A bill to establish a program to help States expand the existing education system to include at least 1 year of early education preceding the year a child enters kindergarten.

Summary: Early Education Act of 2001 - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish an early education program of grants to States to provide programs for at least half-day schooling during the academic year preceding kindergarten.Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award such matching grants to not less than ten State educational agencies (SEAs) to expand the existing education system with programs that provide such early education.Requires each such assisted program to: (1) be carried out by one or more local educational agencies (LEAs), as selected by the SEA; (2) be carried out in a public school building, or in another facility by, or through a contract or agreement with, an LEA; (3) be available to all children served by the LEA carrying out the program; and (4) only involve licensed or certified instructors.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Early Education Act of 2001''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) In 1989 the Nation's governors established a goal that 
        all children would have access to high quality early education 
        programs by the year 2000. As of January 1, 2001, this goal has 
        still not been achieved.
            (2) Research suggests that a child's early years are 
        critical to the development of the brain. Early brain 
        development is an important component of educational and 
        intellectual achievement.
            (3) The National Research Council reported that early 
        education opportunities are necessary if children are going to 
        develop the language and literacy skills necessary to learn to 
        read.
            (4) Evaluations of early education programs demonstrate 
        that compared to children with similar backgrounds who have not 
        participated in early education programs, children who 
        participate in such programs--
                    (A) perform better on reading and mathematics 
                achievement tests;
                    (B) are more likely to stay academically near their 
                grade level and make normal academic progress 
                throughout elementary school;
                    (C) are less likely to be held back a grade or 
                require special education services in elementary 
                school;
                    (D) show greater learning retention, initiative, 
                creativity, and social competency; and
                    (E) are more enthusiastic about school and are more 
                likely to have good attendance records.
            (5) Studies have estimated that for every dollar invested 
        in quality early education, about 7 dollars are saved in later 
        costs.

SEC. 3. EARLY EDUCATION.

    Title X of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 8001 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

                       ``PART L--EARLY EDUCATION

``SEC. 10995. EARLY EDUCATION.

    ``(a) Definition of Early Education.--In this part the term `early 
education' means not less than a half-day of schooling each week day 
during the academic year preceding the academic year a child enters 
kindergarten.
    ``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to establish a 
program to develop the foundation of early literacy and numerical 
training among young children by helping State educational agencies 
expand the existing education system to include early education for all 
children.
    ``(c) Program Authorized.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
        grants to not less than 10 State educational agencies to enable 
        the State educational agencies to expand the existing education 
        system with programs that provide early education.
            ``(2) Matching requirement.--The amount provided to a State 
        educational agency under paragraph (1) shall not exceed 50 
        percent of the cost of the program described in the application 
        submitted pursuant to subsection (d).
            ``(3) Requirements.--Each program assisted under this 
        section--
                    ``(A) shall be carried out by one or more local 
                educational agencies, as selected by the State 
                educational agency;
                    ``(B) shall be carried out--
                            ``(i) in a public school building; or
                            ``(ii) in another facility by, or through a 
                        contract or agreement with, a local educational 
                        agency;
                    ``(C) shall be available to all children served by 
                a local educational agency carrying out the program; 
                and
                    ``(D) shall only involve instructors who are 
                licensed or certified in accordance with applicable 
                State law.
    ``(d) Application.--Each State educational agency desiring a grant 
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
time, in such manner and accompanied by such information as the 
Secretary may require. Each application shall--
            ``(1) include a description of--
                    ``(A) the program to be assisted under this 
                section; and
                    ``(B) how the program will meet the purpose of this 
                section; and
            ``(2) contain a statement of the total cost of the program 
        and the source of the matching funds for the program.
    ``(e) Secretarial Authority.--In order to carry out the purpose of 
this section, the Secretary--
            ``(1) shall establish a system for the monitoring and 
        evaluation of, and shall annually report to Congress regarding, 
        the programs funded under this section; and
            ``(2) may establish any other policies, procedures, or 
        requirements, with respect to the programs.
    ``(f) Supplement Not Supplant.--Funds made available under this 
section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, other Federal, 
State, or local funds, including funds provided under Federal programs 
such as Head Start and the Even Start Family Literacy Program under 
part B of title I.
    ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $300,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2002 through 2006''.