other programs within the geographic area served by the local educational
agency;
(7)how the local
educational agency will—
(A)transition
Kindergarten Plus participants into local elementary school programs and
services;
(B)ensure the
development and use of systematic, coordinated records on the educational
development of each child participating in the Kindergarten Plus program
through periodic meetings and communications among—
(i)Kindergarten Plus
program teachers;
(ii)elementary
school staff; and
(iii)local early
childhood education program providers, including Head Start agencies, State
prekindergarten program staff, and center-based and family child care
providers;
(C)provide parent
and child orientation sessions conducted by teachers and staff; and
(D)provide a
qualified staff person to be in charge of coordinating the transition
services;
(8)how the local
educational agency will provide instructional and environmental accommodations
in the Kindergarten Plus program for children who are limited English
proficient, children with disabilities, migratory children, neglected or
delinquent youth, Indian children served under part A of title VII of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20
U.S.C. 7401 et seq.), homeless children, and immigrant
children;
(9)how the local
educational agency will conduct outreach to parents of eligible students,
including parents whose native language is not English, parents of children
with disabilities, and parents of migratory children, which may include—
(A)activities to
provide parents early exposure to the school environment, including meetings
with teachers and staff;
(B)activities to
better engage and inform parents on the benefits of Kindergarten Plus and other
programs; and
(C)other efforts to
ensure that parents have a level of comfort with the Kindergarten Plus program
and the school environment;
(10)how the local
educational agency will assist the Kindergarten Plus program to provide
exemplary parent education and parental involvement activities such as training
and materials to assist parents in being their children’s first teachers at
home or home visiting; and
(11)how the local
educational agency will work with local center-based and family child care
providers and Head Start agencies to ensure—
(A)the
nonduplication of programs and services; and
(B)that the needs of
working families are met through child care provided before and after the
Kindergarten Plus program.
8.Local
requirements and provisions
(a)A local educational agency that receives a subgrant under
this Act shall use the subgrant funds for the following:
(1)The operational
and program costs associated with the Kindergarten Plus program as described in
the application to the State educational agency.
(2)Personnel
services, including teachers, paraprofessionals, and other staff as
needed.
(3)Additional
services, as needed, including snacks and meals, mental health care, health
care, linguistic assistance, special education and related services, and
transportation services associated with the needs of the children in the
program.
(4)Transition
services to ensure children make a smooth transition into first grade and
proper communication is made with the elementary school on the educational
development of each child.
(5)Outreach and
recruitment activities, including community forums and public service
announcements in local media in various languages if necessary to ensure that
all individuals in the community are aware of the availability of such
program.
(6)Parental
involvement programs, including materials and resources to help parents become
more involved in their child’s learning at home.
(7)Extended day
services for the eligible students of working families, including working with
existing programs in the community to coordinate services if possible.
(8)Child care
services, provided through coordination with local center-based child care and
family child care providers, and Head Start agencies, before and after the
Kindergarten Plus program for the children participating in the program, to
accommodate the schedules of working families.
(9)Enrichment
activities, such as—
(A)art, music, and
other creative arts;
(B)outings and field
trips; and
(C)other experiences
that support children's curiosity, motivation to learn, knowledge, and
skills.
(b)Eligible
provider grants and applicationsThe local educational agency may
use subgrant funds received under this Act to award a grant to an eligible
provider to enable the eligible provider to carry out a Kindergarten Plus
program for the local educational agency. Each eligible provider desiring a
grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the local
educational agency that contains the descriptions set forth in section 7 as
applied to the eligible provider.
(c)In
carrying out a Kindergarten Plus program under this Act, a local educational
agency is encouraged to explore ways to develop continuity in the education of
children, for instance by keeping, if possible, the same teachers and personnel
from the summer before kindergarten, through the kindergarten year, and during
the summer after kindergarten.
(d)In
carrying out a Kindergarten Plus program under this Act, a local educational
agency shall coordinate with existing programs in the community to provide
extended care and comprehensive services for children and their families in
need of such care or services.
9.Teacher and
personnel quality standardsTo
be eligible for a subgrant under this Act, each local educational agency shall
ensure that—
(1)each Kindergarten
Plus classroom has—
(A)a highly
qualified teacher, as defined in
section
9101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801); or
(B)if an eligible
provider who is not a local educational agency is providing the Kindergarten
Plus program in accordance with section 8(b), a teacher that, at a minimum, has
a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field and
experience in teaching children of this age;
(2)a qualified
paraprofessional that meets the requirements for paraprofessionals under
section
1119 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6319), is in each
Kindergarten Plus classroom;
(3)Kindergarten Plus
teachers and paraprofessionals are compensated on a salary scale comparable to
kindergarten through grade 3 teachers and paraprofessionals in public schools
served by the local educational agency; and
(4)Kindergarten Plus
class sizes do not exceed the class size and ratio parameters set at the State
or local level for the traditional kindergarten program.
10.Direct grants
to local educational agencies
(a)If a State
educational agency does not apply for a grant under this Act or does not have
an application approved under section 6, then the Secretary is authorized to
award a grant to a local educational agency within the State to enable the
local educational agency to pay the Federal share of the costs of carrying out
a Kindergarten Plus program.
(b)A
local educational agency shall be eligible to receive a grant under this
section if the local educational agency operates a full-day kindergarten
program that, at a minimum, is targeted to kindergarten-age children who are
from families with incomes below 185 percent of the poverty line within the
State.
(c)In order to receive a grant under
subsection (a), a local educational agency shall submit to the Secretary an
application that—
(1)contains the descriptions set forth in
section 7; and
(2)includes an assurance that the Kindergarten
Plus program funded under such grant will serve eligible students.
(d)Sections
8 and 9 shall apply to a local educational agency receiving a grant under this
section in the same manner as the sections apply to a local educational agency
receiving a subgrant under section 5(a).
11.Evaluation,
collection, and dissemination of information
(a)Each State educational agency that receives a grant under
this Act, in cooperation with the local educational agencies in the State that
receive a subgrant under this Act, shall create an evaluation mechanism to
determine the effectiveness of the Kindergarten Plus programs in the State,
taking into account—
(1)information from
the local needs assessment, conducted in accordance with section 7(c)(6),
including—
(A)the number of
eligible students in the geographic area;
(B)the number of
children served by Kindergarten Plus programs, disaggregated by family income,
race, ethnicity, native language, and prior enrollment in an early childhood
education program; and
(C)the number of
children with disabilities served by Kindergarten Plus programs;
(2)the recruitment
of teachers and staff for Kindergarten Plus programs, and the retention of such
personnel in the programs for more than 1 year;
(3)the provision of
services for children and families served by Kindergarten Plus programs,
including parent education, home visits, and comprehensive services for
families who need such services;
(4)the opportunities
for professional development for teachers and staff; and
(5)the curricula
used in Kindergarten Plus programs.
(b)The
evaluation process may include comparison groups of similar children who do not
participate in a Kindergarten Plus program.
(c)Information
collection and reportingThe information necessary for the
evaluation shall be collected yearly by the State and reported every 2 years by
the State to the Secretary.
(d)Analysis of
effectivenessThe Secretary shall conduct an analysis of the
overall effectiveness of the programs assisted under this Act and make the
analysis available to Congress, and the public, biannually.
12.Funds made available
under this Act shall be used to supplement, not supplant, other Federal, State,
or local funds available to carry out activities under this Act.
13.Authorization
of appropriationsFor the
purpose of carrying out this Act, there are authorized to be appropriated
$1,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and such sums as may be necessary for each
of the fiscal years 2010 through 2014.