[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6302 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6302

To provide professional development for elementary school principals in 
               early childhood education and development.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 29, 2010

Mr. Altmire (for himself and Mr. Himes) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide professional development for elementary school principals in 
               early childhood education and development.

    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 ``Early Learning Alignment Act''.

SEC. 2. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN 
              EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--Part A of title II of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``Subpart 6--Professional Development for Elementary School Principals 
              in Early Childhood Education and Development

``SEC. 2161. PURPOSE.

    ``The purpose of this subpart is to improve the knowledge of 
elementary school principals in areas related to early childhood 
education and development in order to--
            ``(1) create high quality early learning environments;
            ``(2) provide a continuum of learning through the third 
        grade with developmentally effective and appropriate curricula 
        and teaching practices; and
            ``(3) establish partnerships and collaboration with 
        community-based early childhood education providers and 
        families to better support--
                    ``(A) learning at each stage;
                    ``(B) effective transition among settings; and
                    ``(C) continuous family engagement.

``SEC. 2162. DEFINITION OF PRINCIPAL COMPETENCIES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD 
              EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT.

    ``(a) In General.--In this section, the term `principal 
competencies in early childhood education and development' means the 
skills that--
            ``(1) elementary school principals must know and be able to 
        do; and
            ``(2) are acquired through high quality professional 
        development in early childhood education and developmentally 
        appropriate practice.
    ``(b) Inclusions.--The principal competencies in early childhood 
education and development include--
            ``(1) supporting an expanded continuum of learning through 
        the third grade to ensure an effective transition from early 
        learning or home settings to the primary school years;
            ``(2) engaging the school community to partner with early 
        learning programs, and working with families to set a shared 
        vision for understanding early childhood development;
            ``(3) supporting teachers through strong instructional 
        leadership;
            ``(4) providing safe and supportive early learning 
        environments that focus on the needs of the whole child, 
        including the intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and 
        nutritional well-being of children; and
            ``(5) utilizing multiple measures of developmentally 
        appropriate assessment and acquiring the ability to manage and 
        use data effectively to make instructional decisions.

``SEC. 2163. GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    ``(a) Grants to Partnerships.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
        grants, on a competitive basis, to partnerships described in 
        paragraph (2) to enable the partnerships to carry out the 
        authorized activities described in subsection (b).
            ``(2) Partnerships.--A partnership referred to in paragraph 
        (1) shall consist of--
                    ``(A) a public or private entity with a 
                demonstrated capacity to provide professional 
                development for elementary school principals;
                    ``(B) one or more public agencies, including--
                            ``(i) a local educational agency;
                            ``(ii) a State educational agency;
                            ``(iii) a State human services agency;
                            ``(iv) a State lead agency administering a 
                        program under the Child Care and Development 
                        Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et 
                        seq.);
                            ``(v) a public agency administering a State 
                        funded prekindergarten program; or
                            ``(vi) a Head Start agency, including an 
                        Early Head Start agency; and
                    ``(C) one or more early childhood education 
                organizations that provide professional development to 
                early childhood education providers.
            ``(3) Duration.--The Secretary shall award a grant under 
        this subsection for a period of not less than 3 years.
    ``(b) Authorized Activities.--
            ``(1) Required uses.--Each partnership receiving a grant 
        under this subpart shall use the grant funds--
                    ``(A) to carry out professional development to help 
                elementary school principals acquire the principal 
                competencies in early childhood education and 
                development;
                    ``(B) to gain a knowledge base and capacity to 
                provide high quality early childhood education; and
                    ``(C) to work collaboratively with early childhood 
                education providers, services providers, and families 
                in creating a continuum of high quality development and 
                learning for children in the community and school 
                settings.
            ``(2) Allowable activities.--The activities described in 
        paragraph (1) may include providing professional development 
        programs for elementary school principals, including mentoring 
        programs and other means of professional learning, in--
                    ``(A) early childhood education and development in 
                all domains (including language arts and literacy, 
                mathematics, emotional development, social development, 
                approaches to learning, physical development, science, 
                and creative arts), and the continuity of standards and 
                high quality curriculum and teaching practices from 
                prekindergarten through the third grade, with emphasis 
                on meeting the needs of children with disabilities and 
                English language learners;
                    ``(B) safe and supportive early learning 
                environments that focus on the social, emotional, and 
                cognitive needs of children;
                    ``(C) collaborating with early childhood education 
                providers and other community based organizations to 
                provide multiple educational and social service 
                programs to meet the needs of children in 
                prekindergarten through the third grade related to 
                learning and development; and
                    ``(D) providing ongoing transition services for 
                children through active family engagement.
    ``(c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section the 
Secretary shall give priority to supporting professional development 
programs that target opportunities for elementary school principals--
            ``(1) to participate in induction and mentoring programs 
        for principals during the principals' first 5 years of 
        employment as a principal;
            ``(2) to better understand ways to enhance family 
        engagement and transition strategies, improve transition 
        services, and work more collaboratively with community-based 
        early childhood education providers;
            ``(3) to create a continuum of high quality teaching and 
        learning for children in prekindergarten through the third 
        grade; and
            ``(4) to participate in ongoing professional development, 
        which may include mentoring programs for veteran principals in 
        the education field.
    ``(d) Applications.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each partnership desiring a grant under 
        this subpart shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the Secretary may require.
            ``(2) Contents required.--Each application submitted to the 
        Secretary under paragraph (1) shall include--
                    ``(A) a description of the professional development 
                for elementary school principals that will be provided 
                under the grant, including how the principals will 
                access professional development;
                    ``(B) a description of the professional development 
                described in subparagraph (A) that will be provided in 
                rural areas if applicable;
                    ``(C) how the professional development will 
                address--
                            ``(i) child development and learning and 
                        the relationship of such development and 
                        learning to providing--
                                    ``(I) safe, supportive, and 
                                engaging learning environments; and
                                    ``(II) support for instructional 
                                and educational staff in using 
                                developmentally appropriate curricula, 
                                assessments, and other practices;
                            ``(ii) outreach and engagement of families 
                        in their child's learning;
                            ``(iii) opportunities to collaborate with 
                        community based organizations on continuity of 
                        standards, curricula, family education, and 
                        transition services from community based 
                        settings to schools and from year to year;
                            ``(iv) collaborative planning to support 
                        developmentally appropriate interactions 
                        between teachers, children, and the families of 
                        children; and
                            ``(v) sustainability of the ongoing 
                        professional development upon completion of the 
                        grant term.
    ``(e) Evaluation and Dissemination.--
            ``(1) Evaluation.--Each partnership that receives a grant 
        under this section shall conduct an ongoing evaluation to--
                    ``(A) assess the effectiveness of the programs and 
                activities carried out under the grant;
                    ``(B) assess whether professional development 
                programs for elementary school principals in early 
                childhood education may lead to improved school 
                performance; and
                    ``(C) determine how effective professional 
                development programs and activities can be replicated.
            ``(2) Dissemination.--Using funds made available under this 
        subpart, the Secretary shall establish a panel of leading 
        experts in elementary and early childhood education, including 
        researchers, elementary school principals, and classroom 
        practitioners, to--
                    ``(A) identify best practices in professional 
                development for elementary school principals in early 
                childhood education, and review effective coordination 
                of professional development among the partnerships 
                receiving grants under this subpart; and
                    ``(B) disseminate to the public the latest research 
                and findings in professional development for elementary 
                school principals in early childhood education, 
                including through reports and technical assistance.
    ``(f) Inapplicability.--The provisions of subparts 1 through 5 
shall not apply to this subpart.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this subpart 
for fiscal year 2011 and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 2 of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 2151 the following:

``subpart 6--professional development for elementary school principals 
              in early childhood education and development

``Sec. 2161. Purpose.
``Sec. 2162. Definition of principal competencies in early childhood 
                            education and development.
``Sec. 2163. Grant program authorized.''.
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