I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3007

To assist States in establishing a universal prekindergarten program to ensure 

that all children 3, 4, and 5 years old have access to a high-quality 

full-day, full-calendar-year prekindergarten education. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 4, 2003

Mr. KUCINICH (for himself, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. OWENS, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. 

LEE, Mr. NADLER, Ms. NORTON, Mr. GRIJALVA, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. 

PALLONE, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. DEUTSCH, Ms. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. 

HINCHEY, Mr. WEXLER, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. 

MCGOVERN, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. OLVER, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. 

GUTIERREZ, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. ANDREWS, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. 

RUSH, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee, Ms. 

JACKSON-LEE of Texas, and Ms. WOOLSEY) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL

To assist States in establishing a universal prekindergarten 

program to ensure that all children 3, 4, and 5 years 

old have access to a high-quality full-day, full-calendaryear prekindergarten education.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Universal Prekinder5 garten Act’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 

2 (a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following: 

3 (1) High-quality prekindergarten programs help 

4 children to succeed academically. Children who at5 tended a high-quality prekindergarten program have 

6 higher academic achievement, lower rates of grade 

7 retention, are less likely to be placed in special edu8 cation, and graduate from high school at higher 

9 rates than those who did not. 

10 (2) Early childhood education can reduce juve11 nile delinquency rates. A 15-year study following 

12 989 low-income children who attended high-quality, 

13 comprehensive prekindergarten found that they were 

14 33 percent less likely to be arrested, and 42 percent 

15 less likely to be arrested for a violent crime, than 

16 children in the control group. 

17 (3) There is currently a drastic shortage of af18 fordable, quality early education programs that are 

19 accessible for working families. 

20 (4) Full-day, full-calendar-year universal pre21 kindergarten programs would ensure all children 3, 

22 4, and 5 years old have access to school readiness 

23 programs and quality child care. 

24 (5) Research shows that investing in quality 

25 prekindergarten programs will provide savings in the 

26 form of reduced need for remedial education, de-
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1 creased crime rates, lower school dropout rates, and 

2 decreased welfare dependence. 

3 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to ensure 

4 that all children 3, 4, and 5 years old have access to a 

5 high-quality full-day, full-calendar-year prekindergarten 

6 program by providing grants to States to assist in devel7 oping a universal prekindergarten program that is vol8 untary and free-of-charge. 

9 SEC. 3. PREKINDERGARTEN GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZA10 TION. 

11 The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in con12 sultation with the Secretary of Education, shall provide 

13 grants to an agency designated by each State (hereafter 

14 in this Act referred to as the ‘‘designated State agency’’) 

15 for the development of high-quality full-day, full-calendar16 year universal prekindergarten programs for all children 

17 3, 4, and 5 years old in the State. 

18 SEC. 4. STATE REQUIREMENTS. 

19 (a) STATE MATCHING FUNDS.—Federal funds made 

20 available to a designated State agency under this Act shall 

21 be matched at least 20 percent by State funds. 

22 (b) STATE APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive 

23 funds under this Act, a designated State agency shall sub24 mit an application at such time, in such manner, and con25 taining such information as the Secretary of Health and 
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1 Human Services may require. The application shall in2 clude the following: 

3 (1) How the designated State agency, in over4 seeing the State’s universal prekindergarten pro5 gram, will coordinate with other State agencies re6 sponsible for early childhood education and health 

7 programs. 

8 (2) A State plan to establish and implement a 

9 statewide universal prekindergarten program, in ac10 cordance with subsection (c). 

11 (c) STATE PLAN.—The State plan required under 

12 subsection (b)(2) shall include each of the following: 

13 (1) A description of the universal prekinder14 garten program that will be established and how it 

15 will support children’s cognitive, social, emotional, 

16 and physical development. 

17 (2) A statement of the goals for universal pre18 kindergarten programs and how program outcomes 

19 will be measured. 

20 (3) A description of—

21 (A) how funding will be distributed to eli22 gible prekindergarten program providers based 

23 on the need for early childhood education in 

24 each geographical area served by such pro25 viders; and 
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1 (B) how the designated State agency will 

2 involve representatives of early childhood pro3 gram providers (including child care providers, 

4 Head Start programs, and State and local 

5 agencies) that sponsor programs addressing 

6 children 3, 4, and 5 years old. 

7 (4) A description of how the designated State 

8 agency will coordinate with existing State-funded 

9 prekindergarten programs, federally funded pro10 grams (such as Head Start programs), public school 

11 programs, and child care providers. 

12 (5) A description of how an eligible prekinder13 garten program provider may apply to the des14 ignated State agency for funding under this Act. 

15 (6) A plan to address the shortages of qualified 

16 early childhood education teachers, including how to 

17 increase such teachers’ compensation to be com18 parable to that of public school teachers. 

19 (7) How the designated State agency will pro20 vide ongoing professional development opportunities 

21 to help increase the number of teachers in early 

22 childhood programs who meet the State’s education 

23 or credential requirements for prekindergarten 

24 teachers. 
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1 (8) A plan to address how the universal pre2 kindergarten program will meet the needs of chil3 dren with disabilities, limited English proficiency, 

4 and other special needs. 

5 (9) A plan to provide transportation to children 

6 to and from the universal prekindergarten program. 

7 (10) A description of how the State will provide 

8 the 20 percent match of Federal funds. 

9 (d) ADMINISTRATION.—A designated State agency 

10 may not use more than 5 percent of a grant under this 

11 Act for costs associated with State administration of the 

12 program under this Act. 

13 SEC. 5. LOCAL REQUIREMENTS. 

14 (a) IN GENERAL.—An eligible prekindergarten pro15 gram provider receiving funding under this Act shall—

16 (1) maintain a maximum class size of 20 chil17 dren; 

18 (2) maintain a ratio of not more than 10 chil19 dren for each member of the teaching staff; 

20 (3)(A) ensure that all prekindergarten teachers 

21 meet the requirements for teachers at a State-fund22 ed prekindergarten program under an applicable 

23 State law; and 

24 (B) document that the State is demonstrating 

25 significant progress in assisting prekindergarten 
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1 teachers on working toward a bachelor of arts de2 gree with training in early childhood development or 

3 early childhood education; 

4 (4)(A) be accredited by a national organization 

5 with demonstrated experience in accrediting pre6 kindergarten programs; or 

7 (B) provide assurances that it shall obtain such 

8 accreditation not later than 3 years after first re9 ceiving funding under this Act; and 

10 (5) meet applicable State and local child care li11 censing health and safety standards. 

12 (b) LOCAL APPLICATION.—Eligible prekindergarten 

13 program providers desiring to receive funding under this 

14 Act shall submit an application to the designated State 

15 agency overseeing funds under this Act containing the fol16 lowing: 

17 (1) A description of the prekindergarten pro18 gram. 

19 (2) A statement of the demonstrated need for 

20 a program, or an enhanced or expanded program, in 

21 the area served by the eligible prekindergarten pro22 gram provider. 

23 (3) A description of the age-appropriate and de24 velopmentally appropriate educational curriculum to 

25 be provided that will help children be ready for 
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1 school and assist them in the transition to kinder2 garten. 

3 (4) A description of how the eligible prekinder4 garten program provider will collaborate with exist5 ing community-based child care providers and Head 

6 Start programs. 

7 (5) A description of how students and families 

8 will be assisted in obtaining supportive services 

9 available in their communities. 

10 (6) A plan to promote parental involvement in 

11 the prekindergarten program. 

12 (7) A description of how teachers will receive 

13 ongoing professional development in early childhood 

14 development and education. 

15 (8) An assurance that prekindergarten pro16 grams receiving funds under this Act provide the 

17 data required in section 7(c). 

18 SEC. 6. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SET-ASIDE. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—A designated State agency may 

20 set aside up to 5 percent of a grant under this Act for 

21 ongoing professional development activities for teachers 

22 and staff at prekindergarten programs that wish to par23 ticipate in the universal prekindergarten grant program 

24 under this Act. A designated State agency using the set-
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1 aside for professional development must include in its ap2 plication the following: 

3 (1) A description of how the designated State 

4 agency will ensure that eligible prekindergarten pro5 gram providers in a range of settings (including 

6 child care providers, Head Start programs, and 

7 schools) will participate in the professional develop8 ment programs. 

9 (2) An assurance that, in developing its applica10 tion and in carrying out its program, the profes11 sional development provider has consulted, and will 

12 consult, with relevant agencies, early childhood orga13 nizations, early childhood education experts, and 

14 early childhood program providers. 

15 (3) A description of how the designated State 

16 agency will ensure that the professional development 

17 is ongoing and accessible to educators in all geo18 graphic areas of the State, including by the use of 

19 advanced educational technologies. 

20 (4) A description of how the designated State 

21 agency will ensure that such set-aside funds will be 

22 used to pay the cost of additional education and 

23 training. 

24 (5) A description of how the designated State 

25 agency will work with other agencies and institutions 
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1 of higher education to provide scholarships and 

2 other financial assistance to prekindergarten staff. 

3 (6) A description of how the State educational 

4 agency will provide a financial incentive, such as a 

5 financial stipend or a bonus, to educators who par6 ticipate in and complete such professional develop7 ment. 

8 (7) A description of how the professional devel9 opment activities will be carried out, including the 

10 following: 

11 (A) How programs and educators will be 

12 selected to participate. 

13 (B) How professional development pro14 viders will be selected, based on demonstrated 

15 experience in providing research-based profes16 sional development to early childhood educators. 

17 (C) The types of research-based profes18 sional development activities that will be carried 

19 out in all domains of children’s physical, cog20 nitive, social, and emotional development and 

21 on early childhood pedagogy. 

22 (D) How the program will train early 

23 childhood educators to meet the diverse edu24 cational needs of children in the community, es-
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1 pecially children who have limited English pro2 ficiency, disabilities, and other special needs. 

3 (E) How the program will coordinate with 

4 and build upon, but not supplant or duplicate, 

5 early childhood education professional develop6 ment activities that exist in the community. 

7 (b) USES OF FUNDS.—Funds set aside under this 

8 section may be used for ongoing professional develop9 ment—

10 (1) to provide prekindergarten teachers and 

11 staff with the knowledge and skills for the applica12 tion of recent research on child cognitive, social, 

13 emotional, and physical development, including lan14 guage and literacy development, and on early child15 hood pedagogy; 

16 (2) to provide the cost of education needed to 

17 obtain a credential or degree with specific training 

18 in early childhood development or education; 

19 (3) to work with children who have limited 

20 English proficiency, disabilities, and other special 

21 needs; and 

22 (4) to select and use developmentally appro23 priate screening and diagnostic assessments to im24 prove teaching and learning and make appropriate 
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1 referrals for services to support prekindergarten 

2 children’s development and learning. 

3 SEC. 7. REPORTING. 

4 (a) REPORT BY SECRETARY.—For each year in which 

5 funding is provided under this Act, the Secretary of 

6 Health and Human Services shall submit an annual report 

7 to the Congress on the implementation and effectiveness 

8 of the universal prekindergarten program under this Act. 

9 (b) REPORT BY DESIGNATED STATE AGENCY.—Each 

10 designated State agency that provides grants to eligible 

11 prekindergarten program providers under this Act shall 

12 submit to the Secretary an annual report on the imple13 mentation and effectiveness of the programs in the State 

14 supported under this Act. Such report shall contain such 

15 additional information as the Secretary may reasonably 

16 require. 

17 (c) REPORT BY GRANT RECIPIENT.—Each eligible 

18 prekindergarten program provider that receives a grant 

19 under this Act shall submit to the designated State agency 

20 an annual report that includes, with respect to the pro21 gram supported by such grant, the following: 

22 (1) A description of the type of program and a 

23 statement of the number and ages of children served 

24 by the program, as well as the number and ages of 
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1 children with a disability or a native language other 

2 than English. 

3 (2) A description of the qualifications of the 

4 program staff and the type of ongoing professional 

5 development provided to such staff. 

6 (3) A statement of all sources of Federal, State, 

7 local, and private funds received by the program. 

8 (4) A description of the curricula, materials, 

9 and activities used by the program to support early 

10 childhood development and learning. 

11 (5) Such other information as the designated 

12 State agency may reasonably require. 

13 SEC. 8. FEDERAL FUNDS SUPPLEMENTARY. 

14 Funds made available under this Act may not be used 

15 to supplant other Federal, State, local, or private funds 

16 that would, in the absence of such Federal funds, be made 

17 available for the program assisted under this Act. 

18 SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 

19 In this Act: 

20 (1) The term ‘‘eligible prekindergarten program 

21 provider’’ means a prekindergarten program pro22 vider that is—

23 (A) a school; 

24 (B) supported, sponsored, supervised, or 

25 carried out by a local educational agency; 
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1 (C) a Head Start program; or 

2 (D) a child care provider. 

3 (2) The term ‘‘prekindergarten program’’ 

4 means a program serving children 3, 4, and 5 years 

5 old that supports children’s cognitive, social, emo6 tional, and physical development and helps prepare 

7 those children for the transition to kindergarten. 

8 (3) The term ‘‘local educational agency’’ has 

9 the meaning given that term in the Elementary and 

10 Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 

11 et seq.). 

12 (4) The term ‘‘prekindergarten teacher’’ means 

13 an individual who has received, or is working to14 ward, a bachelor of arts degree in early childhood 

15 education. 

16 SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

17 There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

18 this Act—

19 (1) $10,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2003; 

20 (2) $20,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; 

21 (3) $30,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; 

22 (4) $40,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2006; and 

23 (5) $50,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.

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