[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 294 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 294

                  To enhance early care and education.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 7, 2011

  Mr. Sanders introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
  referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
                  To enhance early care and education.

    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 ``Foundations for Success Act of 
2011''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The United States ranks 17th in reading, 31st in 
        mathematics, 23rd in science, and 18th in overall secondary 
        education out of 36 developed nations, according to the 
        Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
            (2) According to data compiled by the OECD, in 2008 the 
        United States had a child poverty rate of 20.6 percent, which 
        is the 4th highest child poverty rate of the 30 OECD countries 
        that are ranked in this category.
            (3) Research conducted by the UNICEF Innocenti Research 
        Centre supports a direct link between accessible, affordable 
        child care and a decrease in child poverty.
            (4) According to the National Center for Children in 
        Poverty--
                    (A) at age 4, children who live below the poverty 
                line are 18 months below normal learning achievement 
                for their age group, by age 10 that gap is still 
                present, and for children living in the poorest 
                families, the gap is even larger; and
                    (B) by the time children from middle-income 
                families with well-educated parents are in 3rd grade, 
                these children know about 12,000 words, while 3rd grade 
                children from low-income families, with undereducated 
                parents who don't talk to them as much, have 
                vocabularies of around 4,000 words, \1/3\ as many words 
                as their middle-income peers.
            (5) According to the National Association of Child Care 
        Resource & Referral Agencies--
                    (A) since 2000, the cost of child care has 
                increased twice as fast as the median income of 
                families with children;
                    (B) in 40 States, the average annual cost for 
                center-based care for an infant was higher than the 
                cost of 1 year of tuition and related fees at a 4-year 
                public institution of higher education; and
                    (C) the average annual cost of center-based care 
                for a 4-year old is 40 percent of the income of a 2-
                parent family living at the poverty level ($18,310), 
                while the average cost for center-based care is almost 
                25 percent of income for families living at 200 percent 
                of the poverty level ($36,620).
            (6) The Department of Health and Human Services estimates 
        that only 17 percent of eligible children receive fee 
        assistance for child care expenses through the Child Care and 
        Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.).
            (7) According to pre[k]now, a campaign of the Pew Center on 
        the States,--
                    (A) only 13 States and the District of Columbia 
                require school districts to offer full-day 
                kindergarten;
                    (B) only 3 States currently make prekindergarten 
                available to all 4-year olds, and State-funded 
                prekindergarten programs currently serve 3.7 percent of 
                3-year olds; and
                    (C) Head Start programs serve less than half of the 
                children who are eligible for early care and education 
                under the Head Start program.
            (8) According to RESULTS Educational Fund, Early Head Start 
        serves less than 3 percent of children who are eligible for 
        early care and education under the Early Head Start program.
            (9) According to the National Association of Child Care 
        Resource & Referral Agencies, each day, more than 11,000,000 
        children under the age of 5 spend time outside the care of 
        their parents in early learning settings that vary greatly in 
        terms of quality.
            (10) The National Economic Development and Law Center 
        reports that--
                    (A) child care breakdowns lead to employee absences 
                that cost businesses in the United States 
                $3,000,000,000 annually;
                    (B) in the United States, 58 percent of women with 
                children under the age of 6 participate in the labor 
                force;
                    (C) 29 percent of employed parents experienced some 
                kind of child care breakdown in the past 3 months, and 
                such child care breakdowns were associated with 
                absenteeism, tardiness, and reduced concentration at 
                work; and
                    (D) a 1996 General Accounting Office (GAO) report 
                indicates that a lack of adequate child care affects 
                the ability of clients of job training programs to 
                complete job training successfully.
            (11) A 2010 study conducted by the Education International 
        ECE Task Force reports that--
                    (A) in 2006, the total Federal expenditure on child 
                care for children ages 0 through 5 was $20,400,000,000, 
                which amounted to 0.2 percent of GDP;
                    (B) Federal funding is largely targeted at children 
                with disabilities and children from low-income 
                families;
                    (C) the Federal Government underwrites 25 percent 
                of the costs of child care, State and local government 
                underwrites 15 percent of the costs of child care, and 
                parents pay the remaining 60 percent of child care 
                costs;
                    (D) on average, low-income families pay 18 percent 
                of their total family income for each child who is 
                enrolled in child care; and
                    (E) although low-income families can benefit from 
                free subsidies through the Child Care and Development 
                Fund, many low-income families make use of informal, 
                unregulated arrangements for child care.
            (12) After adjusting for inflation, in recent years, State 
        funding for early care and education programs has declined in 
        24 of the 38 States that have such programs.
            (13) The average annual cost per child of Head Start or 
        similar programs is $7,028, and the average cost of a high 
        quality comprehensive, full-day, full-year, early child care 
        and education program is $13,009, while the average cost per 
        year to house a prisoner is $22,650.
            (14) Based on the work of James J. Heckman, the Henry 
        Schultz Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the 
        University of Chicago and director of the Economics Research 
        Center and the Center for Social Program Evaluation at the 
        Harris School for Public Policy--
                    (A) investments in early care and education promote 
                schooling, reduce crime, foster workforce productivity, 
                promote health through several channels, and reduce 
                teenage pregnancy;
                    (B) the rate of return for investing in early 
                childhood programs is in the range of 6 to 10 percent;
                    (C) districts can anticipate savings from decreased 
                grade retention and special education placements, 
                improved graduation rates, and greater success in 
                institutions of higher education and adulthood;
                    (D) remedial programs cost more to produce the same 
                level of skill attainment as early care and education 
                programs;
                    (E) of those students retained at the same grade 
                level more than once, 80 percent dropped out of school, 
                and of those retained at the same grade level in both 
                elementary and middle school, 94 percent dropped out of 
                school;
                    (F) school dropouts are 8 times more likely to be 
                incarcerated, 82 percent of incarcerated individuals 
                are high school dropouts, and the United States has the 
                highest prison population in the world (748 
                incarcerated individuals per 100,000 people) 
                (International Center for Prison Studies at King's 
                College London);
                    (G) family environments of young children are major 
                predictors of cognitive and socioemotional abilities, 
                as well as a variety of outcomes, such as crime and 
                health;
                    (H) family environments in the United States have 
                deteriorated over the past 40 years;
                    (I) a greater proportion of children are being born 
                into disadvantaged families, including minorities and 
                immigrant groups; and
                    (J) disadvantaged families are least likely to have 
                the economic and social resources to provide the early 
                developmental experience that every child needs as a 
                basic opportunity for future success in school, higher 
                education, career, and life.
            (15) It is the Government's moral, ethical, and fiscal 
        responsibility to offer the option to parents of a high quality 
        early care and education program for their young children that 
        promotes self-development, academic achievement, and active 
        engagement in learning for all children.
            (16) Providing children with universal access to early care 
        and education programs shall--
                    (A) promote continuity of care;
                    (B) support whole-child development, parent 
                employment, and economic development;
                    (C) strengthen program alignment and 
                accountability; and
                    (D) improve coordination across all State and 
                Federal services that provide for the cognitive, 
                physical, social, and emotional needs of the child.

SEC. 3. PURPOSE AND MODEL.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to provide grants, on a 
competitive basis, to States to enable such States to establish a State 
Early Care and Education System, which will provide all children in the 
State, ages 6 weeks to kindergarten, with access to a full-time, high 
quality, developmentally appropriate, early care and education program 
in order to--
            (1) support the needs of working families in the United 
        States, and those families unable to afford access to high 
        quality early care and education programs that provide 
        comprehensive child and family-focused services designed to 
        foster the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional needs of 
        children; and
            (2) ensure that all children are prepared to enter 
        kindergarten ready to learn and reach their maximum potential.
    (b) Model for National Implementation.--
            (1) In general.--The 10 States that are awarded grants 
        under section 4(a)(1) shall serve as a model for national 
        implementation, demonstrating the development of successful, 
        evidence-based, statewide, universal access, Early Care and 
        Education Systems.
            (2) Long term goal.--The long term goal is for every State 
        to receive the information and funding needed to redesign early 
        care and education programs serving children from birth through 
        age 6 into a comprehensive and viable statewide system that 
        provides universal access to high quality early care and 
        education programs.

SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Program Authorized.--
            (1) Phase 1.--The Secretary of Education, in coordination 
        with the Assistant Secretary of the Administration for Children 
        and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services, 
        (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretaries'') shall award a 
        grant to 10 States, through a competitive grant process, to 
        enable each State to establish and support an Early Care and 
        Education System, which shall--
                    (A) provide all State residents with the 
                opportunity to enroll children, ages 6 weeks to 
                kindergarten, in an early care and education program on 
                a full time basis;
                    (B) provide access to an early care and education 
                program that gives each child an opportunity to develop 
                physical, social, and emotional skills; and
                    (C) improve school readiness by contributing to the 
                cognitive development, character skills, and physical 
                development of each child.
            (2) Phase 2.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretaries shall, beginning 3 
                years after the date of enactment of this Act, award 
                grants to additional States through the same process, 
                for the same purpose, and with the same specifications 
                as the grants described in paragraph (1).
                    (B) Grants per year.--The Secretaries shall 
                determine the number of States that will be eligible to 
                receive a grant under this paragraph for each year, and 
                the Secretaries shall continue to make grants available 
                under this paragraph until each State has had an 
                opportunity to receive grant funding under this Act.
    (b) Duration.--A grant awarded under this Act shall be for a period 
of 10 years.

SEC. 5. APPLICATIONS.

    (a) In General.--To be eligible to receive a grant under this Act, 
a State shall submit an application to the Secretaries at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the Secretaries may 
require.
    (b) Contents of Application.--At a minimum, the application 
described in subsection (a) shall include the following:
            (1) An assurance that the State has an active State Early 
        Childhood Advisory Council, which shall--
                    (A) serve as the designated entity in accordance 
                with section 7(a); or
                    (B) advise, and coordinate with, the designated 
                entity described in section 7(a).
            (2) A reflection of any active partnerships with, or 
        resource commitments from, other agencies or entities that are 
        necessary to deliver the programs and services outlined in the 
        application.
            (3) An assurance that the State has in law, or will have in 
        law within 1 year of receiving notice of a grant award under 
        this Act, a requirement that each school district in the State 
        offer full-day and full-week kindergarten.
            (4) Demonstration of a functioning P20 data system that 
        will include data on children from birth through kindergarten, 
        who are participating in the State Early Care and Education 
        System, for the purpose of creating a longitudinal data system 
        for individual participant tracking.
            (5) An identification of the designated entity that shall 
        be responsible for program development, implementation, and 
        oversight.
            (6) A list of annual program goals for each year of the 10-
        year grant period, and a timeline that illustrates the 
        projected milestones each year for reaching such program goals, 
        with an emphasis on the first 3 years.
            (7) An assurance that the State will submit annual summary 
        reports that shall include any changes to the timeline 
        described in paragraph (6).
            (8) A grant program budget that includes--
                    (A) an annual budget for each year of the grant 
                program, which shall include a detailed narrative of 
                funding received from all sources, including Federal, 
                State, and local contributions, and an explanation of 
                how this money will be leveraged within the grant 
                program;
                    (B) by year 6, a consolidation of all funding 
                streams; and
                    (C) by year 8, a funding plan for program 
                sustainability, specifically outlining how State and 
                local contributions, as well as a determined amount of 
                Federal funding, will be used to sustain the State 
                Early Care and Education System.
            (9) Strategies for acquiring any additional data needed to 
        develop an accurate budget, representative of total child 
        participation in all early care and education programs provided 
        by the State.
            (10) An outreach plan for increasing awareness of, and 
        enrollment in, the State Early Care and Education System.
            (11) A transportation plan, including an assessment of 
        existing transportation providers and projections for 
        additional transportation providers and vehicles that meet 
        Federal and State safety standards for the transportation of 
        infants and toddlers.
            (12) Cost estimates for the improvement, repair, or 
        expansion of program space and for the creation of additional 
        program space.
            (13) Estimates of the start-up costs of developing new 
        early care and education programs that meet the needs of a 
        population that has, for a variety of documented reasons, no 
        early care and education options in their community.
            (14) A plan for the continuation of services for children 
        transitioning from receiving services under Part C of the 
        Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et 
        seq.) to receiving services under Part B of the Individuals 
        with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1411 et seq.) such 
        that there is no elimination of service, delay, or ``dropped'' 
        services due to lack of funding or lack of capacity for service 
        providers.
            (15) State child care licensing standards that address, at 
        a minimum,--
                    (A) specific staff to child ratios for each age 
                group or level within the program;
                    (B) the prevention and control of infectious 
                diseases;
                    (C) building and physical premises safety; and
                    (D) health and safety training for teaching staff 
                as mandated by State child care licensing agencies.
            (16) For the purpose of estimating enrollment and 
        conducting a needs assessment, information regarding the 
        following data:
                    (A) The number of children, by geographic location 
                or district, age 6 weeks through 5 years (including 
                children who miss the cut-off date for public school 
                enrollment in kindergarten due to birth date) who are, 
                as of the time of the application, participating in--
                            (i) early childhood development programs 
                        through assistance provided under the Child 
                        Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 
                        (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.);
                            (ii) early childhood development programs 
                        through assistance provided under the State 
                        temporary assistance for needy families program 
                        funded under part A of title IV of the Social 
                        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.);
                            (iii) State-supported early childhood 
                        development programs;
                            (iv) Part C or Part B of the Individuals 
                        with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 
                        et seq.);
                            (v) early childhood development programs 
                        that receive funding from title I of the 
                        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
                        (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);
                            (vi) tribal early childhood development 
                        programs; and
                            (vii) early childhood development programs 
                        located in public school facilities.
                    (B) The number of early care and education 
                programs, and the number of children, disaggregated by 
                age and geographic designation or district, who are 
                enrolled, at the time of the application, in--
                            (i) private school early childhood 
                        programs;
                            (ii) nonprofit early childhood programs;
                            (iii) for-profit early childhood programs;
                            (iv) Head Start and Early Head Start 
                        programs; and
                            (v) unlicensed early care and education 
                        programs provided for children that are not 
                        related to the provider.
                    (C) A list of home visitation programs, such as the 
                Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting 
                Grant Program, including--
                            (i) the program goals of each such program; 
                        and
                            (ii) the number of families, and the number 
                        of children, disaggregated by age, who are, at 
                        the time of the application--
                                    (I) participating in each home 
                                visitation program; and
                                    (II) on the waiting list for each 
                                home visitation program.
                    (D) Staff educational credentials, as described in 
                paragraphs (2) and (10) of section 9(c).
            (17) A transition plan to ensure that kindergarten programs 
        have access to the student records and assessments, from prior 
        enrollment in the State Early Care and Education System, of 
        incoming students.
            (18) A description of parent outreach strategies that 
        kindergarten programs use, at the time of the application, to 
        encourage engagement of parents.
            (19) A plan for a statewide entrance assessment of each 
        child entering kindergarten, which shall be implemented no 
        later than 1 year from the date of receiving notification of a 
        grant awarded under this Act.
            (20) A description of parent education programs for parents 
        of young children, existing at the time of the application, and 
        information regarding the outcomes and success of such 
        programs.
            (21) A requirement that all licensed early care and 
        education programs undergo annual inspections by an entity 
        designated by the State to conduct such inspections.
            (22) A description of a statewide Quality Rating and 
        Improvement System, as described in section 9.
            (23) A financial statement that includes an assessment of 
        resources existing at the time of the application, including 
        Federal, State, local, and private funds that are spent on 
        existing early care and education programs.
            (24) A plan for leveraging Federal, State, and local tax 
        revenue from child care, preschool, and health and nutrition 
        programs, as well as private funds to carry out activities 
        described in this Act. The plan shall include--
                    (A) a method, during year 6 of the grant period, 
                for beginning to convert distinct Federal, State, and 
                local funding streams for a range of early child care 
                and education programs into permanent funding streams 
                for the State Early Care and Education System prior to 
                the expiration of the grant;
                    (B) a description of the amount that will be 
                generated through existing Federal, State, and local 
                funding; and
                    (C) a description of additional Federal funding 
                that the State will need to ensure sustainability of 
                the Early Care and Education System upon completion of 
                the 10-year grant period.
            (25) If a State intends to use a sliding scale mechanism to 
        raise additional revenue, as described in section 10(c), the 
        State shall submit a detailed description of the sliding scale 
        mechanism, including--
                    (A) the estimated amount of revenue that the State 
                expects to generate, or the percentage of costs of the 
                Early Care and Education System that the revenue will 
                cover; and
                    (B) the structure of the sliding scale, including--
                            (i) whether the State will require a parent 
                        or legal guardian to contribute based on--
                                    (I) a percentage of a parent or 
                                legal guardian's income;
                                    (II) a different predetermined 
                                amount; or
                                    (III) an alternative mechanism for 
                                calculation;
                            (ii) if the sliding scale is structured as 
                        described in clause (i)(I), the percentage 
                        amounts;
                            (iii) demonstrated accommodations for 
                        families earning below a set amount;
                            (iv) any cap on the amount of contribution; 
                        and
                            (v) any designated exemptions from 
                        contribution.
            (26) Statewide Early Learning Standards for children ages 6 
        weeks to kindergarten that are aligned with Head Start and 
        Early Head Start child outcome standards in all developmental 
        domains, including learning standards related to--
                    (A) literacy;
                    (B) language;
                    (C) problem solving;
                    (D) social development;
                    (E) emotional development; and
                    (F) physical development.
    (c) Incorporation of Data and Recommendations.--Each application 
submitted under this section shall incorporate data and recommendations 
provided by--
            (1) the National Center on Child Care Subsidy and 
        Administration and Accountability;
            (2) the National Center on Child Care Quality Improvement 
        Systems;
            (3) the National Center on Child Care Professional 
        Development System and Workforce Initiatives;
            (4) National Health and Safety Performance Standards, 
        Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs;
            (5) Preventing Childhood Obesity in Early Care and 
        Education Programs;
            (6) Caring for Our Children Standards;
            (7) the Quality Rating and Improvement System Resource 
        Guide and Cost Estimate Model; and
            (8) the Early Childhood Professional Development Systems 
        Toolkit.

SEC. 6. AWARDING OF GRANTS.

    In awarding grants under this Act, the Secretaries shall select 
States that represent a geographic sampling, and shall include a 
balance of States with rural and urban populations.

SEC. 7. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Designated Entity.--A State that receives a grant under this 
Act shall designate an entity to be responsible for controlling and 
directing the development, funding, implementation, and monitoring of 
the State Early Care and Education System. Designated entities may 
include the following:
            (1) The State Department of Education.
            (2) An established State Department of Early Childhood 
        Education.
            (3) The State Department of Health or the State Department 
        of Human Services.
            (4) An active State Early Childhood Advisory Council.
    (b) Use of Funds.--A State that receives a grant under this Act 
shall use the grant funds to pay the costs for the start-up and 
implementation of a State Early Care and Education System, with an 
emphasis on supporting participating programs in increasing their 
ratings according to the statewide Quality Rating and Improvement 
System, as described in section 9, such that the continuous improvement 
of program quality occurs. A State that receives a grant under this Act 
may use grant funds for the following activities:
            (1) To pay facility expenses, including building, leasing, 
        or renting space, or remodeling facilities to accommodate 
        infants, toddlers, and other preschool age children. Such 
        facilities may be in public schools, charter schools, or State 
        or federally funded program spaces.
            (2) To pay administrative expenses, including administrator 
        and teaching staff salaries.
            (3) To develop and implement Statewide Early Learning 
        Standards, as described in section 5(b)(26), for the early care 
        and education of children ages 6 weeks through kindergarten.
            (4) To develop, implement, and assess curriculum.
            (5) To provide equipment and materials that promote the 
        cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development of 
        children.
            (6) For professional development, including the provision 
        of scholarship and grant opportunities to assist early care and 
        education teaching staff to meet qualification standards 
        established by the State.
            (7) To coordinate with local health care providers for the 
        provision of comprehensive services, including health, 
        nutrition, diagnostic screenings, and counseling.
            (8) To support infrastructure for longitudinal data 
        collection and analysis.

SEC. 8. EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

    (a) Parental Choice of Early Care and Education Programs.--
            (1) In general.--Parents may enroll children in an early 
        care and education program that operates as part of the State 
        Early Care and Education System established under section 4(a), 
        or in an independent early care and education program that 
        operates outside the scope of the State Early Care and 
        Education System established under section 4(a).
            (2) Tuition payments.--Parents shall be responsible for 
        paying any tuition for enrollment in an independent early care 
        and education program that operates outside the scope of the 
        State Early Care and Education System established under section 
        4(a).
            (3) Minimum hours.--A State that receives a grant under 
        this Act must set minimum hours, which may depend upon the age 
        of a child, that a child who is enrolled in an early care and 
        education program operating under the State Early Care and 
        Education System will be required to participate in such 
        program.
    (b) Participation of Early Care and Education Programs in the State 
Early Care and Education System.--
            (1) Option to participate.--Each early care and education 
        program, which meets the requirements described in paragraph 
        (2), in a State that receives a grant under this Act, may 
        choose to operate under the State Early Care and Education 
        System.
            (2) Requirements for participation.--In order to operate 
        under the State Early Care and Education System, an early care 
        and education program shall--
                    (A) meet the State criteria for a good risk 
                program; and
                    (B) have a record of continuous operation for not 
                less than 5 years.
    (c) Independent Early Care and Education Programs.--Each State that 
receives a grant under this Act shall require each independent child 
care and education provider of an independent early care and education 
program that operates outside the scope of the State Early Care and 
Education System established under section 4(a) to meet the same State 
child care licensing standards, as described in section (5)(b)(15), as 
programs funded under the grant in order to receive State accreditation 
and to ensure consistency in program quality. The State shall designate 
an entity which shall be responsible for providing accreditation to 
independent early care and education programs.
    (d) Early Care and Education Programs Operating Under the State 
Early Care and Education System.--Each early care and education 
program, which provides child care and education as part of the State 
Early Care and Education System established under section 4(a), shall--
            (1) be aligned with the statewide Early Learning Standards 
        described in section (5)(b)(26);
            (2) incorporate evidence-based teaching and learning 
        practices that--
                    (A) emphasize integrated learning structures;
                    (B) create positive school climates led by 
                effective teaching staff; and
                    (C) establish high expectations and individualized 
                achievement opportunities for each child;
            (3) provide required services for children with 
        disabilities;
            (4) provide English language instruction for English 
        language learners;
            (5) provide, or operate in partnership with community-based 
        health organizations for the purpose of making a referral for--
                    (A) annual vision screenings;
                    (B) annual dental screenings;
                    (C) annual hearing screenings;
                    (D) other health care screenings;
                    (E) immunizations, as needed;
                    (F) mental health services, as needed; and
                    (G) ongoing promotion of proper nutrition; and
            (6) provide, or partner with community-based organizations 
        to provide, family support services, including--
                    (A) access to parenting classes;
                    (B) access to classes in child development;
                    (C) educational classes, such as GED attainment, 
                and vocational training programs;
                    (D) job placement programs;
                    (E) alcohol and substance abuse treatment programs; 
                and
                    (F) programs to help improve literacy and English 
                language competence.

SEC. 9. STATEWIDE QUALITY RATING AND IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--Each designated entity shall develop a Quality 
Rating and Improvement System for early care and education programs for 
children ages 6 weeks through kindergarten.
    (b) Rating.--
            (1) In general.--As part of the statewide Quality Rating 
        and Improvement System, each State that receives a grant under 
        this Act shall designate an entity to assign a rating to each 
        early care and education program in such State, including such 
        programs that are part of the State Early Care and Education 
        System and such programs that operate independently.
            (2) Basis of rating.--The rating described in paragraph (1) 
        shall be based on an assessment of each early care and 
        education program in such State, and such assessment shall 
        incorporate the applicable components and standards of the 
        Quality Rating and Improvement System described in subsection 
        (c).
    (c) Components of the Quality Rating and Improvement System.--The 
statewide Quality Rating and Improvement System developed under 
subsection (a) shall include--
            (1) standards regarding the granting and renewal of 
        licenses for the operation of early care and education 
        programs;
            (2) standards regarding the educational qualifications for 
        teaching staff and program administrators of early care and 
        education programs;
            (3) ongoing professional development requirements for 
        teaching staff and administrators;
            (4) standards to determine the relevancy of curriculum 
        selected by each early care and education program to the 
        established Statewide Early Learning Standards described in 
        section (5)(b)(26);
            (5) classroom environmental checklists, which shall be used 
        to determine the quality of the learning environment of each 
        early care and education program;
            (6) a goal of national accreditation for programs, in order 
        to reach the highest rating, in accordance with subsection (b);
            (7) parent communication strategies, including parent 
        outreach efforts for enrollment purposes;
            (8) ongoing assessments of individual children, to be used 
        in setting instructional goals specific to each child and 
        monitoring the progress of each child in order to raise the 
        quality of early care and education programs in the State;
            (9) partnerships with community colleges, institutions of 
        higher education, or other entities approved by the State, that 
        result in the provision of--
                    (A) on-going, relevant, research-based professional 
                development for teaching staff in a variety of early 
                care and education settings;
                    (B) infant and toddler specialists to address the 
                unique challenges of providing group care for infants 
                and toddlers;
                    (C) specialists who work with children with special 
                needs, that will--
                            (i) support each early care and education 
                        program in providing high quality, appropriate 
                        services for children that need adaptive 
                        services and educational support; and
                            (ii) provide information to the parents of 
                        such children;
                    (D) mental health professionals who specialize in 
                working with young children, who will support teaching 
                staff in early care and education settings in providing 
                services to children with mental health needs and their 
                families; and
                    (E) innovative use of technology to deliver 
                professional development in early care and education 
                program rooms to support teaching staff in real time; 
                and
            (10) the development and implementation of a career plan 
        for early care and education teaching staff that will ensure--
                    (A) support to assist each early care and education 
                non-lead teacher in receiving--
                            (i) a Child Development Associate 
                        credential; or
                            (ii) an Associate in the Arts Degree in 
                        Child Development, or Child Development 
                        Technology, or an equivalent degree; and
                    (B) support to assist each lead teacher in 
                receiving a bachelor's degree in child development, 
                early childhood education, early childhood special 
                education, or an equivalent degree in the field;
                    (C) within 4 years of the start of each early care 
                and education program that operates within the State 
                Early Care and Education System, each lead teacher in 
                such program will have, at a minimum, a Child 
                Development Associate credential;
                    (D) within 4 years of implementation of the first 
                early care and education program that operates within 
                the State Early Care and Education System, a minimum of 
                50 percent of non-lead teachers, across all programs 
                within the State Early Care and Education System will 
                have an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education, 
                or a related field;
                    (E) within 8 years of implementation of the first 
                early care and education program that operates within 
                the State Early Care and Education System, 100 percent 
                of lead teachers, and 50 percent of program directors, 
                across all programs within the State Early Care and 
                Education System, will have a bachelor's degree in 
                child development, early childhood education, or a 
                related field determined by the designated entity; and
                    (F) within 8 years of implementation of the first 
                early care and education program that operates within 
                the State Early Care and Education System, at least 75 
                percent of non-lead teachers working with children, 
                across all programs within the State Early Care and 
                Education System, will have, at a minimum, a Child 
                Development Associate credential.

SEC. 10. FUNDING.

    (a) Supplement Not Supplant.--Each designated entity shall provide 
an assurance that grant funding provided under this Act will be used to 
supplement, and not supplant, Federal, State, and local funds otherwise 
available to support early learning programs and services.
    (b) Consolidation of Funding Streams.--Each State receiving a grant 
under this Act shall leverage existing Federal, State, and local funds, 
used for early care and education programs, and shall consolidate such 
funds into 1 general funding stream for the State Early Care and 
Education System prior to the end of the 10-year grant period.
    (c) Sliding Scale.--Each State receiving a grant under this Act may 
adopt a sliding scale mechanism, which may allow for a specified amount 
of family contribution (which must be based on family income, wealth, 
or some combination of family income and wealth) to support funding and 
sustainability of the State Early Care and Education System.
    (d) Sustainability.--Grant funding provided under this Act shall 
provide for implementation and initial sustainability support over the 
10-year grant period. Each State that receives a grant under this Act 
shall demonstrate future sustainability of the Early Care and Education 
System before the final year of the initial 10-year grant period. After 
10 years, if the State Early Care and Education System has a record of 
demonstrated success, the Secretaries shall continue to support the 
program with funds appropriated under this Act, without fiscal year 
limitations. The amount of such funding shall be determined 1 year 
prior to the expiration of the 10-year grant period and shall be 
determined based on factors established by the Secretaries.
    (e) Model.--Each State receiving a grant under this Act shall 
appropriately manage, and make publicly available, data related to the 
State Early Care and Education System in order to serve as a model 
for--
            (1) implementing a State Early Care and Education System; 
        and
            (2) effectively and efficiently leveraging the use of 
        resources.

SEC. 11. EVALUATION AND REPORTING.

    (a) Evaluation of the State Early Care and Education System.--
            (1) In general.--Each designated entity shall design and 
        implement a method for evaluating the State Early Care and 
        Education System.
            (2) Components of evaluation.--The program evaluation 
        required under subsection (a) shall include a variety of 
        assessment tools designed to measure, in quantitative and 
        qualitative terms, progress in reaching the outcomes and goals 
        established by the designated entity, including--
                    (A) improvements in outcomes for children that are 
                consistent with the Statewide Early Learning Standards 
                described in section 5(b)(26);
                    (B) improvements in teaching staff qualifications 
                and knowledge;
                    (C) improvements in compensation for teaching 
                staff;
                    (D) improvements in the number of children served, 
                including increases in the number of children served, 
                disaggregated by--
                            (i) age (with a special emphasis on infants 
                        and toddlers);
                            (ii) family income;
                            (iii) English language learners; and
                            (iv) disabilities or other special needs;
                    (E) increase in the number of programs meeting the 
                standards of the Quality Rating and Improvement System 
                described in section 9;
                    (F) cost-benefit data, including expenditures and 
                cost-saving benefits, as demonstrated by such 
                information as--
                            (i) reduction in grade retention, special 
                        education referrals, supplemental educational 
                        services, incidences of school suspension or 
                        expulsion, and middle school and high school 
                        dropout rates; and
                            (ii) increases in attendance, retention of 
                        teaching staff, enrollment in institutions of 
                        higher education, and student academic 
                        performance;
                    (G) increase in the number of children identified 
                with a potential developmental delay prior to school 
                entry that received follow-up services within 3 months 
                of identification;
                    (H) increase in the number of infant and toddler 
                specialists providing training and on-site mentoring to 
                teaching staff;
                    (I) increase in the number of mental health 
                specialists providing training and ongoing mentoring to 
                teaching staff, administration, and parents of young 
                children;
                    (J) increase in the number of health specialists or 
                nutritionists providing training and ongoing mentoring 
                to teaching staff; and
                    (K) measurable changes in staffing patterns among 
                early care and education programs that indicate age 
                appropriate staff to child ratios, established by the 
                State, in all age levels.
    (b) Reporting Requirements.--
            (1) Reports to the secretaries.--Each State that is awarded 
        a grant under this Act shall prepare and submit an annual 
        report to the Secretaries, which shall include the information 
        described in subsection (a).
            (2) Reports to congress.--Beginning in the 8th year of 
        program implementation, the Secretaries shall prepare and 
        submit a biannual report to Congress, which shall include a 
        cost-benefit analysis of the grant program and evidence of 
        effective practices.
    (c) Publicly Available Data.--The data from the evaluation required 
under subsection (a) shall be made publicly available for the purpose 
of informing other States about the most efficient and effective means 
for providing statewide universal access to high quality early care and 
education to children ages 6 weeks to kindergarten.
    (d) Department of Education and Department of Health and Human 
Services Measurements.--Each State that is awarded a grant under this 
Act shall agree to participate in any assessments that the Secretaries 
may administer to grant recipients.
    (e) Center for Evaluation Support, Analysis, and Reporting.--The 
Secretaries shall develop and implement a Center for Evaluation 
Support, Analysis, and Reporting for the purpose of storing and 
reporting data on effective and efficient early care and education 
programs.

SEC. 12. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Full time.--The term ``full time''--
                    (A) means, at a minimum, 8 hours per day of early 
                care and education programs, with arrangements for 
                additional care before and after the established hours;
                    (B) means, at a minimum, 5 days per week of early 
                care and education programs; and
                    (C) includes year round provision of early care and 
                education programs, specifically, throughout the summer 
                regardless of whether State elementary schools are 
                providing such programs, and such summer hours shall be 
                consistent with regular early care and education 
                program hours.
            (2) Good risk program.--The term ``good risk program'' 
        means an early care and education program that has demonstrated 
        sustainability and continuity.
            (3) Lead teacher.--The term ``lead teacher'' means the 
        program room educator who is primarily responsible for 
        designing and instructing participant learning activities and 
        assessments and ensuring they are aligned to performance 
        measures and standards.
            (4) Non-lead teacher.--The term ``non-lead teacher'' means 
        staff responsible for supporting the lead teacher, such as 
        paraprofessionals and teaching aides.
            (5) Teaching staff.--The term ``teaching staff'' means lead 
        teachers and non-lead teachers.

SEC. 13. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act such 
sums as may be necessary beginning for fiscal year 2012.
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