Pre-K for USA Act

Summary: Pre-K for USA Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), acting jointly in accordance with an interagency agreement, to award competitive grants to local educational agencies or local governmental entities to develop, enhance, or expand high-quality preschool programs. Requires each of those programs to include structural elements that are evidence-based and nationally recognized as important for ensuring program quality, including, at a minimum:  high staff qualifications, including having a teacher with a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or in any field with a state-approved alternate pathway to teaching preschool children and having teaching assistants with appropriate credentials; high-quality professional development for all staff;  at least 1 staff member for every 10 children; a class size that does not exceed 20 children; a full-day program; the full inclusion of disabled children; developmentally appropriate curricula and learning environments, that are aligned with state early learning and development standards, for at least the year preceding kindergarten; individualized accommodations and supports so that all children can participate fully in learning activities; instructional staff salaries that are comparable to the salaries of kindergarten through grade 12 teaching staff; program evaluation to ensure continuous improvement; onsite or accessible comprehensive services for children; and  health and safety standards.  

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pre-K for USA Act''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR IMPROVING EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION.

    Subpart 1 of part D of title V of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7243 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

``SEC. 5415. GRANTS FOR IMPROVING EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION.

    ``(a) In General.--From the amounts appropriated under subsection 
(f), the Secretary jointly with the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services and on such terms as such Secretaries set forth in an 
interagency agreement, shall make competitive grants to qualified 
entities for activities that build the capacity to develop, enhance, or 
expand high-quality preschool programs, including comprehensive 
services and family engagement, for preschool-aged children.
    ``(b) Applications.--Each qualified entity that desires to receive 
a grant under this section shall submit an application to the 
Secretaries at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
information as the Secretaries may require.
    ``(c) Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Other National 
Activities.--The Secretaries may use up to 3 percent of the funds 
appropriated under subsection (f) for technical assistance, evaluation, 
and other national activities related to awarding grants under this 
section.
    ``(d) Report.--
            ``(1) Initial report.--Not later than 30 days prior to the 
        announcement of a competition under this section, the 
        Secretaries shall submit a report outlining the proposed 
        competition and priorities to the Congress on the activities 
        carried out under this section.
            ``(2) Annual reports.--The Secretaries shall submit a 
        report to Congress on the activities carried out under this 
        section, including, at a minimum, information on the following:
                    ``(A) The progress of each qualified entity in 
                moving toward fulfilling criteria outlined in the 
                entity's application.
                    ``(B) The extent to which the qualified entities 
                used grants under this section to expand a high-quality 
                preschool program.
                    ``(C) The costs and barriers to such expansion, 
                including building and renovating preschool facilities 
                so that such facilities are high-quality and age and 
                developmentally appropriate.
    ``(e) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) High-quality preschool program.--The term `high-
        quality preschool program' means an early learning program that 
        includes structural elements that are evidence-based and 
        nationally recognized (such as Head Start program performance 
        standards or research published by the National Institute for 
        Early Education) as important for ensuring program quality, 
        including at a minimum:
                    ``(A) High staff qualifications, including a 
                teacher with a bachelor degree in early childhood 
                education or a bachelor degree in any field with a 
                State-approved alternate pathway, which may include 
                coursework, clinical practice, and evidence of 
                knowledge of content and pedagogy relating to early 
                childhood, and teaching assistants with appropriate 
                credentials.
                    ``(B) High-quality professional development for all 
                staff.
                    ``(C) A staff-child ratio of no more than 1:10.
                    ``(D) A class size of no more than 20.
                    ``(E) A full-day program.
                    ``(F) Full inclusion of children with disabilities.
                    ``(G) Developmentally appropriate, evidence-based 
                curricula and learning environments that are aligned 
                with the State early learning and development 
                standards, for at least the year prior to kindergarten 
                entry.
                    ``(H) Individualized accommodations and supports so 
                that all children can access and participate fully in 
                learning activities.
                    ``(I) Instructional staff salaries comparable to 
                kindergarten through grade 12 teaching staff.
                    ``(J) Program evaluation to ensure continuous 
                improvement.
                    ``(K) Onsite or accessible comprehensive services 
                for children.
                    ``(L) Evidence-based health and safety standards.
            ``(2) Qualified entity.--The term `qualified entity' means 
        a local educational agency or a local government entity.
            ``(3) Secretaries.--The term `Secretaries' means the 
        Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section 
for each of the fiscal years 2015 through 2024.''.

SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

    The table of contents in section 2 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.) is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 5414 the following:

``Sec. 5415. Grants for improving early childhood care and 
                            education.''.