Better Chance to Learn Act of 1993

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``A Better Chance to Learn Act of 
1993''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    It is the purpose of this Act to encourage and assist local school 
districts and communities to develop, expand, or operate innovative 
home-based parent and early childhood education programs in an effort 
to--
            (1) empower parents to be the primary educators of their 
        children;
            (2) provide children with school-readiness skills;
            (3) develop positive attitudes toward education on the part 
        of parents and children; and
            (4) enhance the role of parents in the transition of their 
        children from preschool to kindergarten.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act:
            (1) Community-based organizations.--The term ``community-
        based organizations'' means private nonprofit organizations 
        that are located within a community and that are not affiliated 
        with any specific religion.
            (2) Developmentally appropriate.--The term 
        ``developmentally appropriate'' as applied to a home-based 
        program implemented by parents means those activities for the 
        general population of 3- to 5-year-old children that are 
        meaningful to parents and that will result in successful 
        parent-child interactions.
            (3) Home-based.--The term ``home-based'' means that the 
        program provides parent and early childhood education services 
        in the private residence of the child receiving such services.
            (4) Limited or unsuccessful formal schooling.--The term 
        ``limited or unsuccessful formal schooling'' means the--
                    (A) completion of high school with low achievement 
                during enrollment;
                    (B) noncompletion of high school with low 
                achievement during enrollment; or
                    (C) lack of a general education degree.
            (5) Local educational agencies.--The term ``local 
        educational agencies'' has the meaning given to the term 
        ``local educational agency'' by section 1471(12) of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        2891).
            (6) Near poor families.--The term ``near poor families'' 
        means families that have an income that is approximately 130 
        percent of the poverty line (as defined by the Office of 
        Management and Budget, and revised annually in accordance with 
        section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 
        U.S.C. 9902(2)).
            (7) Parent education.--The term ``parent education'' 
        includes parent support activities, the provision of resource 
        materials on child development and parent and child learning 
        activities, private and group educational guidance, individual 
        and group learning experiences for the parent and child, and 
        other activities that enable the parent to improve learning in 
        the home.
            (8) Working poor families.--The term ``working poor 
        families'' means families that--
                    (A) have family members--
                            (i) who are working; or
                            (ii) who were looking for work during at 
                        least the last 6 months of the year prior to 
                        the year in which a grantee determines such 
                        families' eligibility for services under this 
                        Act; and
                    (B) earn an income not in excess of 150 percent of 
                the poverty line as described in paragraph (5).
            (9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.

SEC. 4. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary is authorized to award grants to 
local educational agencies and community-based organizations to pay the 
Federal share of the cost of the activities described in section 5.
    (b) Grant Allocations.--The Secretary shall award--
            (1) 50 percent of the total grants awarded under this 
        section to applicants that are establishing new home-based 
        parent and early childhood education programs; and
            (2) 50 percent of the total grants awarded under this 
        section to applicants that are operating or expanding existing 
        home-based parent and early childhood education programs.
    (c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to an applicant that describes in an application 
submitted under section 6 that such applicant's program targets--
            (1) working poor families or near poor families that do not 
        qualify for assistance under the early childhood programs under 
        the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) or chapter 1 of 
        title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
        (20 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.);
            (2) families that qualify for assistance under the Federal 
        programs described in paragraph (1), but that are not served by 
        such programs; or
            (3) parents who have limited or unsuccessful formal 
        schooling.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.

    A grantee may use funds received under this Act for establishing, 
operating or expanding home-based parent and early childhood education 
programs.

SEC. 6. ELIGIBILITY.

    To be eligible for a grant under this Act, an entity, as described 
in section 4(a), shall prepare and submit an application to the 
Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such 
information as the Secretary may reasonably require.

SEC. 7. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.

    A grantee under this Act shall conduct a home-based parent and 
early childhood education program that--
            (1) enhances parents' awareness of their strengths and 
        potential as the primary educators of their children;
            (2) provides support, training and developmentally 
        appropriate educational materials that are necessary for 
        parents to implement a school-readiness, home instruction 
        program for their children;
            (3) conducts group meetings with parents to provide support 
        activities related to parenting skills and other topics of 
        interest to participating parents; and
            (4) to the maximum extent possible, provides opportunities 
        for field trips to local sites of educational and cultural 
        benefit.

SEC. 8. ELIGIBLE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS.

    (a) In General.--To be eligible to participate in a parent and 
early childhood service program conducted under this Act, an individual 
shall be a parent with one or more children who are age 3, 4, or 5.
    (b) Special Rules.--
            (1) Participation.--No school system or parents shall be 
        required to participate in programs funded under this Act.
            (2) Program actions.--A program receiving grant funds under 
        this Act may not take action that infringes on the right of 
        parents to direct the education of their children.

SEC. 9. PAYMENTS AND FEDERAL SHARE.

    (a) Federal Share.--The Federal share described in section 4(a) 
shall be 80 percent.
    (b) Non-Federal Share.--
            (1) In general.--A grantee under this Act shall make 
        available non-Federal contributions toward the cost of carrying 
        out the program established, operated, or expanded with amounts 
        received under the grant in an amount equal to at least 20 
        percent of the amount of funds provided under the grant.
            (2) In kind contributions.--The non-Federal contributions 
        described in paragraph (1) may be in cash or in kind fairly 
        evaluated, including planned equipment or services.

SEC. 10. SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.

    Funds appropriated pursuant to the authority of this Act shall be 
used to supplement and not supplant other local public funds expended 
to provide services for individuals eligible to participate in a 
program under this Act.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$20,000,000 for fiscal year 1994 and such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the fiscal years 1995 through 1998.

Summary: A Better Chance to Learn Act of 1993 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to local educational agencies and community-based organizations to pay 80 percent of the cost of home-based parent and early childhood education programs. Allocates one-half of such grants to new programs and one-half to existing programs. Gives priority to programs that target: (1) early childhood program assistance under the Head Start Act or chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. (2) families that qualify for such assistance, but are not served by such programs. Or (3) parents who have limited or unsuccessful formal schooling. Makes an individual eligible to participate if he or she is a parent with one or more children age three, four, or five. Sets forth application and other program requirements. Authorizes appropriations.