[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 240 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 240

To set the United States on track to ensure children are ready to learn 
                     when they begin kindergarten.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 14, 2009

 Mrs. Murray (for herself, Mrs. Clinton, and Mr. Bond) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To set the United States on track to ensure children are ready to learn 
                     when they begin kindergarten.

    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 ``Ready to Learn Act''.

SEC. 2. EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT.

    The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

            ``TITLE X--SUPPORTING VOLUNTARY PREKINDERGARTEN

``SEC. 10001. SUPPORTING VOLUNTARY PREKINDERGARTEN GRANTS.

    ``(a) Program Authorized.--From amounts available under section 
10003, the Secretary is authorized to award grants, on a competitive 
basis, to eligible States to pay the Federal share of establishing and 
administering full day voluntary prekindergarten programs for children 
age 4 in the State, in order to promote school readiness for such 
children.
    ``(b) Application.--
            ``(1) In general.--If a State desires a grant under this 
        title, the Governor of such State shall submit to the Secretary 
        an application at such time, in such manner, and containing a 
        plan that outlines how and when such State expects to provide 
        voluntary prekindergarten for every 4-year old in the State.
            ``(2) Subgrants to eligible entities.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Except as provided in subsection 
                (c)(2), a State that receives a grant under this title 
                shall use the grant funds to award subgrants to 
                eligible entities to carry out the requirements of this 
                title.
                    ``(B) Subgrants for community-based providers.--In 
                awarding subgrants under subparagraph (A), a State 
                shall use not less than 25 percent of the grant funds 
                provided to the State to award subgrants to eligible 
                entities that are community-based providers of 
                prekindergarten programs.
                    ``(C) Eligible entities.--In this paragraph, the 
                term `eligible entity' includes schools, child care 
                entities, Head Start programs, or other community-based 
                providers of prekindergarten programs.
    ``(c) Use of Funds.--A State that receives a grant under this title 
shall use--
            ``(1) not less than 85 percent of the funds provided under 
        such grant to carry out the activities described in paragraphs 
        (1) and (2) of subsection (d); and
            ``(2) not more than 15 percent of such funds at the State 
        level for quality investment described in subsection (d)(3).
    ``(d) Use of Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--A State that receives a grant under this 
        title shall use grant funds to provide a high-quality 
        prekindergarten program that--
                    ``(A) serves children age 4 in the State, serving 
                first children from low-income families with incomes 
                that are not more than 200 percent of the poverty line 
                and those who are limited English proficient;
                    ``(B) not later than 2 years after the receipt of 
                the grant, ensures that each classroom is taught by a 
                teacher who has--
                            ``(i) a baccalaureate degree or advanced 
                        degree in early childhood education; or
                            ``(ii) a baccalaureate degree and 
                        specialized training in early childhood 
                        development;
                    ``(C) utilizes a developmentally, culturally, and 
                linguistically appropriate curriculum that is aligned 
                with the State early learning standards and valid and 
                reliable, multiple assessments for the purpose of 
                improving instruction; and
                    ``(D) has a teacher-child ratio of not more than 1 
                to 10 and a group size of not more than 20.
            ``(2) Allowable uses of funds.--After a State has fulfilled 
        the requirements described in paragraph (1), such State may use 
        grant funds--
                    ``(A) to serve younger children;
                    ``(B) to increase salaries;
                    ``(C) for additional comprehensive services as may 
                be needed; and
                    ``(D) for the construction of new facilities, or 
                the renovation, repair, or alteration of existing 
                facilities, necessary to commence or continue such 
                prekindergarten.
            ``(3) Quality investment.--A State that receives a grant 
        under this title shall use grant funds--
                    ``(A) to carry out other activities needed to 
                ensure the health and safety of children served under 
                this title;
                    ``(B) for professional development for teachers and 
                staff of the prekindergarten program described in 
                paragraph (1); and
                    ``(C) to provide comprehensive services.

``SEC. 10002. ADMINISTRATION.

    ``(a) Federal Share; Non-Federal Share.--
            ``(1) Federal share.--The Federal share of a grant under 
        this title shall be 50 percent of the costs of carrying out the 
        activities described in section 10001(d).
            ``(2) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of a grant 
        under this title shall be provided in cash.
    ``(b) Maintenance of Effort.--The Secretary may not award a grant 
under this title to any State unless the Secretary first determines 
that the per-child expenditure by the State and its political 
subdivisions for prekindergarten programs (other than funds used to pay 
the non-Federal share under this section) for the fiscal year for which 
the determination is made is equal to or greater than such expenditure 
for the preceding fiscal year.
    ``(c) Supplement Not Supplant.--Grant funds received under this 
title shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal, 
State, and local public funds expended to promote voluntary 
prekindergarten programs in the State.
    ``(d) Provision of Grant Funds.--In awarding a grant under this 
title to a State, the Secretary shall provide the grant funds to the 
Governor of the State, to enable the Governor to designate a lead 
agency to best direct the funds in a manner that improves the State's 
programs by carrying out the requirements of this title.
    ``(e) Coordination.--In carrying out this title, the Secretary 
shall coordinate, not less often than quarterly, with the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services regarding the review of State plans as 
described in section 10001(b) and the implementation of the 
prekindergarten programs under this title.
    ``(f) Reporting Requirements.--
            ``(1) State reports.--Each State that receives a grant 
        under this title shall submit to the Secretary an annual report 
        detailing the effectiveness of each prekindergarten program in 
        that State funded under this title.
            ``(2) Report to congress.--The Secretary shall submit to 
        the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
        Senate and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
        Representatives an annual report that describes each State 
        program of assistance for prekindergarten programs funded under 
        this title.
            ``(3) Contents of reports.--A report submitted under 
        paragraph (1) or (2) shall include--
                    ``(A) a description of each action taken to move 
                toward providing a high-quality prekindergarten 
                education to all 4-year olds;
                    ``(B) a summary of each measure that will be taken 
                to achieve the goal of providing full day high-quality 
                prekindergarten to all 4-year olds, including a 
                timetable according to which such measures will be 
                implemented;
                    ``(C) a description of all efforts to improve the 
                integration of full day high-quality prekindergarten 
                programs with the kindergarten through grade 12 
                education system; and
                    ``(D) a description of all efforts to educate 
                parents about best practices for the role of parents in 
                the early education of a child.

``SEC. 10003. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title 
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2010 through 
2015.''.
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