[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 58 (Tuesday, April 21, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4516-S4519]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CASEY (for himself, Mr. Kaufman, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. 
        Sanders, and Mr. Begich):
  S. 839. A bill to assist States in making voluntary high quality 
universal prekindergarten programs available to 3- to 5-year olds for 
at least 1 year preceding kindergarten; to the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the well-being 
of our children, both now, today, and also into the future. That is why 
today I am reintroducing my bill, Prepare All Kids, along with Senator 
Kaufman of Delaware and Senator Whitehouse of Rhode Island.
  I believe--and I know this is a belief shared by many people in our 
country--every child in America is born with a light inside and it is 
our responsibility to keep that light burning ever brightly. This bill 
will help States to provide at least 1 year of voluntary 
prekindergarten education to children between the ages of 3 and 5. The 
Prepare All Kids Act will also provide funding for important programs 
that serve the needs of children from birth to age 3, a most critical 
time in the development of children.
  The research is irrefutable. Investing in children in their earliest 
years greatly improves their life outcomes, and conservative estimates 
put the savings to our economy at about $7 for every $1 we invest. So 
this is about two things: It is certainly about our obligation, our 
abiding obligation to our children, but it is also about our economy, 
the obligation to our economy that we have to develop skilled workers 
to compete in a world economy.
  There is no question that for some of the most disadvantaged children 
there is an achievement gap between them and their more privileged 
peers that sometimes never closes. One study shows that before entering 
kindergarten, the average cognitive scores of preschool-age children in 
the highest socioeconomic group were 60 percent above the average 
scores of children in the lowest socioeconomic group. I believe 
investing in children is the right thing to do, and it is the smart 
thing to do. Sometimes the oldest sayings are the truest because years 
of scientific research on early childhood programs has proven without a 
doubt that an ounce of prevention is indeed worth a pound of cure--
certainly when it comes to investing in our children.
  Earlier this year, I was proud to advocate for investments in our 
children in this year's recovery bill and prouder still when those 
investments remained intact with passage. Programs such as Early Head 
Start, Head Start, and childcare programs are receiving desperately 
needed increases right now, as working parents all across the country 
struggle to maintain jobs, keep their homes, and ensure their children 
are well cared for while they take care of their responsibilities. It 
is critical that working families can depend upon these investments in 
the years to come.
  The Presidency, the administration of Barack Obama, has an important 
budget blueprint for further recognizing the wisdom of investing in our 
children. In addition to the recovery bill investments, the President's 
Zero to Five initiative highlights the importance of investments during 
the critical period of time between birth and age 5: investments in 
early learning, nurse home visitation, and creating neighborhoods in 
which low-income and disadvantaged children can receive the help and 
assistance they need to succeed in life.
  I want to emphasize very clearly today as it relates to the bigger 
picture of giving children what they need in the early years, my bill, 
the Prepare All Kids Act, focuses on prekindergarten, but it also 
focuses on programs that serve infants and toddlers. It is also about 
investing in and preparing all kids--not just some but all--who are 
about to enter kindergarten. It is absolutely imperative that we don't 
see children in pieces, that we not create silos as we begin to focus 
on the kinds of investments our children need. We cannot allow that to 
be ``siloed'' that way, not childcare versus Head Start versus 
prekindergarten. These programs should not have to compete with one 
another, and in my bill I make sure they don't.
  We also have to remember that investing in children cannot suddenly 
begin when they are 3 or 4 years old. It must begin from the earliest 
days of a child's life, literally beginning before they are born. The 
Obama administration, in outlining its vision of early childhood, shows 
a wise commitment to streamlining and coordinating a system of early 
childhood programs and investments. I could not agree more with the 
need for such streamlining.
  We are also fortunate indeed to have Secretary Duncan and, hopefully 
very soon, the confirmation of Governor Sebelius as Secretary of Health 
and Human Services--both of whom really get it, as the President said 
to a joint session in speaking of another part of our priorities in 
terms of getting it, understanding what we have to do. When it comes to 
the continuum of early childhood development and education, both of 
these officials, as well as the President and Vice President and their 
team, all get this, and they understand it. That is why they have made 
Zero to Five such a high priority.
  Let me turn to an economic summary of the Prepare All Kids Act. First 
of all, in this bill we assist States in providing at least 1 year of 
high-quality prekindergarten education to children. Under my bill, 
prekindergarten programs must adhere to high-quality standards. That 
includes a research-based curriculum that supports children's 
cognitive, social, emotional, and

[[Page S4517]]

physical development and individual learning styles. Experts tell us 
that at the preschool stage, social and emotional learning can be as 
important and perhaps even more important than cognitive learning. That 
is where early socialization takes place--learning to share, pay 
attention, work independently, and express feelings. All these are 
critical to successful childhood development.
  Classrooms in our bill will have a maximum of 20 children and 
children-to-teacher ratios of no more than 10 to 1. Children need 
individualized and quality attention to thrive, and these requirements 
provide that. The bill helps States that want to expand pre-K programs 
to full-day programs as well as extend their programs year round. This 
supports both children and working parents who need high-quality 
programs for their children during the workday and in the summer.
  Prekindergarten teachers will be required to have a bachelor's degree 
at the time they are employed, but we give them sufficient time, 6 
years, in order to get it. We also allow States to use funds for 
professional development for teachers. But we want highly qualified and 
committed teachers in our pre-K programs.
  States must create a monitoring plan that will appropriately measure 
individual program effectiveness. And, one more point: infant and 
toddler programs will receive a significant portion of the funding--15 
percent. These programs typically receive the lowest dollars of all 
early childhood programs, making it difficult for parents, many of them 
single moms, to find quality childcare for the youngest of our 
children.
  We have to recognize in this bill and other places as well the 
critical role of parents in the education of their young children by 
strongly encouraging parental involvement in programs and assisting 
families in getting the supportive services they may need.
  Children come in families. To truly help children, we have to involve 
and support their parents. We have to involve the whole family. More 
important, children cannot succeed without the active involvement of 
their parents. I believe we have an obligation to our children and to 
our future workforce.
  Compared to children who attend high-quality preschool, those who do 
not attend such programs are five times more likely to be chronic 
lawbreakers as adults and more likely to abuse illegal drugs. Children 
who attend high-quality preschool are more successful in school, more 
likely to graduate from high school, and thus more likely to become 
productive adults who contribute to the U.S. economy.
  But for anyone who needs additional reasons, decades of research on 
life outcomes of children who have attended early childhood programs 
proves the wisdom of this investment. Conservative estimates are that 
we save $7 for every $1 invested--in crime, welfare, and education 
costs. Some studies have shown as much as $17 in savings.
  We must ensure that the light in every child--really, their 
potential--burns brightly. It is my deep conviction that as elected 
public servants we have a sacred responsibility to ensure we invest in 
our children by providing early learning and development, nutrition and 
health care--these three: nutrition, health care, and early learning. 
That is why I am committed to serving the children of this Nation and 
why I am reintroducing the Prepare All Kids Act.
  I look forward to working with President Obama and Democrats and 
Republicans in the Congress who share these priorities. I look forward 
to giving our children the good start they deserve, to keep their light 
shining brightly.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
placed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 839

       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 ``Prepare All Kids Act of 
     2009''.

     SEC. 2. HIGH QUALITY PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS.

       Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
     1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating part I as part J; and
       (2) by inserting after part H the following:

            ``PART I--HIGH QUALITY PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS

     ``SEC. 1841. FINDINGS.

       ``Congress makes the following findings:
       ``(1) Investments in children and early childhood 
     development education should be a national priority.
       ``(2) State-funded preschool is the most rapidly expanding 
     segment of the United States educational system, but in many 
     States a lack of stable funding poses an enormous threat to 
     the provision or continuation of high quality preschool.
       ``(3) Researchers, educators, and economists have long 
     noted an achievement gap for low-income and minority students 
     as compared to their more advantaged peers that is often 
     already evident when children enter school for the first 
     time.
       ``(4) One study showed that before entering kindergarten, 
     the average cognitive scores of preschool-age children in the 
     highest socioeconomic group are 60 percent above the average 
     scores of children in the lowest socioeconomic group.
       ``(5) For low-income preschoolers, research shows that high 
     quality early education and development is vital to closing 
     the achievement gap between them and their more advantaged 
     peers.
       ``(6) Numerous studies have shown that high quality 
     preschool programs--
       ``(A) improve a number of specific life outcomes for 
     children; and
       ``(B) are cost effective.
       ``(7) The provision of high quality prekindergarten is a 
     cost-effective investment for children and for the Nation. 
     Research shows that for every $1 invested in high quality 
     early childhood programs, taxpayers save up to $7 in crime, 
     welfare, remedial and special education, and other costs.
       ``(8) High quality early education increases academic 
     success for schoolchildren who received that education by--
       ``(A) improving skills in areas such as following 
     directions and problem solving;
       ``(B) improving children's performance on standardized 
     tests;
       ``(C) reducing grade repetition;
       ``(D) reducing the number of children placed in special 
     education; and
       ``(E) increasing high school graduation rates.
       ``(9) High quality early education promotes responsible 
     behavior by teens and adults who received that education by--
       ``(A) reducing crime, delinquency, and unhealthy behaviors 
     such as smoking and drug use;
       ``(B) lowering rates of teen pregnancy;
       ``(C) leading to greater employment and higher wages for 
     adults; and
       ``(D) contributing to more stable families.
       ``(10) High quality prekindergarten programs prepare 
     children to--
       ``(A) succeed in school;
       ``(B) achieve higher levels of education; and
       ``(C) become citizens who--
       ``(i) earn more in adulthood;
       ``(ii) compete in the global economy; and
       ``(iii) contribute to our national prosperity.

     ``SEC. 1842. DEFINITIONS.

       ``In this part:
       ``(1) Full-day.--The term `full-day', used with respect to 
     a program, means a program with a minimum of a 6-hour 
     schedule per day.
       ``(2) Poverty line.--The term `poverty line' has the 
     meaning given the term in section 673(2) of the Community 
     Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)) and includes any 
     revision required by that section.
       ``(3) Prekindergarten.--The term `prekindergarten' means a 
     program that--
       ``(A) serves children who are ages 3 through 5;
       ``(B) supports children's cognitive, social, emotional, and 
     physical development and approaches to learning; and
       ``(C) helps prepare children for a successful transition to 
     kindergarten.
       ``(4) Prekindergarten teacher.--The term `prekindergarten 
     teacher' means an individual who
       ``(A) has a bachelor of arts degree with a specialization 
     in early childhood education or early childhood development; 
     or
       ``(B) during the 6-year period following the first date on 
     which the individual is employed as such a teacher under this 
     part, is working toward that degree.
       ``(5) Qualified prekindergarten provider.--The term 
     `qualified prekindergarten provider' includes a provider of a 
     prekindergarten program, a Head Start agency, a provider of a 
     child care program, a school, and a for-profit or nonprofit 
     organization that--
       ``(A) is in existence on the date of the qualification 
     determination; and
       ``(B) has met applicable requirements under State or local 
     law that are designed to protect the health and safety of 
     children and that are applicable to child care providers.

     ``SEC. 1843. PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION.

       ``(a) Prekindergarten Incentive Fund.--The Secretary, in 
     collaboration and consultation with the Secretary of Health 
     and Human Services, shall create a Prekindergarten Incentive 
     Fund, to be administered by the Secretary of Education.
       ``(b) Grants.--In administering the Fund, the Secretary 
     shall award grants to eligible States based on a formula 
     established by the Secretary in accordance with subsection 
     (c),

[[Page S4518]]

     to pay for the Federal share of the cost of awarding 
     subgrants to qualified prekindergarten providers to 
     establish, expand, or enhance voluntary high quality full-day 
     prekindergarten programs.
       ``(c) Minimum Allotment.--No State shall receive a grant 
     allotment under subsection (b) for a fiscal year that is less 
     than one-half of 1 percent of the total amount made available 
     to carry out this part for such fiscal year.

     ``SEC. 1844. STATE APPLICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS.

       ``(a) Designated State Agency.--To be eligible to receive a 
     grant under this part, a State shall designate a State agency 
     to administer the State program of assistance for 
     prekindergarten programs funded through the grant, including 
     receiving and administering funds and monitoring the 
     programs.
       ``(b) State Application.--In order for a State to be 
     eligible to receive a grant under this part, the designated 
     State agency shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
     such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
     the Secretary may reasonably require, including--
       ``(1) an assurance that the State will award subgrants for 
     prekindergarten programs that are sufficient to provide a 
     high quality prekindergarten experience;
       ``(2) an assurance that not less than 25 percent of the 
     qualified prekindergarten providers receiving such subgrants 
     will be providers of community-based programs;
       ``(3) a description of the number of children in the State 
     who are eligible for the prekindergarten programs and the 
     needs that will be served through the prekindergarten 
     programs;
       ``(4) a description of how the State will ensure that the 
     subgrants are awarded to a wide range of types of qualified 
     prekindergarten providers;
       ``(5) a description of how the designated State agency will 
     collaborate and coordinate activities with the State Advisory 
     Council on Early Childhood Education and Care, State-funded 
     providers of prekindergarten programs, providers of federally 
     funded programs such as Head Start agencies, local 
     educational agencies, and child care providers;
       ``(6) a description of how the State will ensure, through a 
     monitoring process, that qualified prekindergarten providers 
     receiving the subgrants provide programs that meet the 
     standards of high quality early education, and use funds 
     appropriately;
       ``(7) a description of how the State will meet the needs of 
     the most disadvantaged students, including families at or 
     below 200 percent of the poverty line;
       ``(8) a description of how the State will meet the needs of 
     working parents; and
       ``(9) a description of how the State will assist in 
     providing professional development assistance to 
     prekindergarten teachers and teacher aides.
       ``(c) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost 
     described in section 1843(b) shall be 50 percent. The State 
     shall provide the non-Federal share of the cost in cash.
       ``(d) Supplementary Federal Funding.--Funds made available 
     under this part may be used only to supplement and not 
     supplant other Federal, State, local, or private funds that 
     would, in the absence of the funds made available under this 
     part, be made available for early childhood programs.
       ``(e) Maintenance of Effort.--A State that receives a grant 
     under this part for a fiscal year shall maintain the 
     expenditures of the State for early childhood programs at a 
     level not less than the level of such expenditures of the 
     State for the preceding fiscal year.

     ``SEC. 1845. STATE SET ASIDES AND EXPENDITURES.

       ``(a) Infant and Toddler Set Aside.--Notwithstanding 
     sections 1842 and 1843, a State shall set aside not less than 
     15 percent of the funds made available through a grant 
     awarded under this part for the purpose of funding high 
     quality early childhood development programs for children who 
     are ages 0 through 3. Funds made available under this 
     subsection may also be used for professional development for 
     teachers and teacher aides in classrooms for children who are 
     ages 0 through 3.
       ``(b) Extended Day and Extended Year Set Aside.--
     Notwithstanding section 1843, a State shall set aside not 
     less than 10 percent of the funds made available through a 
     grant awarded under this part for the purpose of extending 
     the hours of early childhood programs to create extended day 
     and extended year programs.
       ``(c) Administrative Expenses.--Not more than 5 percent of 
     the funds made available through such a grant may be used for 
     administrative expenses, including monitoring.

     ``SEC. 1846. LOCAL APPLICATIONS.

       ``To be eligible to receive a subgrant under this part, a 
     qualified prekindergarten provider shall submit an 
     application to the designated State agency at such time, in 
     such manner, and containing such information as the agency 
     may reasonably require, including--
       ``(1) a description of how the qualified prekindergarten 
     provider will meet the diverse needs of children in the 
     community to be served, including children with disabilities, 
     whose native language is not English, or with other special 
     needs, children in the State foster care system, and homeless 
     children;
       ``(2) a description of how the qualified prekindergarten 
     provider will serve eligible children who are not served 
     through similar services or programs;
       ``(3) a description of a plan for actively involving 
     parents and families in the prekindergarten program and the 
     success of their children in the program;
       ``(4) a description of how children in the prekindergarten 
     program, and their parents and families, will receive 
     referrals to, or assistance with, accessing supportive 
     services provided within the community;
       ``(5) a description of how the qualified prekindergarten 
     provider collaborates with the State Advisory Council on 
     Early Childhood Education and Care and providers of other 
     programs serving children and families, including Head Start 
     agencies, providers of child care programs, and local 
     educational agencies, to meet the needs of children, 
     families, and working families, as appropriate; and
       ``(6) a description of how the qualified prekindergarten 
     provider will collaborate with local educational agencies to 
     ensure a smooth transition for participating students from 
     the prekindergarten program to kindergarten and early 
     elementary education.

     ``SEC. 1847. LOCAL PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

       ``(a) Mandatory Uses of Funds.--A qualified prekindergarten 
     provider that receives a subgrant under this part shall use 
     funds received through the grant to establish, expand, or 
     enhance prekindergarten programs for children who are ages 3 
     through 5, including--
       ``(1) providing a prekindergarten program that supports 
     children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical 
     development and approaches to learning, and helps prepare 
     children for a successful transition to kindergarten; and
       ``(2) purchasing educational equipment, including 
     educational materials, necessary to provide a high quality 
     prekindergarten program.
       ``(b) Permissible Use of Funds.--A qualified 
     prekindergarten provider that receives a subgrant under this 
     part may use funds received through the grant to--
       ``(1) extend part-day prekindergarten programs to full-day 
     prekindergarten programs and year-round programs;
       ``(2) pay for transporting students to and from a 
     prekindergarten program; and
       ``(3) provide professional development assistance to 
     prekindergarten teachers and teacher aides.
       ``(c) Program Requirements.--A qualified prekindergarten 
     provider that receives a subgrant under this part shall carry 
     out a high quality prekindergarten program by--
       ``(1) maintaining a maximum class size of 20 children, with 
     at least 1 prekindergarten teacher per classroom;
       ``(2) ensuring that the ratio of children to 
     prekindergarten teachers and teacher aides shall not exceed 
     10 to 1;
       ``(3) utilizing a prekindergarten curriculum that is 
     research- and evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, 
     and designed to support children's cognitive, social, 
     emotional, and physical development, and approaches to 
     learning; and
       ``(4) ensuring that prekindergarten teachers meet the 
     requirements of this part.

     ``SEC. 1848. REPORTING.

       ``(a) Qualified Prekindergarten Provider Reports.--Each 
     qualified prekindergarten provider that receives a subgrant 
     from a State under this part shall submit an annual report, 
     to the designated State agency, that reviews the 
     effectiveness of the prekindergarten program provided. Such 
     annual report shall include--
       ``(1) data specifying the number and ages of enrolled 
     children, and the family income, race, gender, disability, 
     and native language of such children;
       ``(2) a description of--
       ``(A) the curriculum used by the program;
       ``(B) how the curriculum supports children's cognitive, 
     social, emotional, and physical development and approaches to 
     learning; and
       ``(C) how the curriculum is appropriate for children of the 
     culture, language, and ages of the children served; and
       ``(3) a statement of all sources of funding received by the 
     program, including Federal, State, local, and private funds.
       ``(b) State Reports.--Each State that receives a grant 
     under this part shall submit an annual report to the 
     Secretary detailing the effectiveness of all prekindergarten 
     programs funded under this part in the State.
       ``(c) Report to Congress.--The Secretary shall submit an 
     annual report to Congress that describes the State programs 
     of assistance for prekindergarten programs funded under this 
     part.

     ``SEC. 1849. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     part such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2010 
     through 2014.''.

     SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

       (a) Table of Contents.--The table of contents in section 
     1(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking the item relating to the part heading for 
     part I of title I and inserting the following:

                    ``Part J--General Provisions'';

     and
       (2) by inserting after the items relating to part I of 
     title I and inserting the following:

        ``Part I--High Quality Full-Day Prekindergarten Programs

``Sec. 1841. Findings.

[[Page S4519]]

``Sec. 1842. Definitions.
``Sec. 1843. Program authorization.
``Sec. 1844. State applications and requirements.
``Sec. 1845. State set asides and expenditures.
``Sec. 1846. Local applications.
``Sec. 1847. Local prekindergarten program requirements.
``Sec. 1848. Reporting.
``Sec. 1849. Authorization of appropriations.''.
       (b) Provisions.--Sections 1304(c)(2) and 1415(a)(2)(C) of 
     the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     6394(c)(2), 6435(a)(2)(C)) are amended by striking ``part I'' 
     and inserting ``part J''.
                                 ______