Pre-K for USA Act

Summary: Pre-K for USA Act This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to award high-quality prekindergarten (pre-K) program development grants on a competitive basis to states, local education agencies, or other local government entities.  A grant recipient may use the grant funds to award subgrants to local entities, provided that the entity did not receive pre-K program&nbsp;funding within the same fiscal year. Grants are nonrenewable and shall be awarded for a period of no more than three years.  Unless granted a financial hardship waiver by ED,&nbsp;a grant recipient shall contribute matching funds equal to at least 20% of the grant amount.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

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

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The United States ranks 25th in early learning 
        enrollment with fewer than 3 out of 10 four-year-olds enrolled 
        in high-quality prekindergarten programs.
            (2) Studies show that children with access to high-quality 
        prekindergarten programs are less likely to repeat a grade or 
        drop out of high school, and more likely to succeed in their 
        careers.
            (3) Every public dollar spent on high-quality 
        prekindergarten programs returns $7 through a reduced need for 
        spending on other services such as remedial education, grade 
        repetition, and special education.
            (4) Children who attended prekindergarten are less likely 
        to develop drug problems, commit a felony, and go to prison, 
        and are half as likely to be arrested.
            (5) Children who attended prekindergarten usually have 
        higher grade point averages and are more likely to attend a 
        four-year college.
            (6) About 40 percent of school districts do not offer 
        prekindergarten programs.
            (7) Over half of school districts that have pre-
        kindergarten programs offer only part-day programs.
            (8) Texas missed out on up to $118.48 million in Federal 
        funding to expand prekindergarten programs.
            (9) Reports showed that in 2011 the Texas legislature cut 
        approximately $5.4 billion in education funding and eliminated 
        the $200 million in grants it offered to schools to expand 
        prekindergarten programs from half-day to full-day.
            (10) In response to the State of Texas' education funding 
        cuts, certain local governments took it upon themselves to fund 
        full-day prekindergarten programs.
            (11) For these reasons, certain localities, including local 
        governments and local educational agencies would benefit from 
        direct application prekindergarten Federal program funding.

SEC. 3. 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) Grant Duration.--The Secretary shall award grants under this 
Act for a period of not more than 3 years. Such grants shall not be 
renewed.
    (c) 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 
        Act 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.
            (2) Development of state application.--In developing an 
        application for a grant under this Act, a State shall consult 
        with the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education 
        and Care and incorporate their recommendations, where 
        applicable.
    (d) Matching Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this Act, 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.
    (e) 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, 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 Act relating to grantees, as appropriate.
    (f) Double-Dipping Prevention.--The Secretary may not award a 
subgrant to a local educational agency or other local government entity 
under subsection (e) for a program in a fiscal year if the State, 
agency, or entity received funding for the program in such fiscal year.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section--
            (1) $750,000,000 for fiscal year 2016; and
            (2) such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
        2017 through 2025.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) 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).
            (2) 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.
            (3) 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 
                that teachers meet the requirements of 1 of the 
                following clauses:
                            (i) The teacher has a bachelor's degree in 
                        early childhood education or a related field 
                        with coursework that demonstrates competence in 
                        early childhood education;
                            (ii) The teacher--
                                    (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) The teacher 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 a needs analysis; 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.
            (4) ESEA terms.--The terms ``local educational agency'' and 
        ``State'' have the meanings given the terms in section 9101 of 
        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.