[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2452 Placed on Calendar Senate (PCS)]

                                                       Calendar No. 427
113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2452

                       To support early learning.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 10, 2014

    Mr. Harkin, from the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
 Pensions, reported the following original bill; which was read twice 
                       and placed on the calendar

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
                       To support early learning.

    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 ``Strong Start for America's Children 
Act''.

SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
                    TITLE I--PREKINDERGARTEN ACCESS

 Subtitle A--Access to Voluntary Prekindergarten for Low- and Moderate-
                            Income Families

Sec. 111. Purposes.
Sec. 112. Definitions.
Sec. 113. Program authorization.
Sec. 114. Allotments and reservation of funds.
Sec. 115. State eligibility criteria.
Sec. 116. State applications.
Sec. 117. State use of funds.
Sec. 118. Performance measures and targets.
Sec. 119. Matching requirements.
Sec. 120. Eligible local entity applications.
Sec. 121. Required subgrant activities.
Sec. 122. Report and evaluation.
Sec. 123. Prohibition of required participation or use of funds for 
                            assessments.
Sec. 124. Coordination with Head Start programs.
Sec. 125. Technical assistance in program administration.
Sec. 126. Rule of construction.
Sec. 127. Authorization of appropriations.
             Subtitle B--Prekindergarten Development Grants

Sec. 151. Prekindergarten development grants.
                TITLE II--LEARNING QUALITY PARTNERSHIPS

Sec. 201. Purposes.
Sec. 202. Early learning quality partnerships.
 TITLE III--MATERNAL, INFANT, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITING PROGRAM

Sec. 301. Sense of Senate.

                    TITLE I--PREKINDERGARTEN ACCESS

 Subtitle A--Access to Voluntary Prekindergarten for Low- and Moderate-
                            income Families

SEC. 111. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this subtitle are to--
            (1) establish a Federal-State partnership to provide access 
        to high-quality public prekindergarten programs for all 
        children from low-income and moderate-income families to ensure 
        that the children enter kindergarten prepared for success;
            (2) broaden participation in such programs to include 
        children from additional middle-class families; and
            (3) promote access to full-day kindergarten, and high-
        quality early childhood education programs and settings for 
        children.

SEC. 112. DEFINITIONS.

    In this subtitle:
            (1) Child with a disability.--The term ``child with a 
        disability'' has the meaning--
                    (A) given the term in section 602 of the 
                Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
                1401); and
                    (B) given the term ``infant or toddler with a 
                disability'' in section 632 of such Act (20 U.S.C. 
                1432).
            (2) Comprehensive early learning assessment system.--The 
        term ``comprehensive early learning assessment system''--
                    (A) means a coordinated and comprehensive system of 
                multiple assessments, each of which is valid and 
                reliable for its specified purpose and for the 
                population with which it will be used, that organizes 
                information about the process and context of young 
                children's learning and development in order to help 
                early childhood educators make informed instructional 
                and programmatic decisions and that conforms to the 
                recommendations of the National Research Council 
                reports on early childhood; and
                    (B) includes, at a minimum--
                            (i) child screening measures to identify 
                        children who may need follow-up services to 
                        address developmental, learning, or health 
                        needs in, at a minimum, areas of physical 
                        health, behavioral health, oral health, child 
                        development, vision, and hearing;
                            (ii) child formative assessments;
                            (iii) measures of environmental quality; 
                        and
                            (iv) measures of the quality of adult-child 
                        interactions.
            (3) Dual language learner.--The term ``dual language 
        learner'' means an individual who is limited English proficient 
        as defined in section 637 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
        9832).
            (4) Early childhood education program.--The term ``early 
        childhood education program'' has the meaning given the term in 
        section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        1003).
            (5) Elementary school.--The term ``elementary school'' has 
        the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (6) Eligible local entity.--The term ``eligible local 
        entity'' means--
                    (A) a local educational agency, including a charter 
                school or a charter management organization that acts 
                as a local educational agency, or an educational 
                service agency in partnership with a local educational 
                agency;
                    (B) an entity (including a Head Start program or 
                licensed child care setting) that carries out, 
                administers, or supports an early childhood education 
                program; or
                    (C) a consortium of entities described under 
                subparagraph (A) or (B).
            (7) Eligibility determination date.--The term ``eligibility 
        determination date'' means the date used to determine 
        eligibility for public elementary school in the community in 
        which the eligible local entity involved is located.
            (8) Full-day.--The term ``full-day'' means a day that is--
                    (A) equivalent to a full school day at the public 
                elementary schools in the State; and
                    (B) not less than 5 hours a day.
            (9) High-quality prekindergarten program.--The term ``high-
        quality prekindergarten program'' means a prekindergarten 
        program supported by an eligible local entity that includes, at 
        a minimum, the following elements based on nationally 
        recognized standards:
                    (A) Serves children who--
                            (i) are age 4 or children who are age 3 or 
                        4, by the eligibility determination date 
                        (including children who turn age 5 while 
                        attending the program); or
                            (ii) have attained the legal age for State-
                        funded prekindergarten.
                    (B) Requires high staff qualifications, including a 
                requirement that a prekindergarten teacher--
                            (i) has a bachelor's degree in early 
                        childhood education or a related field with 
                        coursework that demonstrates competence in 
                        early childhood education;
                            (ii)(I) has a bachelor's degree in any 
                        field;
                            (II) has demonstrated knowledge of early 
                        childhood education through passage of a State-
                        approved assessment in early childhood 
                        education;
                            (III) engages in ongoing professional 
                        development in early childhood education for 
                        not less than 2 years; and
                            (IV) is enrolled in a State-approved 
                        educator preparation program in which the 
                        teacher receives ongoing training and support 
                        in early childhood education and is making 
                        progress toward the completion of the program 
                        in not more than 3 years; or
                            (iii) has a bachelor's degree in any field 
                        with a credential, license, or endorsement that 
                        demonstrates competence in early childhood 
                        education.
                    (C) Maintains a maximum class size of 20 children.
                    (D) Maintains a child to instructional staff ratio 
                that does not exceed 10 to 1.
                    (E) Offers a full-day program.
                    (F) Provides developmentally appropriate learning 
                environments and evidence-based curricula that are 
                aligned with the State's early learning and development 
                standards.
                    (G) Offers instructional staff salaries comparable 
                to kindergarten through grade 12 teaching staff.
                    (H) Provides for ongoing monitoring and program 
                evaluation to ensure continuous improvement.
                    (I) Offers accessible comprehensive services for 
                children that--
                            (i) include, at a minimum--
                                    (I) screenings for vision, dental, 
                                health (including mental health), and 
                                development and referrals, and 
                                assistance obtaining services, when 
                                appropriate;
                                    (II) family engagement 
                                opportunities (taking into account home 
                                language), such as parent conferences 
                                (including parent input about their 
                                child's development) and support 
                                services, such as parent education and 
                                family literacy services;
                                    (III) nutrition services, including 
                                nutritious meals and snack options 
                                aligned with requirements set by the 
                                most recent Child and Adult Care Food 
                                Program guidelines promulgated by the 
                                Department of Agriculture as well as 
                                regular, age-appropriate, nutrition 
                                education for children and their 
                                families;
                                    (IV) programs coordinated with 
                                local educational agencies and entities 
                                providing programs authorized under 
                                section 619 and part C of the 
                                Individuals with Disabilities Education 
                                Act (20 U.S.C. 1419 and 1431 et seq.);
                                    (V) physical activity programs 
                                aligned with evidence-based guidelines, 
                                such as those recommended by the 
                                Institute of Medicine, and that take 
                                into account and accommodate children 
                                with disabilities; and
                                    (VI) additional support services, 
                                as appropriate, based on the findings 
                                of the needs analysis as described in 
                                section 120; and
                            (ii) are provided on-site, to the maximum 
                        extent feasible.
                    (J) Provides high-quality professional development 
                for staff, including regular in-class observation for 
                teachers and teacher assistants by individuals trained 
                in observation and which may include evidence-based 
                coaching.
                    (K) Meets the education performance standards in 
                effect under section 641A(a)(1)(B) of the Head Start 
                Act (42 U.S.C. 9836a(a)(1)(B)).
                    (L) Maintains evidence-based health and safety 
                standards.
            (10) Homeless child.--The term ``homeless child'' means a 
        child or youth described in section 725(2) of the McKinney-
        Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a(2)).
            (11) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1002).
            (12) Local educational agency.--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).
            (13) Outlying area.--The term ``outlying area'' means each 
        of the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic 
        of Palau.
            (14) Poverty line.--The term ``poverty line'' means the 
        official poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management 
        and Budget)--
                    (A) adjusted to reflect the percentage change in 
                the Consumer Price Index for all consumers, issued by 
                the Bureau of Labor Statistics, occurring in the 1-year 
                period or other interval immediately preceding the date 
                such adjustment is made; and
                    (B) adjusted for family size.
            (15) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (16) State.--Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, 
        the term ``State'' means each of the 50 States, the District of 
        Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and each of the 
        outlying areas.
            (17) State advisory council on early childhood education 
        and care.--The term ``State Advisory Council on Early Childhood 
        Education and Care'' means the State Advisory Council on Early 
        Childhood Education and Care designated or established under 
        section 642B(b) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837b(b)).

SEC. 113. PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION.

    (a) In General.--From amounts made available to carry out this 
subtitle, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, shall award grants to States to implement high-
quality prekindergarten programs, consistent with the purposes of this 
subtitle. For each fiscal year, the funds provided under the grant 
shall equal the allotment determined for the State under section 114.
    (b) Prekindergarten for 3-year Olds.--
            (1) In general.--Each State that certifies to the Secretary 
        that it provides access to universally available, voluntary, 
        high-quality prekindergarten programs for 4-year old children 
        who reside within the State and are from families with incomes 
        at or below 200 percent of the poverty line, may use the 
        State's allotment under section 114(b) to provide high-quality 
        prekindergarten programs for 3-year old children who reside 
        within the State and are from families with incomes at or below 
        200 percent of the poverty line.
            (2) Subgrants.--In each State that has a city, county, or 
        local educational agency that provides universally available, 
        voluntary, high-quality prekindergarten programs for 4-year old 
        children who reside within the State and are from families with 
        incomes at or below 200 percent of the poverty line, the State 
        may use amounts from the State's allotment under section 114(b) 
        to award subgrants to eligible local entities to enable such 
        entities to provide high-quality prekindergarten programs for 
        3-year old children who are from families with incomes at or 
        below 200 percent of the poverty line and who reside in such 
        city, county, or local educational agency without diminishing 
        access for 4-year old children in other parts of the State.

SEC. 114. ALLOTMENTS AND RESERVATION OF FUNDS.

    (a) Reservation.--From the amount made available each fiscal year 
to carry out this subtitle, the Secretary shall--
            (1) reserve not less than 1 percent and not more than 2 
        percent for payments to Indian tribes and tribal organizations 
        (as such terms are defined under the Child Care and Development 
        Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n));
            (2) reserve \1/2\ of 1 percent for the outlying areas to be 
        distributed among the outlying areas on the basis of their 
        relative need, as determined by the Secretary in accordance 
        with the purposes of this subtitle;
            (3) reserve not more than \1/2\ of 1 percent for eligible 
        local entities that serve children in families who are engaged 
        in migrant or seasonal agricultural labor; and
            (4) reserve not more than 1 percent or $30,000,000, 
        whichever amount is less, for national activities, including 
        administration, technical assistance, and evaluation.
    (b) Allotments.--
            (1) In general.--From the amount made available each fiscal 
        year to carry out this subtitle and not reserved under 
        subsection (a), the Secretary shall make allotments to States 
        in accordance with paragraph (2) that have submitted an 
        approved application.
            (2) Allotment amount.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                Secretary shall allot the amount made available under 
                paragraph (1) for a fiscal year among the States in 
                proportion to the number of children who are age 4 who 
                reside within the State and are from families with 
                incomes at or below 200 percent of the poverty line for 
                the most recent fiscal year for which satisfactory data 
                are available, compared to the number of such children 
                who reside in all such States for that fiscal year.
                    (B) Minimum allotment amount.--No State receiving 
                an allotment under subparagraph (A) may receive less 
                than \1/2\ of 1 percent of the total amount allotted 
                under such subparagraph.
            (3) Reallotment and carry over.--
                    (A) In general.--If 1 or more States does not 
                receive an allotment under this subsection for any 
                fiscal year, the Secretary may use the amount of the 
                allotments for such State or States for either or both 
                of the following, in such amounts as the Secretary 
                determines appropriate:
                            (i) To increase the allotments of States 
                        with approved applications, consistent with 
                        subparagraph (B).
                            (ii) To carry over the funds to the next 
                        fiscal year.
                    (B) Reallotment.--From the total amount available 
                under subparagraph (A)(i), if any, the Secretary shall 
                allot to each State with an approved application an 
                amount that bears the same relationship to that total 
                amount, as the amount the State received under 
                paragraph (2) for that fiscal year bears to the amount 
                that all States with approved applications received 
                under paragraph (2) for that fiscal year.
            (4) State.--For purposes of this subsection, the term 
        ``State'' means each of the 50 States, the District of 
        Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
    (c) Flexibility.--The Secretary may make minimal adjustments to 
allotments under this subsection, which shall neither lead to a 
significant increase or decrease in a State's allotment determined 
under subsection (b), based on a set of factors, such as the level of 
program participation and the estimated cost of the activities 
specified in the State plan.
    (d) Applications for Reserved Funds.--A tribe, tribal organization, 
outlying area, or entity for which the Secretary reserves funds under 
subsection (a) and that desires to receive such funds shall submit an 
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
containing or accompanied by such information as the Secretary may 
reasonably require, including a description of how such tribe, 
organization, area, or entity will carry out the purposes of this 
subtitle.

SEC. 115. STATE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.

    A State is eligible to receive a grant under this subtitle if the 
State demonstrates that the State--
            (1) has established, or will establish, early learning and 
        development standards that describe what children from birth to 
        kindergarten entry should know and be able to do, are 
        universally designed and developmentally, culturally, and 
        linguistically appropriate, are aligned with the State's 
        challenging academic content standards and challenging student 
        academic achievement standards, as adopted under section 
        1111(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(1)), and cover all of the essential 
        domains of school readiness, which address--
                    (A) physical well-being and motor development;
                    (B) social and emotional development;
                    (C) approaches to learning, including creative arts 
                expression;
                    (D) developmentally appropriate oral and written 
                language and literacy development; and
                    (E) cognition and general knowledge, including 
                early mathematics and early scientific development;
            (2) has the ability, or will develop the ability, to link 
        prekindergarten data with its elementary school and secondary 
        school data for the purpose of collecting longitudinal 
        information, including through the use of a unique State-
        assigned student identifier number, for all children 
        participating in the State's high-quality prekindergarten 
        program and any other federally funded early childhood program;
            (3) offers kindergarten for children who are eligible 
        children for that service in the State; and
            (4) has established or designated, or will establish or 
        designate, a State Advisory Council on Early Childhood 
        Education and Care.

SEC. 116. STATE APPLICATIONS.

    (a) In General.--The Governor, or chief executive officer, of a 
State that desires to receive a grant under this subtitle shall submit 
an application, in consultation with Indian tribes and tribal 
organizations (as such terms are defined under the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n)), if there are 
Indian tribes and tribal organizations in the State, to the Secretary 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may reasonably require. At a minimum, each such application 
shall include--
            (1) an assurance that the State--
                    (A) will coordinate with and continue to 
                participate in the programs authorized under section 
                619 and part C of the Individuals with Disabilities 
                Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419 and 1431 et seq.), the 
                Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
                U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), and the maternal, infant, and 
                early childhood home visiting programs funded under 
                section 511 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 711) 
                for the duration of the grant;
                    (B) will designate a State-level entity, selected 
                by the Governor or chief executive officer of the 
                State, such as an agency or joint interagency office, 
                for the administration of the grant, which shall 
                coordinate and consult with the State educational 
                agency if the entity is not the State educational 
                agency; and
                    (C) will establish, or certify the existence of, 
                program standards for all State prekindergarten 
                programs consistent with the definition of a high-
                quality prekindergarten program under section 112; and
            (2) a description of--
                    (A) how the State will use funds received under 
                this subtitle and the State's matching funds to provide 
                high-quality prekindergarten programs with open 
                enrollment for all children in the State who--
                            (i) are described in section 112(9)(A); and
                            (ii) are from families with incomes at or 
                        below 200 percent of the poverty line;
                    (B) how the State plans to develop or enhance a 
                system for monitoring eligible local entities that are 
                receiving funds under this subtitle for compliance with 
                quality standards developed by the State and to provide 
                program improvement support, which may be accomplished 
                through the use of a State-developed system for quality 
                rating and improvement;
                    (C) the State's plan, if applicable, to expand 
                participation in the State's high-quality 
                prekindergarten programs to children from families with 
                incomes above 200 percent of the poverty line;
                    (D) the State's comprehensive early learning 
                assessment system, or how the State plans to develop 
                such a system, ensuring that any assessments are age-
                appropriate, as well as culturally and developmentally 
                appropriate and, consistent with the recommendations 
                from the study on Developmental Outcomes and 
                Assessments for Young Children by the National Academy 
                of Sciences, consistent with section 649(j) of the Head 
                Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9844(j));
                    (E) the State's plan to develop, implement, and 
                make publicly available the measures and targets 
                described in section 118;
                    (F) the State's plan to increase the number of 
                teachers with bachelor's degrees in early childhood 
                education, or with bachelor's degrees in another 
                closely related field and specialized training and 
                demonstrated competency in early childhood education, 
                including how higher education will support increasing 
                the number of teachers with such degrees and training, 
                including through the use of assessments of prior 
                learning, knowledge, and skills to facilitate and 
                expedite attainment of such degrees;
                    (G) how activities funded under this subtitle will 
                be coordinated and integrated with Federal, State, and 
                local services and programs that support early 
                childhood education and care, including programs 
                supported under this subtitle, the Elementary and 
                Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et 
                seq.), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
                (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
                9831 et seq.), the Community Services Block Grant Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.), the Child Care and 
                Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et 
                seq.), the temporary assistance for needy families 
                program under part A of title IV of the Social Security 
                Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the State incentive grant 
                program under section 14006 of the American Recovery 
                and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), 
                Federally funded early literacy programs, the maternal, 
                infant, and early childhood home visiting programs 
                funded under section 511 of the Social Security Act (42 
                U.S.C. 711), health improvements to child care funded 
                under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
                1396 et seq.), the program under subtitle B of title 
                VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 
                U.S.S. 11431 et seq.), the Investing In Innovation 
                program under section 14007 of the American Recovery 
                and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), 
                programs authorized under part E of title IV of the 
                Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 670 et seq.), programs 
                amended by the Fostering Connections to Success and 
                Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-351), 
                and any other Federal, State, or local early childhood 
                education programs used in the State;
                    (H) how the State will award subgrants to eligible 
                local entities, and in awarding such subgrants, will 
                facilitate a delivery system of high-quality 
                prekindergarten programs that includes diverse 
                providers, such as providers in community-based, public 
                school, and private settings, and will expand options 
                for families;
                    (I) if the State does not have a funding mechanism 
                for subgranting funds to implement high-quality 
                prekindergarten programs, how the State will use 
                objective criteria in awarding subgrants to eligible 
                local entities that will implement high-quality 
                prekindergarten programs, including actions the State 
                will take to ensure that eligible local entities will 
                coordinate with local educational agencies or other 
                early learning providers, as appropriate, to carry out 
                activities to provide children served under this 
                subtitle with a successful transition from preschool 
                into kindergarten, which activities shall include--
                            (i) aligning curricular objectives and 
                        instruction;
                            (ii) providing staff professional 
                        development, including opportunities for joint-
                        professional development on early learning and 
                        kindergarten through grade 3 standards, 
                        assessments, and curricula;
                            (iii) coordinating family engagement and 
                        support services; and
                            (iv) encouraging the shared use of 
                        facilities and transportation, as appropriate;
                    (J) how the State early learning and development 
                standards described under section 115(1) will address 
                the needs of dual language learners, including by 
                incorporating benchmarks related to English language 
                development;
                    (K) the process by which the State will identify 
                barriers in the State, and propose solutions to 
                overcome such barriers (which may include seeking 
                assistance under section 125), to effectively use and 
                integrate Federal, State, and local public funds and 
                private funds for early childhood education that are 
                available to the State on the date on which the 
                application is submitted;
                    (L) the State's plan to support articulation 
                agreements among public 2-year and public 4-year 
                institutions of higher education and other credit-
                bearing professional development entities in the State 
                for early childhood teacher preparation programs and 
                closely related fields;
                    (M) an inventory of the State's higher education 
                programs that prepare individuals for work in a high-
                quality prekindergarten program, including--
                            (i) certification programs;
                            (ii) associate degree programs;
                            (iii) baccalaureate degree programs;
                            (iv) master's degree programs; and
                            (v) other programs that lead to a 
                        specialization in early childhood education, or 
                        a closely related field;
                    (N) the State's plan for ensuring that the higher 
                education programs in the State have the capacity to 
                prepare a workforce to provide high-quality 
                prekindergarten programs;
                    (O) the State's plan for supporting workforce 
                development, including State and local policies that 
                support prekindergarten instructional staff's ability 
                to earn a degree, certification, or other 
                specializations or qualifications, including policies 
                on leave, substitutes, and child care services, 
                including nontraditional hour child care;
                    (P) the State's plan for holding eligible local 
                entities accountable for use of funds;
                    (Q) the State's process to ensure that the State's 
                early learning and development standards are integrated 
                into the instructional and programmatic practices of 
                high-quality prekindergarten programs and related 
                programs and services, such as those provided to 
                children under section 619 and part C of the 
                Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
                1419 and 1431 et seq.);
                    (R) if the State funds full-day kindergarten 
                programs, but such full-day kindergarten programs are 
                not available to all children who are eligible to 
                attend such programs in the State, how the State plans 
                to increase the number of children in the State who are 
                enrolled in full-day kindergarten programs and to 
                provide a strategy to implement such a plan;
                    (S) if the State does not fund full-day 
                kindergarten programs, a description of how the State 
                plans to establish such programs to strengthen the 
                educational continuum for children who will be involved 
                in the State's high-quality prekindergarten program 
                supported through grants authorized under this 
                subtitle;
                    (T) how the State will encourage eligible local 
                entities to coordinate with community-based learning 
                resources, if available, such as libraries, arts and 
                arts education programs, appropriate media programs, 
                family literacy programs, public parks and recreation 
                programs, museums, nutrition education programs, and 
                programs supported by the Corporation for National and 
                Community Service;
                    (U) how the State will work with eligible local 
                entities, in consultation with elementary school 
                principals, to ensure that high-quality prekindergarten 
                programs have sufficient and appropriate facilities to 
                meet the needs of children eligible for 
                prekindergarten;
                    (V) how the State will support local early 
                childhood coordinating entities, such as local early 
                childhood councils and entities administering shared 
                services networks or models, if applicable, and help 
                such entities to coordinate early childhood education 
                programs with high-quality prekindergarten programs to 
                ensure effective and efficient delivery of early 
                childhood education program services;
                    (W) how the State will ensure that the provision of 
                high-quality prekindergarten programs will not lead to 
                a diminution in the quality or supply of services for 
                infants and toddlers or disrupt the care of infants and 
                toddlers in the geographic area served by the eligible 
                local entity, which may include demonstrating that the 
                State will direct funds to provide high-quality early 
                childhood education and care to infants and toddlers in 
                accordance with section 117(d);
                    (X) how the State will ensure that all high-quality 
                prekindergarten programs the State supports under this 
                Act will conduct criminal history background checks on 
                employees and applicants for employment with direct 
                access to children; and
                    (Y) how the State will provide technical assistance 
                in rural communities to address unique barriers to the 
                implementation of high-quality prekindergarten programs 
                in rural areas.
    (b) Criminal History Background Checks.--
            (1) In general.--The criminal history background checks 
        required under subsection (a)(2)(Y) shall include--
                    (A) a search of the State criminal registry or 
                repository in the State in which the employee resides 
                and previously resided;
                    (B) a search of the State-based child abuse and 
                neglect registries and databases in the State in which 
                the employee resides and previously resided;
                    (C) a Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint 
                check using the Integrated Automated Fingerprint 
                Identification System; and
                    (D) a search of the National Sex Offender Registry 
                established under section 119 of the Adam Walsh Child 
                Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (42 U.S.C. 16919).
            (2) Prohibition of employment.--To be eligible to receive a 
        grant under this subtitle, a State shall prohibit an individual 
        with direct access to children from employment with a program 
        supported with grant funds under this subtitle if the 
        individual has been convicted of a violent felony or any 
        violent or sexual crime against a minor, as defined by the 
        State.
            (3) Updated checks.--The criminal history background check 
        that employees undergo as required under subsection (a)(2)(Y) 
        shall be periodically repeated or updated in accordance with 
        State law.
            (4) Appeal process.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
        under this subtitle, a State shall provide an individual with a 
        timely process by which to--
                    (A) appeal the results of a criminal history 
                background check conducted under this section to 
                challenge the accuracy or completeness of the 
                information produced by such background check; and
                    (B) seek appropriate relief for any final 
                employment decision based on materially inaccurate or 
                incomplete information produced by such background 
                check.
    (c) Development of Application.--In developing an application for a 
grant under this subtitle, a State shall consult with the State 
Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care and incorporate 
such Council's recommendations, where applicable.
    (d) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
alter or otherwise affect the rights, remedies, and procedures afforded 
school employees, school district employees, and the employees of early 
childhood education programs under Federal, State, or local laws 
(including applicable regulations or court orders) or under the terms 
of collective bargaining agreements, memoranda of understanding, or 
other agreements between such employees and their employers.

SEC. 117. STATE USE OF FUNDS.

    (a) Reservation for Quality Improvement Activities.--
            (1) In general.--A State that receives a grant under this 
        subtitle may reserve, for not more than the first 4 years such 
        State receives such a grant, not more than 20 percent of the 
        grant funds for quality improvement activities that support the 
        elements of high-quality prekindergarten programs or the 
        activities described in section 116(a)(2). Such quality 
        improvement activities may include--
                    (A) supporting teachers, principals, and center 
                directors, in a State's high-quality prekindergarten 
                program, licensed or regulated child care, or Head 
                Start programs to enable such teachers or directors to 
                earn a baccalaureate degree in early childhood 
                education, or a closely related field, through 
                activities which may include expanding or establishing 
                scholarships, counseling, and compensation initiatives 
                to cover the cost of tuition, fees, materials, 
                transportation, and release time for such teachers;
                    (B) providing ongoing professional development 
                opportunities, including regular in-class observation 
                by individuals trained in observation and evidence-
                based coaching or mentoring, for such teachers, 
                directors, and principals, if applicable, and teacher 
                assistants to enable such teachers, directors, and 
                principals, if applicable, and teacher assistants to 
                carry out the elements of high-quality prekindergarten 
                programs, which may include activities that address--
                            (i) promoting children's development across 
                        all of the essential domains of early learning 
                        and development;
                            (ii) developmentally appropriate curricula 
                        and teacher-child interaction;
                            (iii) effective family engagement;
                            (iv) providing culturally competent 
                        instruction;
                            (v) working with a diversity of children 
                        and families, including children with special 
                        needs and dual language learners;
                            (vi) childhood nutrition and physical 
                        education programs;
                            (vii) social and emotional development; and
                            (viii) incorporating age-appropriate 
                        strategies of positive behavioral interventions 
                        and supports; and
                    (C) providing families with increased opportunities 
                to learn how best to support their children's physical, 
                cognitive, social, and emotional development during the 
                first 5 years of life.
            (2) Not subject to matching.--The amount reserved under 
        paragraph (1) shall not be subject to the matching requirements 
        under section 119.
            (3) Coordination.--A State that reserves an amount under 
        paragraph (1) shall coordinate the use of such amount with 
        activities funded under section 658G of the Child Care and 
        Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858e) and the 
        Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.).
            (4) Construction.--A State may not use funds reserved under 
        this subsection to meet the requirement described in section 
        112(9)(G).
    (b) Subgrants for High-quality Prekindergarten Programs.--A State 
that receives a grant under this subtitle shall award subgrants of 
sufficient size to eligible local entities to enable such eligible 
local entities to implement high-quality prekindergarten programs for 
children described in section 112(9)(A) who reside within the State and 
are from families with incomes at or below 200 percent of the poverty 
line.
    (c) Administration.--A State that receives a grant under this 
subtitle may reserve not more than 1 percent of the grant funds for 
administration of the grant, and may use part of that reservation for 
the maintenance of the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood 
Education and Care.
    (d) Early Childhood Education and Care Programs for Infants and 
Toddlers.--
            (1) Use of allotment for infants and toddlers.--An eligible 
        State may apply to use, and the appropriate Secretary may grant 
        permission for the State to use, not more than 15 percent of 
        the funds made available through a grant received under this 
        subtitle to award subgrants to early childhood education 
        programs to provide high-quality early childhood education and 
        care, consistent with the State's early learning and 
        development guidelines for infants and toddlers, to infants and 
        toddlers who reside within the State and are from families with 
        incomes at or below 200 percent of the poverty line.
            (2) Application.--To be eligible to use the grant funds as 
        described in paragraph (1), the State shall submit an 
        application to the appropriate Secretary at such time, in such 
        manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
        require. Such application shall, at a minimum, include a 
        description of how the State will--
                    (A) designate a lead agency which shall administer 
                such funds;
                    (B) ensure that such lead agency, in coordination 
                with the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood 
                Education and Care, will collaborate with other 
                agencies in administering programs supported under this 
                subsection for infants and toddlers in order to obtain 
                input about the appropriate use of such funds and 
                ensure coordination with programs for infants and 
                toddlers funded under the Child Care and Development 
                Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), the 
                Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) (including any 
                early learning quality partnerships established under 
                section 645B of the Head Start Act), the Race to the 
                Top and Early Learning Challenge program under section 
                14006 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 
                2009 (Public Law 111-5), the maternal, infant, and 
                early childhood home visiting programs funded under 
                section 511 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 711), 
                and part C of the Individuals with Disabilities 
                Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.);
                    (C) ensure that infants and toddlers who benefit 
                from amounts made available under this subsection will 
                transition to and have the opportunity to participate 
                in a high-quality prekindergarten program supported 
                under this subtitle;
                    (D) in awarding subgrants, give preference to early 
                childhood education programs that have a plan to 
                increase services to children with special needs, 
                including children with developmental delays or 
                disabilities, children who are dual language learners, 
                homeless children, children who are in foster care, 
                children of migrant families, children eligible for 
                nutrition assistance under the United States Department 
                of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service, or 
                children in the child welfare system; and
                    (E) give priority to activities carried out under 
                this subsection that will increase access to high-
                quality early childhood education programs for infants 
                and toddlers in local areas with significant 
                concentrations of low-income families that do not 
                currently benefit from such programs.
            (3) Eligible providers.--A State may use the grant funds as 
        described in paragraph (1) to serve infants and toddlers only 
        by working with early childhood education program providers 
        that--
                    (A) offer full-day, full-year care, or otherwise 
                meet the needs of working families; and
                    (B) meet high-quality standards, such as--
                            (i) Early Head Start program performance 
                        standards under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
                        9831 et seq.); or
                            (ii) high-quality, demonstrated, valid, and 
                        reliable program standards that have been 
                        established through a national entity that 
                        accredits early childhood education programs.
            (4) Federal administration.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary of Education shall 
                bear responsibility for obligating and disbursing funds 
                to support activities under this subsection and 
                ensuring compliance with applicable laws and 
                administrative requirements, subject to subparagraph 
                (B).
                    (B) Interagency agreement.--The Secretary of 
                Education and the Secretary of Health and Human 
                Services shall jointly administer activities supported 
                under this subsection on such terms as such Secretaries 
                shall set forth in an interagency agreement. The 
                Secretary of Health and Human Services shall be 
                responsible for any final approval of a State's 
                application under this subsection that addresses the 
                use of funds designated for services to infants and 
                toddlers.
                    (C) Appropriate secretary.--In this subsection, the 
                term ``appropriate Secretary'', when used with respect 
                to a function, means the Secretary designated for that 
                function under the interagency agreement.

SEC. 118. PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND TARGETS.

    (a) In General.--A State that receives a grant under this subtitle 
shall develop, implement, and make publicly available performance 
measures and targets for the activities carried out with grant funds. 
Such measures shall, at a minimum, track the State's progress in--
            (1) increasing school readiness across all domains for all 
        categories of children described in section 122(b)(7), 
        including children with disabilities and dual language 
        learners;
            (2) narrowing school readiness gaps between minority and 
        nonminority children, and low-income children and more 
        advantaged children, in preparation for kindergarten entry;
            (3) increasing developmental screening and appropriate 
        referral under section 619 and part C of the Individuals with 
        Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419 and 1431 et seq.) to 
        identify children early who are eligible for services under 
        such Act;
            (4) increasing the number of programs meeting the criteria 
        for high-quality prekindergarten programs across all types of 
        eligible local entities, as defined by the State and in 
        accordance with section 112;
            (5) decreasing the need for grade-to-grade retention in 
        elementary school;
            (6) if applicable, ensuring that high-quality 
        prekindergarten programs do not experience instances of chronic 
        absence among the children who participate in such programs;
            (7) increasing the number and percentage of low-income 
        children in high-quality early childhood education programs 
        that receive financial support through funds provided under 
        this subtitle; and
            (8) providing high-quality nutrition services, nutrition 
        education, physical activity, and obesity prevention programs.
    (b) Prohibition of Misdiagnosis Practices.--A State shall not, in 
order to meet the performance measures and targets described in 
subsection (a), engage in practices or policies that will lead to the 
misdiagnosis or under-diagnosis of disabilities or developmental delays 
among children who are served through programs supported under this 
subtitle.

SEC. 119. MATCHING REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Matching Funds.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), a 
        State that receives a grant under this subtitle shall provide 
        matching funds from non-Federal sources, as described in 
        subsection (c), in an amount equal to--
                    (A) 10 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the first year of grant administration;
                    (B) 10 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the second year of grant administration;
                    (C) 20 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the third year of grant administration;
                    (D) 30 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the fourth year of grant administration;
                    (E) 40 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the fifth year of grant administration;
                    (F) 50 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the sixth year of grant administration;
                    (G) 75 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the seventh year of grant administration; 
                and
                    (H) 100 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the eighth and all following years of 
                grant administration.
            (2) Reduced match rate.--A State that meets the 
        requirements under subsection (b) may provide matching funds 
        from non-Federal sources at a reduced rate. The full reduced 
        matching funds rate shall be in an amount equal to--
                    (A) 5 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the first year of grant administration;
                    (B) 5 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the second year of grant administration;
                    (C) 10 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the third year of grant administration;
                    (D) 20 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the fourth year of grant administration;
                    (E) 30 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the fifth year of grant administration;
                    (F) 40 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the sixth year of grant administration;
                    (G) 50 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the seventh year of grant administration;
                    (H) 75 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the eighth year of grant administration; 
                and
                    (I) 100 percent of the Federal funds provided under 
                the grant in the ninth and following years of the grant 
                administration.
    (b) Reduced Match Rate Eligibility.--A State that receives a grant 
under this subtitle may provide matching funds from non-Federal sources 
at the full reduced rate under subsection (a)(2) if the State, across 
all publicly funded programs (including locally funded programs)--
            (1)(A) offers enrollment in high-quality prekindergarten 
        programs to not less than half of children in the State who 
        are--
                    (i) age 4 on the eligibility determination date; 
                and
                    (ii) from families with incomes at or below 200 
                percent of the poverty line; and
            (B) has a plan for continuing to expand access to high-
        quality prekindergarten programs for such children in the 
        State; and
            (2) has a plan to expand access to high-quality 
        prekindergarten programs to children from moderate income 
        families with incomes above 200 percent of the poverty line.
    (c) Non-Federal Resources.--
            (1) In general.--A State shall provide the matching funds 
        under this section from non-Federal resources, which may 
        include State funding, local funding, or contributions from 
        philanthropy or other private sources, or a combination of such 
        sources.
            (2) Funds to be considered as matching funds.--A State may 
        include, as part of the State's matching funds under this 
        section, not more than 10 percent of the amount of State or 
        local funds designated for State or local public 
        prekindergarten programs or to supplement Head Start programs 
        under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) as of the 
        date of enactment of this Act, but may not include any funds 
        that are attributed as matching funds, as part of a non-Federal 
        share, or as a maintenance of effort requirement, for any other 
        Federal program.
    (d) Maintenance of Effort.--
            (1) In general.--If a State reduces its combined fiscal 
        effort per student or the aggregate expenditures within the 
        State to support early childhood education programs for any 
        fiscal year that a State receives a grant authorized under this 
        subtitle relative to the previous fiscal year, the Secretary 
        shall reduce support for such State under this subtitle by the 
        same amount as the decline in State and local effort for such 
        fiscal year.
            (2) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive the requirements of 
        paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that a waiver would 
        be appropriate--
                    (A) due to a precipitous decline in the financial 
                resources of a State as a result of unforeseen economic 
                hardship or a natural disaster that has necessitated 
                across-the-board reductions in State services, 
                including early childhood education programs; or
                    (B) due to the circumstances of a State requiring 
                reductions in specific programs, including early 
                childhood education, if the State presents to the 
                Secretary a justification and demonstration why other 
                programs could not be reduced and how early childhood 
                programs in the State will not be disproportionately 
                harmed by such State action.
    (e) 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 on public prekindergarten programs in the 
State.

SEC. 120. ELIGIBLE LOCAL ENTITY APPLICATIONS.

    (a) In General.--An eligible local entity desiring to receive a 
subgrant under section 117(b) shall submit an application to the State, 
at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
State may reasonably require.
    (b) Contents.--Each application submitted under subsection (a) 
shall include the following:
            (1) Parent and family engagement.--A description of how the 
        eligible local entity plans to engage the parents and families 
        of the children such entity serves and ensure that parents and 
        families of eligible children, as described in clauses (i) and 
        (ii) of section 116(a)(2)(A), are aware of the services 
        provided by the eligible local entity, which shall include a 
        plan to--
                    (A) carry out meaningful parent and family 
                engagement, through the implementation and replication 
                of evidence-based or promising practices and 
                strategies, which shall be coordinated with parent and 
                family engagement strategies supported under the 
                Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
                1400 et seq.) and part A of title I and title V of the 
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 6311 et seq. and 7201 et seq.), if applicable, 
                in order to--
                            (i) provide parents and family members with 
                        the skills and opportunities necessary to 
                        become engaged and effective partners in their 
                        child's education, particularly the families of 
                        dual language learners and children with 
                        disabilities, which may include access to 
                        family literacy services;
                            (ii) improve child development; and
                            (iii) strengthen relationships among 
                        prekindergarten staff and parents and family 
                        members; and
                    (B) participate in community outreach to encourage 
                families with eligible children to participate in the 
                eligible local entity's high-quality prekindergarten 
                program, including--
                            (i) homeless children;
                            (ii) dual language learners;
                            (iii) children in foster care;
                            (iv) children with disabilities; and
                            (v) migrant children.
            (2) Coordination & alignment.--A description of how the 
        eligible local entity will--
                    (A) coordinate, if applicable, the eligible local 
                entity's activities with--
                            (i) Head Start agencies (consistent with 
                        section 642(e)(5) of the Head Start Act (42 
                        U.S.C. 9837(e)(5)), if the local entity is not 
                        a Head Start agency;
                            (ii) local educational agencies, if the 
                        local entity is not a local educational agency;
                            (iii) providers of services under part C of 
                        the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
                        (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.);
                            (iv) programs carried out under section 619 
                        of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
                        Act (20 U.S.C. 1419); and
                            (v) if feasible, other entities carrying 
                        out early childhood education programs and 
                        services within the area served by the local 
                        educational agency;
                    (B) develop a process with local elementary schools 
                to promote continuity of developmentally appropriate 
                instructional programs and shared expectations for 
                children's learning and development as children 
                transition to kindergarten;
                    (C) organize, if feasible, and participate in joint 
                training, when available, including transition-related 
                training for school staff and early childhood education 
                program staff;
                    (D) establish comprehensive transition policies and 
                procedures with elementary school principals, as 
                applicable, for children served by the eligible local 
                entity that support the school readiness of children 
                transitioning to kindergarten, including the transfer 
                of early childhood education program records with 
                parental consent;
                    (E) conduct outreach to parents, families, and 
                elementary school teachers and principals to discuss 
                the educational, developmental, and other needs of 
                children entering kindergarten;
                    (F) help parents, including parents of children who 
                are dual language learners, understand and engage with 
                the instructional and other services provided by the 
                kindergarten in which such child will enroll after 
                participation in a high-quality prekindergarten 
                program; and
                    (G) develop and implement a system to increase 
                program participation of underserved populations of 
                eligible children, especially homeless children, 
                children eligible for a free or reduced price lunch 
                under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), parents of children who are 
                dual language learners, and parents of children with 
                disabilities.
            (3) Protections for special populations.--A description of 
        how the eligible local entity will meet the diverse needs of 
        children in the community to be served, including children with 
        disabilities, children whose native language is not English, 
        children with other special needs, children in the State foster 
        care system, and homeless children. Such description shall 
        demonstrate, at a minimum, how the entity plans to--
                    (A) ensure the eligible local entity's high-quality 
                prekindergarten program is accessible and appropriate 
                for children with disabilities and dual language 
                learners;
                    (B) establish effective procedures for providing 
                early developmental screening and appropriate referral 
                to local agencies responsible for providing services 
                under section 619 or part C of the Individuals with 
                Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419 and 1431 et 
                seq.);
                    (C) establish effective procedures for timely 
                referral of children with disabilities to the State or 
                local agency described in subparagraph (B);
                    (D) ensure that the eligible local entity's high-
                quality prekindergarten program works with appropriate 
                entities to address the elimination of barriers to 
                immediate and continuous enrollment for homeless 
                children; and
                    (E) ensure access to and continuity of enrollment 
                in high-quality prekindergarten programs for migratory 
                children, as defined under section 1309 of the 
                Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 6399), if applicable, and homeless children, 
                including through policies and procedures that 
                require--
                            (i) outreach to identify migratory and 
                        homeless children;
                            (ii) immediate enrollment, including 
                        enrollment during the period of time when 
                        documents typically required for enrollment, 
                        including health and immunization records, 
                        proof of eligibility, and other documents, are 
                        obtained;
                            (iii) continuous enrollment and 
                        participation in the same high-quality 
                        prekindergarten program for a child, even if 
                        the child moves out of the program's service 
                        area, if that enrollment and participation are 
                        in the child's best interest, including by 
                        providing transportation when necessary;
                            (iv) professional development for high-
                        quality prekindergarten program staff regarding 
                        migratory children and homelessness among 
                        families with young children; and
                            (v) in serving homeless children, 
                        collaboration with local educational agency 
                        liaisons designated under section 
                        722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
                        Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)), 
                        and local homeless service providers.
            (4) Comprehensive services.--A description of how the 
        eligible local entity plans to provide comprehensive services, 
        as described in section 112(9)(I), to the children the eligible 
        local entity serves. Such description shall provide information 
        on how the entity will--
                    (A) use a recently conducted data-driven assessment 
                or conduct a data-driven community assessment in 
                coordination with members of the community, including 
                parents and community organizations, which--
                            (i) may involve an external partner with 
                        expertise in conducting such needs analysis, to 
                        determine the most appropriate social or other 
                        support services to offer through the eligible 
                        local entity's on-site comprehensive services 
                        to children who participate in high-quality 
                        prekindergarten programs; and
                            (ii) shall consider the resources available 
                        at the school, local educational agency, and 
                        community levels to address the needs of the 
                        community and improve child outcomes; and
                    (B) have a coordinated system to facilitate the 
                screening, referral, and provision of services related 
                to health, nutrition, mental health, disability, and 
                family support for children served by the eligible 
                local entity.
            (5) Workforce.--A description of how the eligible local 
        entity plans to support the instructional staff of such 
        entity's high-quality prekindergarten program, which shall, at 
        a minimum, include a plan to provide high-quality professional 
        development, or facilitate the provision of high-quality 
        professional development through an outside partner with 
        expertise and a demonstrated track record of success, based on 
        scientifically valid research, that will improve the knowledge 
        and skills of high-quality prekindergarten teachers and staff 
        through activities, which may include--
                    (A) acquiring content knowledge and learning 
                teaching strategies needed to provide effective 
                instruction that addresses the State's early learning 
                and development standards described under section 
                115(1), including professional training to support the 
                social and emotional development of children;
                    (B) enabling high-quality prekindergarten teachers 
                and staff to pursue specialized training in early 
                childhood development;
                    (C) enabling high-quality prekindergarten teachers 
                and staff to acquire the knowledge and skills to 
                provide instruction and appropriate language and 
                support services to increase the English language 
                skills of dual language learners;
                    (D) enabling high-quality prekindergarten teachers 
                and staff to acquire the knowledge and skills to 
                provide developmentally appropriate instruction for 
                children with disabilities;
                    (E) promoting classroom management;
                    (F) providing high-quality induction and support 
                for incoming teachers and staff serving high-quality 
                prekindergarten programs, including through the use of 
                mentoring programs and coaching that have a 
                demonstrated track record of success;
                    (G) promoting the acquisition of relevant 
                credentials, including in ways that support career 
                advancement through career ladders; and
                    (H) enabling high-quality prekindergarten teachers 
                and staff to acquire the knowledge and skills to 
                provide culturally competent instruction for children 
                from diverse backgrounds.

SEC. 121. REQUIRED SUBGRANT ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible local entity that receives a 
        subgrant under section 117(b) shall use the subgrant funds to 
        implement the elements of a high-quality prekindergarten 
        program for the children described in section 117(b).
            (2) Teacher qualifications.--
                    (A) New prekindergarten teachers.--Each eligible 
                local entity that receives a subgrant under section 
                117(b) shall ensure that all prekindergarten teachers 
                hired after the date of receipt of such subgrant and 
                working in a program supported with funds under such 
                subgrant meet the requirements in section 112(9)(B).
                    (B) Existing prekindergarten teachers.--Each 
                eligible local entity that receives a subgrant under 
                section 117(b) shall ensure that all prekindergarten 
                teachers hired before the date of receipt of such 
                subgrant and working in a program supported with funds 
                under such subgrant meet the requirements in section 
                112(9)(B) not later than 3 years after the date of 
                enactment of this Act.
    (b) Coordination.--
            (1) Local educational agency partnerships with local early 
        childhood education programs.--A local educational agency that 
        receives a subgrant under this subtitle shall provide an 
        assurance that the local educational agency will enter into 
        strong partnerships with local early childhood education 
        programs, including programs supported through the Head Start 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.).
            (2) Eligible local entities that are not local educational 
        agencies.--An eligible local entity that is not a local 
        educational agency that receives a subgrant under this subtitle 
        shall provide an assurance that such entity will enter into 
        strong partnerships with local educational agencies.

SEC. 122. REPORT AND EVALUATION.

    (a) In General.--Each State that receives a grant under this 
subtitle shall prepare an annual report, in such manner and containing 
such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
    (b) Contents.--A report prepared under subsection (a) shall 
contain, at a minimum--
            (1) a description of the manner in which the State has used 
        the funds made available through the grant and a report of the 
        expenditures made with the funds;
            (2) a summary of the State's progress toward providing 
        access to high-quality prekindergarten programs for children 
        eligible for such services, as determined by the State, from 
        families with incomes at or below 200 percent of the poverty 
        line, including the percentage of funds spent on children from 
        families with incomes--
                    (A) at or below 100 percent of the poverty line;
                    (B) above 100 percent and at or below 150 percent 
                of the poverty line; and
                    (C) above 150 percent and at or below 200 percent 
                of the poverty line;
            (3) an evaluation of the State's progress toward achieving 
        the State's performance targets, described in section 118;
            (4) data on the number of high-quality prekindergarten 
        program teachers and staff in the State who received training 
        or education during the period of the grant and remained in the 
        early childhood education program field, including teacher 
        turnover rates and teacher compensation levels compared to 
        teachers in elementary schools and secondary schools, according 
        to the setting in which such teachers and staff work (which 
        settings shall include, at a minimum, Head Start programs, 
        public prekindergarten, and child care programs);
            (5) data on the kindergarten readiness of children in the 
        State;
            (6) a description of the State's progress in effectively 
        using Federal, State, and local public funds and private funds 
        for early childhood education;
            (7) the number and percentage of children in the State 
        participating in high-quality prekindergarten programs, 
        disaggregated by race, ethnicity, family income, child age, 
        disability, whether the children are homeless children, and 
        whether the children are dual language learners;
            (8) data on the availability, affordability, and quality of 
        infant and toddler care in the State;
            (9) the local educational agency and zip code in which each 
        eligible local entity that receives a subgrant operates;
            (10) information, for each of the local educational 
        agencies described in paragraph (9), on the percentage of the 
        costs of the public early childhood education programs that is 
        funded from Federal, from State, and from local sources, 
        including the percentages from specific funding programs;
            (11) data on the number and percentage of children in the 
        State participating in public kindergarten programs, 
        disaggregated by race, family income, child age, disability, 
        whether the children are homeless children, and whether the 
        children are dual language learners, with information on 
        whether such programs are offered--
                    (A) for a full day; and
                    (B) at no cost to families;
            (12) data on the number of individuals in the State who are 
        supported with scholarships, if applicable, to meet the 
        baccalaureate degree requirement for high-quality 
        prekindergarten programs, as defined in section 112; and
            (13) if applicable, data on the rates of expulsion, 
        suspension, and similar disciplinary action, of children in the 
        State participating in high-quality prekindergarten programs, 
        disaggregated by race, ethnicity, family income, child age, and 
        disability.
    (c) Submission.--A State shall submit the annual report prepared 
under subsection (a), at the end of each fiscal year, to the Secretary, 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the State Advisory 
Council on Early Childhood Education and Care.
    (d) Cooperation.--An eligible local entity that receives a subgrant 
under this subtitle shall cooperate with all Federal and State efforts 
to evaluate the effectiveness of the program the entity implements with 
subgrant funds.
    (e) National Report.--The Secretary shall compile and summarize the 
annual State reports described under subsection (c) and shall prepare 
and submit an annual report to Congress that includes a summary of such 
State reports.

SEC. 123. PROHIBITION OF REQUIRED PARTICIPATION OR USE OF FUNDS FOR 
              ASSESSMENTS.

    (a) Prohibition on Required Participation.--A State receiving a 
grant under this subtitle shall not require any child to participate in 
any Federal, State, local, or private early childhood education 
program, including a high-quality prekindergarten program.
    (b) Prohibition on Use of Funds for Assessment.--A State receiving 
a grant under this subtitle and an eligible local entity receiving a 
subgrant under this subtitle shall not use any grant or subgrant funds 
to carry out any of the following activities:
            (1) An assessment that provides rewards or sanctions for 
        individual children or teachers.
            (2) An assessment that is used as the primary or sole 
        method for assessing program effectiveness.
            (3) Evaluating children, other than for the purposes of--
                    (A) improving instruction or the classroom 
                environment;
                    (B) targeting professional development;
                    (C) determining the need for health, mental health, 
                disability, or family support services;
                    (D) program evaluation for the purposes of program 
                improvement and parent information; and
                    (E) improving parent and family engagement.

SEC. 124. COORDINATION WITH HEAD START PROGRAMS.

    (a) Increased Access for Younger Children.--Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary and the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall develop a process for use 
in the event that Head Start programs funded under the Head Start Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) operate in States or regions that have 
achieved sustained universal, voluntary access to 4-year old children 
who reside within the State and who are from families with incomes at 
or below 200 percent of the poverty line, to high-quality 
prekindergarten programs and how such Head Start programs will begin 
converting slots for children who are age 4 on the eligibility 
determination date to children who are age 3 on the eligibility 
determination date, or, when appropriate, converting Head Start 
Programs into Early Head Start programs to serve infants and toddlers.
    (b) Community Need and Resources.--The process described in 
subsection (a) shall--
            (1) be carried out on a case-by-case basis and shall ensure 
        that sufficient resources and time are allocated for the 
        development of such a process so that no child or cohort is 
        excluded from currently available services; and
            (2) ensure that any conversion shall be based on community 
        need and not on the aggregate number of children served in a 
        State or region that has achieved sustained, universal, 
        voluntary access to high-quality prekindergarten programs.
    (c) Public Comment and Notice.--Not fewer than 90 days after the 
development of the proposed process described in subsection (a), the 
Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall publish 
a notice describing such proposed process for conversion in the Federal 
Register providing at least 90 days for public comment. The Secretaries 
shall review and consider public comments prior to finalizing the 
process for conversion of Head Start slots and programs.
    (d) Reports to Congress.--Concurrently with publishing a notice in 
the Federal Register as described in subsection (c), the Secretaries 
shall provide a report to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate that provides a detailed description 
of the proposed process described in subsection (a), including a 
description of the degree to which Head Start programs are providing 
State-funded high-quality prekindergarten programs as a result of the 
grant opportunity provided under this subtitle in States where Head 
Start programs are eligible for conversion described in subsection (a).

SEC. 125. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.

    In providing technical assistance to carry out activities under 
this title, the Secretary shall coordinate that technical assistance, 
in appropriate cases, with technical assistance provided by the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out the programs 
authorized under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), the Child 
Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), 
and the maternal, infant and early childhood home visiting programs 
assisted under section 511 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 711).

SEC. 126. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to permit discrimination on 
the basis of race, color, religion, sex (except as otherwise permitted 
under title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681 et 
seq.) (also known as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in 
Education Act)), national origin, or disability in any program funded 
under this Act.

SEC. 127. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
subtitle--
            (1) $1,300,000,000 for fiscal year 2015;
            (2) $3,250,000,000 for fiscal year 2016;
            (3) $5,780,000,000 for fiscal year 2017;
            (4) $7,580,000,000 for fiscal year 2018;
            (5) $8,960,000,000 for fiscal year 2019; and
            (6) such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
        2020 through 2023.

             Subtitle B--Prekindergarten Development Grants

SEC. 151. PREKINDERGARTEN DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Education, in consultation with 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall award competitive 
grants to States, local educational agencies, or other local government 
entities that wish to increase their capacity and build the 
infrastructure within the State to offer high-quality prekindergarten 
programs.
    (b) Eligibility of States.--A State that is not receiving funds 
under section 115 may compete for grant funds under this subtitle if 
the State provides an assurance that the State will, through the 
support of grant funds awarded under this subtitle, meet the 
eligibility requirements of section 115 not later than 3 years after 
the date the State first receives grant funds under this subtitle.
    (c) Grant Duration.--The Secretary shall award grants under this 
subtitle for a period of not more than 3 years. Such grants shall not 
be renewed.
    (d) Application.--
            (1) In general.--A Governor, or chief executive officer of 
        a State, a local educational agency, or another local 
        government entity that desires to receive a grant under this 
        subtitle shall submit an application to the Secretary of 
        Education at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
        information as the Secretary may reasonably require, including, 
        if applicable, a description of how the State plans to become 
        eligible for grants under section 115 by not later than 3 years 
        after the date the State first receives grant funds under this 
        subtitle.
            (2) Development of state application.--In developing an 
        application for a grant under this subtitle, a State shall 
        consult with the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood 
        Education and Care and incorporate their recommendations, where 
        applicable.
    (e) Matching Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this subtitle, a State, local educational agency, or other 
        local government entity shall contribute for the activities for 
        which the grant was awarded non-Federal matching funds in an 
        amount equal to not less than 20 percent of the amount of the 
        grant.
            (2) Non-federal funds.--To satisfy the requirement of 
        paragraph (1), a State, local educational agency, or other 
        local government entity may use--
                    (A) non-Federal resources in the form of State 
                funding, local funding, or contributions from 
                philanthropy or other private sources, or a combination 
                of such resources; or
                    (B) in-kind contributions.
            (3) Financial hardship waiver.--The Secretary may waive 
        paragraph (1) or reduce the amount of matching funds required 
        under that paragraph for a State, local educational agency, or 
        other local government entity that has submitted an application 
        for a grant under this subsection if the State, local 
        educational agency, or other local government entity 
        demonstrates, in the application, a need for such a waiver or 
        reduction due to extreme financial hardship, as determined by 
        the Secretary.
    (f) Subgrants.--
            (1) In general.--A State, local educational agency, or 
        other local government entity awarded a grant under this 
        subtitle may use the grant funds to award subgrants to eligible 
        local entities, as defined in section 112, to carry out the 
        activities under the grant.
            (2) Subgrantees.--An eligible local entity awarded a 
        subgrant under paragraph (1) shall comply with the requirements 
        of this subtitle relating to grantees, as appropriate.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            (1) $750,000,000 for fiscal year 2015; and
            (2) such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
        2016 through 2024.

                TITLE II--LEARNING QUALITY PARTNERSHIPS

SEC. 201. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this title are to--
            (1) increase the availability of, and access to, high-
        quality early childhood education and care programming for 
        infants and toddlers;
            (2) support a higher quality of, and increase capacity for, 
        that programming in both child care centers and family child 
        care homes; and
            (3) encourage the provision of comprehensive, coordinated 
        full-day services and supports for infants and toddlers.

SEC. 202. EARLY LEARNING QUALITY PARTNERSHIPS.

    The Head Start Act is amended--
            (1) section 645A(e) (42 U.S.C. 9840a(e)) is amended to read 
        as follows:
    ``(e) Selection of Grant Recipients.--The Secretary shall award 
grants under this section on a competitive basis to applicants meeting 
the criteria in subsection (d) (giving priority to entities with a 
record of providing early, continuous, and comprehensive childhood 
development and family services and entities that agree to partner with 
a center-based or family child care provider to carry out the 
activities described in section 645B).''; and
            (2) by inserting after section 645A (42 U.S.C. 9840a) the 
        following:

``SEC. 645B. EARLY LEARNING QUALITY PARTNERSHIPS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall make grants to Early Head 
Start agencies to partner with center-based or family child care 
providers, particularly those that receive support under the Child Care 
and Development Block Grant of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), that 
agree to meet program performance standards that are described in 
section 641A(a)(1) and applicable Early Head Start standards described 
in section 645A, with funding and technical assistance from the Early 
Head Start agency.
    ``(b) Selection of Grant Recipients.--
            ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and 
        (3), the Secretary shall award grants under this section in a 
        manner consistent with section 645A(e).
            ``(2) Competitive priority.--In awarding grants under this 
        section, the Secretary shall give priority to applicants--
                    ``(A) that propose to create strong alignment of 
                programs with maternal, infant, and early childhood 
                home visiting programs assisted under section 511 of 
                the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 711), State-funded 
                prekindergarten programs, programs carried out under 
                the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 
                (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), and other programs supported 
                under this Act, to create a strong continuum of high-
                quality services for children from birth to school 
                entry; and
                    ``(B) that seek to work with child care providers 
                across settings, including center-based and home-based 
                programs.
            ``(3) Allocation.--
                    ``(A) Reservation.--From funds appropriated to 
                carry out this section, the Secretary shall reserve--
                            ``(i) not less than 3 percent of such funds 
                        for Indian Head Start programs that serve young 
                        children;
                            ``(ii) not less than 4.5 percent for 
                        migrant and seasonal Head Start programs that 
                        serve young children; and
                            ``(iii) not less than 0.2 percent for 
                        programs funded under clause (iv) or (v) of 
                        section 640(a)(2)(B).
                    ``(B) Allocation among states.--The Secretary shall 
                allocate funds appropriated to carry out this section 
                and not reserved under subparagraph (A), through grants 
                to Early Head Start agencies, among the States 
                proportionally based on the number of young children 
                from families whose income is below the poverty line 
                residing in such States.
                    ``(C) Reallocation.--After allocating funds made 
                available under this section in a manner consistent 
                with the purposes and requirements of this section, the 
                Secretary may use any unallocated funds for unfunded, 
                high-quality partnership applications in other States 
                or to expand Early Head Start slots in communities 
                without center-based or family child care providers 
                with which to partner.
    ``(c) Eligibility of Children.--
            ``(1) In general.--Partnerships formed through assistance 
        provided under this section may serve children through age 3.
            ``(2) Standards.--The standards applied to children served 
        under this section shall be consistent with those applied to 
        children through age 3 who are otherwise served under this Act.
            ``(3) Minimum duration.--Children determined eligible and 
        subsequently served under this section shall be deemed eligible 
        for the full complement of services provided under the 
        partnership through the end of the succeeding program year, 
        consistent with section 645(a)(1)(B)(v).
    ``(d) Partnerships.--An Early Head Start agency that receives a 
grant under this section shall--
            ``(1) develop and implement a proposal to recruit and enter 
        into the contract with a center-based or family child care 
        provider, particularly a provider that serves children who 
        receive assistance under the Child Care and Development Block 
        Grant of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.);
            ``(2) enter into a contractual relationship with a center-
        based or family child care provider to raise the quality of 
        such provider's programs so that the provider meets the program 
        performance standards described in subsection (a) through 
        activities that may include--
                    ``(A) expanding the center-based or family child 
                care provider's programs through financial support or 
                the addition of Early Head Start slots in the child 
                care provider's setting;
                    ``(B) providing training, technical assistance, and 
                support to the provider in order to help the provider 
                meet the program performance standards, which may 
                include supporting program and partner staff in earning 
                a child development associate credential, associate's 
                degree, or baccalaureate degree in early childhood 
                education or a closely related field for working with 
                infants and toddlers; and
                    ``(C) blending funds received under the Child Care 
                and Development Block Grant of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et 
                seq.) or other sources of child care support with the 
                Early Head Start program carried out under section 645A 
                in order to provide high-quality child care, for a full 
                day, that meets the program performance standards;
            ``(3) create a clear and realizable timeline to increase 
        the quality and capacity of a center-based or family child care 
        provider so that the provider meets the program performance 
        standards described in subsection (a); and
            ``(4) align activities and services provided through 
        funding under this section with the Head Start Child Outcomes 
        Framework.
    ``(e) Standards.--Prior to awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary shall establish standards to ensure that the responsibility 
and expectations of the Early Head Start Agency and the partner child 
care providers are clearly defined.
    ``(f) Designation Renewal.--A partner child care provider that 
receives assistance through a grant provided under this section shall 
be exempt, for a period of 18 months (from the start of the provision 
of services under the grant), from the designation renewal requirements 
under section 641(c).
    ``(g) Survey of Early Head Start Agencies and Report to Congress.--
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Strong Start 
for America's Children Act, the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) conduct a survey of Early Head Start agencies to 
        determine the extent of barriers to entering into early 
        learning quality partnership agreements under this section on 
        Early Head Start agencies and on child care providers; and
            ``(2) submit information obtained from the survey conducted 
        under paragraph (1), with suggested steps to overcome such 
        barriers, in a report to the Committee on Education and the 
        Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
        Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, including 
        a detailed description of the degree to which Early Head Start 
        agencies are utilizing the funds provided.
    ``(h) Monitoring.--The Secretary shall establish and ensure 
monitoring that is sensitive and appropriate to the model used for 
partnerships administered under this section.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            ``(1) $4,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2015; and
            ``(2) such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal 
        years 2016 through 2024.''.

 TITLE III--MATERNAL, INFANT, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITING PROGRAM

SEC. 301. SENSE OF SENATE.

    It is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) from the prenatal period to the first day of 
        kindergarten, children's development rapidly progresses at a 
        pace exceeding that of any subsequent stage of life;
            (2) as reported by the National Academy of Sciences in 
        2001, striking disparities exist in what children know and can 
        do that are evident well before they enter kindergarten; these 
        differences are strongly associated with social and economic 
        circumstances, and they are predictive of subsequent academic 
        performance;
            (3) research has consistently demonstrated that investments 
        in high-quality programs that serve infants and toddlers better 
        positions those children for success in elementary, secondary, 
        and postsecondary education as well as helping children develop 
        the critical physical, emotional, social, and cognitive skills 
        that they will need for the rest of their lives;
            (4) in 2011, there were 11,000,000 infants and toddlers 
        living in the United States and 49 percent of these children 
        came from low-income families living with incomes at or below 
        200 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines;
            (5) the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting 
        (MIECHV) program was authorized by Congress to facilitate 
        collaboration and partnership at the Federal, State, and 
        community levels to improve health and development outcomes for 
        at-risk children, including those from low-income families, 
        through evidence-based home visiting programs;
            (6) MIECHV is an evidence-based policy initiative and its 
        authorizing legislation requires that at least 75 percent of 
        funds dedicated to the program must support programs to 
        implement evidence-based home visiting models, which includes 
        the home-based model of Early Head Start; and
            (7) Congress should continue to provide resources to MIECHV 
        to support the work of States to help at-risk families 
        voluntarily receive home visits from nurses and social workers 
        to--
                    (A) promote maternal, infant, and child health;
                    (B) improve school readiness and achievement;
                    (C) prevent potential child abuse or neglect and 
                injuries;
                    (D) support family economic self-sufficiency;
                    (E) reduce crime or domestic violence; and
                    (F) improve coordination or referrals for community 
                resources and supports.
                                                       Calendar No. 427

113th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 2452

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

                       To support early learning.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             June 10, 2014

                 Read twice and placed on the calendar