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[110th Congress Public Law 134]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]

[DOCID: f:publ134.110]

[[Page 121 STAT. 1363]]

Public Law 110-134
110th Congress

                                 An Act

 
To reauthorize the Head Start Act, to improve program quality, to expand 
 access, and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 12, 2007 -  [H.R. 1429]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress <<NOTE: Improving Head Start for 
School Readiness Act of 2007. 42 USC 9801 note.>> assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Head 
Start for School Readiness Act of 2007''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Statement of purpose.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Financial assistance for Head Start programs.
Sec. 5. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 6. Allotment of funds; limitations on assistance.
Sec. 7. Designation of Head Start agencies.
Sec. 8. Standards; monitoring of Head Start agencies and programs.
Sec. 9. Powers and functions of Head Start agencies.
Sec. 10. Head start transition and alignment with K-12 education.
Sec. 11. Early childhood education, coordination, and improvement.
Sec. 12. Submission of plans.
Sec. 13. Administrative requirements and standards.
Sec. 14. Participation in Head Start programs.
Sec. 15. Early Head Start programs.
Sec. 16. Appeals, notice, and hearing.
Sec. 17. Records and audits.
Sec. 18. Technical assistance and training.
Sec. 19. Staff qualifications and development.
Sec. 20. Research, demonstrations, and evaluation.
Sec. 21. Reports.
Sec. 22. Comparability of wages.
Sec. 23. Limitation with respect to certain unlawful activities.
Sec. 24. Political activities.
Sec. 25. Parental consent requirement for health services.
Sec. 26. Centers of Excellence in Early Childhood.
Sec. 27. General provisions.
Sec. 28. Compliance with Improper Payments Information Act of 2002.
Sec. 29. References in other Acts.

SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

    Section 636 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831) is amended to 
read as follows:
``SEC. 636. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

    ``It is the purpose of this subchapter to promote the school 
readiness of low-income children by enhancing their cognitive, social, 
and emotional development--
            ``(1) in a learning environment that supports children's 
        growth in language, literacy, mathematics, science, social and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1364]]

        emotional functioning, creative arts, physical skills, and 
        approaches to learning; and
            ``(2) through the provision to low-income children and their 
        families of health, educational, nutritional, social, and other 
        services that are determined, based on family needs assessments, 
        to be necessary.''.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) In General.--Section 637 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9832) 
is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``(including a community-
        based organization, as defined in section 9101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801))'' after 
        ``nonprofit'';
            (2) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting ``, and financial 
        literacy.'' after ``self-sufficiency'';
            (3) in paragraph (12), by striking ``migrant and seasonal 
        Head Start program'' and inserting ``migrant or seasonal Head 
        Start program'';
            (4) by striking paragraph (17) and inserting the following:
            ``(17) The term `State' means a State, the Commonwealth of 
        Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the 
        Virgin Islands of the United States, and the Commonwealth of the 
        Northern Mariana Islands. The term includes the Republic of 
        Palau for fiscal years 2008 and 2009, and (if the legislation 
        described in section 640(a)(2)(B)(v) has not been enacted by 
        September 30, 2009) for fiscal years 2010 through 2012.''; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(18) The term `deficiency' means--
                    ``(A) a systemic or substantial material failure of 
                an agency in an area of performance that the Secretary 
                determines involves--
                          ``(i) a threat to the health, safety, or civil 
                      rights of children or staff;
                          ``(ii) a denial to parents of the exercise of 
                      their full roles and responsibilities related to 
                      program operations;
                          ``(iii) a failure to comply with standards 
                      related to early childhood development and health 
                      services, family and community partnerships, or 
                      program design and management;
                          ``(iv) the misuse of funds received under this 
                      subchapter;
                          ``(v) loss of legal status (as determined by 
                      the Secretary) or financial viability, loss of 
                      permits, debarment from receiving Federal grants 
                      or contracts, or the improper use of Federal 
                      funds; or
                          ``(vi) failure to meet any other Federal or 
                      State requirement that the agency has shown an 
                      unwillingness or inability to correct, after 
                      notice from the Secretary, within the period 
                      specified;
                    ``(B) systemic or material failure of the governing 
                body of an agency to fully exercise its legal and 
                fiduciary responsibilities; or
                    ``(C) an unresolved area of noncompliance.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1365]]

            ``(19) The term `homeless children' has the meaning given 
        the term `homeless children and youths' in section 725(2) of the 
        McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a(2)).
            ``(20) The term `institution of higher education' has the 
        meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            ``(21) The term `interrater reliability' means the extent to 
        which 2 or more independent raters or observers consistently 
        obtain the same result when using the same assessment tool.
            ``(22) The term `limited English proficient', used with 
        respect to a child, means a child--
                    ``(A)(i) who was not born in the United States or 
                whose native language is a language other than English;
                    ``(ii)(I) who is a Native American (as defined in 
                section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)), an Alaska Native, or a 
                native resident of an outlying area (as defined in such 
                section 9101); and
                    ``(II) who comes from an environment where a 
                language other than English has had a significant impact 
                on the child's level of English language proficiency; or
                    ``(iii) who is migratory, whose native language is a 
                language other than English, and who comes from an 
                environment where a language other than English is 
                dominant; and
                    ``(B) whose difficulties in speaking or 
                understanding the English language may be sufficient to 
                deny such child--
                          ``(i) the ability to successfully achieve in a 
                      classroom in which the language of instruction is 
                      English; or
                          ``(ii) the opportunity to participate fully in 
                      society.
            ``(23) The term `principles of scientific research' means 
        principles of research that--
                    ``(A) applies rigorous, systematic, and objective 
                methodology to obtain reliable and valid knowledge 
                relevant to education activities and programs;
                    ``(B) presents findings and makes claims that are 
                appropriate to and supported by methods that have been 
                employed; and
                    ``(C) includes, as appropriate to the research being 
                conducted--
                          ``(i) use of systematic, empirical methods 
                      that draw on observation or experiment;
                          ``(ii) use of data analyses that are adequate 
                      to support the general findings;
                          ``(iii) reliance on measurements or 
                      observational methods that provide reliable and 
                      generalizable findings;
                          ``(iv) strong claims of causal relationships, 
                      only with research designs that eliminate 
                      plausible competing explanations for observed 
                      results, such as, but not limited to, random 
                      assignment experiments;
                          ``(v) presentation of studies and methods in 
                      sufficient detail and clarity to allow for 
                      replication or, at a minimum, to offer the 
                      opportunity to build systematically on the 
                      findings of the research;

[[Page 121 STAT. 1366]]

                          ``(vi) acceptance by a peer-reviewed journal 
                      or critique by a panel of independent experts 
                      through a comparably rigorous, objective, and 
                      scientific review; and
                          ``(vii) consistency of findings across 
                      multiple studies or sites to support the 
                      generality of results and conclusions.
            ``(24) The term `professional development' means high-
        quality activities that will improve the knowledge and skills of 
        Head Start teachers and staff, as relevant to their roles and 
        functions, in program administration and the provision of 
        services and instruction, as appropriate, in a manner that 
        improves service delivery to enrolled children and their 
        families, including activities that--
                    ``(A) are part of a sustained effort to improve 
                overall program quality and outcomes for enrolled 
                children and their families;
                    ``(B) are developed or selected with extensive 
                participation of administrators and teachers from Head 
                Start programs;
                    ``(C) are developmentally appropriate for the 
                children being served;
                    ``(D) include instruction in ways that Head Start 
                teachers and staff may work more effectively with 
                parents, as appropriate;
                    ``(E) are designed to give Head Start teachers and 
                staff the knowledge and skills to provide instruction 
                and appropriate support services to children of diverse 
                backgrounds, as appropriate;
                    ``(F) may include a 1-day or short-term workshop or 
                conference, if the workshop or conference is consistent 
                with the goals in the professional development plan 
                described in section 648A(f) and will be delivered by an 
                institution of higher education or other entity, with 
                expertise in delivering training in early childhood 
                development, training in family support, and other 
                assistance designed to improve the delivery of Head 
                Start services; and
                    ``(G) in the case of teachers, assist teachers 
                with--
                          ``(i) the acquisition of the content knowledge 
                      and teaching strategies needed to provide 
                      effective instruction and other school readiness 
                      services regarding early language and literacy, 
                      early mathematics, early science, cognitive 
                      skills, approaches to learning, creative arts, 
                      physical health and development, and social and 
                      emotional development linked to school readiness;
                          ``(ii) meeting the requirements in paragraphs 
                      (1) and (2) of section 648A(a), as appropriate;
                          ``(iii) improving classroom management skills, 
                      as appropriate;
                          ``(iv) advancing their understanding of 
                      effective instructional strategies that are--
                                    ``(I) based on scientifically valid 
                                research; and
                                    ``(II) aligned with--
                                            ``(aa) the Head Start Child 
                                        Outcomes Framework developed by 
                                        the Secretary and, as 
                                        appropriate, State early 
                                        learning standards; and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1367]]

                                            ``(bb) curricula, ongoing 
                                        assessments, and other 
                                        instruction and services, 
                                        designed to help meet the 
                                        standards described in section 
                                        641A(a)(1);
                          ``(v) acquiring the knowledge and skills to 
                      provide instruction and appropriate language and 
                      support services to increase the English language 
                      skills of limited English proficient children, as 
                      appropriate; or
                          ``(vi) methods of teaching children with 
                      disabilities, as appropriate.
            ``(25) The term `scientifically valid research' includes 
        applied research, basic research, and field-initiated research 
        in which the rationale, design, and interpretation are soundly 
        developed in accordance with principles of scientific research.
            ``(26) The term `unresolved area of noncompliance' means 
        failure to correct a noncompliance item within 120 days, or 
        within such additional time (if any) as is authorized by the 
        Secretary, after receiving from the Secretary notice of such 
        noncompliance item, pursuant to section 641A(c).''.

    (b) Redesignation and Reordering of Definitions.--Section 637 of 
such Act is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (23) as 
        paragraphs (1), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (12), 
        (16), (17), (18), (19), (22), (24), (25), (2), (11), (13), (14), 
        (15), (20), (21), (23), and (26), respectively; and
            (2) so that paragraphs (1) through (26), as so redesignated 
        in paragraph (1), appear in numerical order.
SEC. 4. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR HEAD START PROGRAMS.

    Section 638 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9833) is amended by 
inserting ``for a period of 5 years'' after ``provide financial 
assistance to such agency''.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 639 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9834) is amended to 
read as follows:
``SEC. 639. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
subchapter (other than section 657B) $7,350,000,000 for fiscal year 
2008, $7,650,000,000 for fiscal year 2009, $7,995,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2010, and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2011 and 2012.''.
SEC. 6. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS; LIMITATIONS ON ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Allotment of Funds.--Section 640(a) of the Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9835(a)) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(a)(1) Using the sums appropriated pursuant to section 639 for a 
fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate such sums in accordance with 
paragraphs (2) through (5).
    ``(2)(A) The Secretary shall determine an amount for each fiscal 
year for each State that is equal to the amount received through base 
grants for the prior fiscal year by the Head Start agencies (including 
Early Head Start agencies) in the State that are not described in clause 
(ii) or (iii) of subparagraph (B).
    ``(B) The Secretary shall reserve for each fiscal year such sums as 
are necessary--

[[Page 121 STAT. 1368]]

            ``(i) to provide each amount determined for a State under 
        subparagraph (A) to the Head Start agencies (including Early 
        Head Start agencies) in the State that are not described in 
        clause (ii) or (iii), by allotting to each agency described in 
        this clause an amount equal to that agency's base grant for the 
        prior fiscal year;
            ``(ii) to provide an amount for the Indian Head Start 
        programs that is equal to the amount provided for base grants 
        for such programs under this subchapter for the prior fiscal 
        year, by allotting to each Head Start agency (including each 
        Early Head Start agency) administering an Indian Head Start 
        program an amount equal to that agency's base grant for the 
        prior fiscal year;
            ``(iii) to provide an amount for the migrant and seasonal 
        Head Start programs, on a nationwide basis, that is equal to the 
        amount provided nationwide for base grants for such programs 
        under this subchapter for the prior fiscal year, by allotting to 
        each Head Start agency administering a migrant or seasonal Head 
        Start program an amount equal to that agency's base grant for 
        the prior fiscal year;
            ``(iv) to provide an amount for each of Guam, American 
        Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the 
        Virgin Islands of the United States (for Head Start agencies 
        (including Early Head Start agencies) in the jurisdiction) that 
        is equal to the amount provided for base grants for such 
        jurisdiction under this subchapter for the prior fiscal year, by 
        allotting to each agency described in this clause an amount 
        equal to that agency's base grant for the prior fiscal year;
            ``(v) to provide an amount for the Republic of Palau (for 
        Head Start agencies (including Early Head Start agencies) in the 
        jurisdiction) for each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009, and (if 
        legislation approving a new agreement regarding United States 
        assistance for the Republic of Palau has not been enacted by 
        September 30, 2009) for each of fiscal years 2010 through 2012, 
        that is equal to the amount provided for base grants for such 
        jurisdiction under this subchapter for the prior fiscal year, by 
        allotting to each agency described in this clause an amount 
        equal to that agency's base grant for the prior fiscal year; and
            ``(vi) to provide an amount for a collaboration grant under 
        section 642B(a) for each State, for the Indian Head Start 
        programs, and for the migrant and seasonal Head Start programs, 
        in the same amount as the corresponding collaboration grant 
        provided under this subchapter for fiscal year 2007.

    ``(C)(i) The Secretary shall reserve for each fiscal year an amount 
that is not less than 2.5 percent and not more than 3 percent of the 
sums appropriated pursuant to section 639 for that fiscal year, to fund 
training and technical assistance activities, from which reserved 
amount--
            ``(I) the Secretary shall set aside a portion, but not less 
        than 20 percent, to be used to fund training and technical 
        assistance activities for Early Head Start programs, in 
        accordance with section 645A(g)(2); and
            ``(II) the Secretary shall set aside a portion, equal to the 
        rest of the reserved amount, to fund training and technical

[[Page 121 STAT. 1369]]

        assistance activities for other Head Start programs, in 
        accordance with section 648, of which portion--
                    ``(aa) not less than 50 percent shall be made 
                available to Head Start agencies to use directly, which 
                may include at their discretion the establishment of 
                local or regional agreements with community experts, 
                institutions of higher education, or private 
                consultants, to make program improvements identified by 
                such agencies, by carrying out the training and 
                technical assistance activities described in section 
                648(d);
                    ``(bb) not less than 25 percent shall be available 
                to the Secretary to support a State-based training and 
                technical assistance system, or a national system, 
                described in section 648(e) for supporting program 
                quality; and
                    ``(cc) the remainder of the portion set aside under 
                this subclause shall be available to the Secretary to 
                assist Head Start agencies in meeting and exceeding the 
                standards described in section 641A(a)(1) by carrying 
                out activities described in subsections (a), (b), (c), 
                (f), and (g) of section 648, including helping Head 
                Start programs address weaknesses identified by 
                monitoring activities conducted by the Secretary under 
                section 641A(c), except that not less than $3,000,000 of 
                the remainder shall be made available to carry out 
                activities described in section 648(a)(3)(B)(ii).

    ``(ii) In determining the portion set aside under clause (i)(I) and 
the amount reserved under this subparagraph, the Secretary shall 
consider the number of Early Head Start programs newly funded for that 
fiscal year.
    ``(D) The Secretary shall reserve not more than $20,000,000 to fund 
research, demonstration, and evaluation activities under section 649, of 
which not more than $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2008 through 
2012 shall be available to carry out impact studies under section 
649(g).
    ``(E) The Secretary shall reserve not more than $42,000,000 for 
discretionary payments by the Secretary, including payments for all 
costs (other than compensation of Federal employees) for activities 
carried out under subsection (c) or (e) of section 641A.
    ``(F) If the sums appropriated under section 639 are not sufficient 
to provide the amounts required to be reserved under subparagraphs (B) 
through (E), the amounts shall be reduced proportionately.
    ``(G) Nothing in this section shall be construed to deny the 
Secretary the authority, consistent with sections 641, 641A, and 646 to 
terminate, suspend, or reduce funding to a Head Start agency.
    ``(3)(A) From any amount remaining for a fiscal year after the 
Secretary carries out paragraph (2) (referred to in this paragraph as 
the `remaining amount'), the Secretary shall--
            ``(i) subject to clause (ii)--
                    ``(I) provide a cost of living increase for each 
                Head Start agency (including each Early Head Start 
                agency) funded under this subchapter for that fiscal 
                year, to maintain the level of services provided during 
                the prior year; and
                    ``(II) subject to subparagraph (B), provide 
                $10,000,000 for Indian Head Start programs (including 
                Early Head Start programs), and $10,000,000 for migrant 
                and seasonal

[[Page 121 STAT. 1370]]

                Head Start programs, to increase enrollment in the 
                programs involved;
            ``(ii) subject to clause (iii), if the remaining amount is 
        not sufficient to carry out clause (i)--
                    ``(I) for each of fiscal years 2008, 2009, and 
                2010--
                          ``(aa) subject to subparagraph (B), provide 5 
                      percent of that amount for Indian Head Start 
                      programs (including Early Head Start programs), 
                      and 5 percent of that amount for migrant and 
                      seasonal Head Start programs, to increase 
                      enrollment in the programs involved; and
                          ``(bb) use 90 percent of that amount to 
                      provide, for each Head Start agency (including 
                      each Early Head Start agency) funded as described 
                      in clause (i)(I), the same percentage (but not 
                      less than 50 percent) of the cost of living 
                      increase described in clause (i); and
                    ``(II) for fiscal year 2011 and each subsequent 
                fiscal year--
                          ``(aa) provide, for each Head Start agency 
                      (including each Early Head Start agency) funded as 
                      described in clause (i)(I), the cost of living 
                      increase described in clause (i); and
                          ``(bb) subject to subparagraph (B), with any 
                      portion of the remaining amount that is not used 
                      under item (aa), provide equal amounts for Indian 
                      Head Start programs (including Early Head Start 
                      programs), and for migrant and seasonal Head Start 
                      programs, to increase enrollment in the programs 
                      involved; and
            ``(iii) if the remaining amount is not sufficient to carry 
        out clause (ii) for the fiscal year involved, use that amount to 
        provide, for each Head Start agency (including each Early Head 
        Start agency) funded as described in clause (i)(I), the same 
        percentage of the cost of living increase described in clause 
        (i).

    ``(B)(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, the 
Indian Head Start programs shall not receive more than a total 
cumulative amount of $50,000,000 for all fiscal years, and the migrant 
and seasonal Head Start programs shall not receive more than a total 
cumulative amount of $50,000,000 for all fiscal years, under clause 
(i)(II), and subclauses (I)(aa) and (II)(bb) of clause (ii), of 
subparagraph (A) (referred to in this subsection as the `special 
expansion provisions'), to increase enrollment in the programs involved.
    ``(ii)(I) Funds that are appropriated under section 639 for a fiscal 
year, and made available to Indian Head Start programs or migrant or 
seasonal Head Start programs under the special expansion provisions, 
shall remain available until the end of the following fiscal year.
    ``(II) For purposes of subclause (I)--
            ``(aa) if no portion is reallocated under clause (iii), 
        those funds shall remain available to the programs involved; or
            ``(bb) if a portion is reallocated under clause (iii), the 
        portion shall remain available to the recipients of the portion.

    ``(iii) Of the funds made available as described in clause (ii), the 
Secretary shall reallocate the portion that the Secretary determines is 
unobligated 18 months after the funds are made available. The Secretary 
shall add that portion to the balance described in

[[Page 121 STAT. 1371]]

paragraph (4), and reallocate the portion in accordance with paragraph 
(4), for the following fiscal year referred to in clause (ii).
    ``(4)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), from any amount 
remaining for a fiscal year after the Secretary carries out paragraphs 
(2) and (3) (referred to in this paragraph as the `balance'), the 
Secretary shall--
            ``(i) reserve 40 percent to carry out subparagraph (C) and 
        paragraph (5);
            ``(ii) reserve 45 percent to carry out subparagraph (D); and
            ``(iii) reserve 15 percent (which shall remain available 
        through the end of fiscal year 2012) to provide funds for 
        carrying out section 642B(b)(2).

    ``(B)(i) Under the circumstances described in clause (ii), from the 
balance, the Secretary shall--
            ``(I) reserve 45 percent to carry out subparagraph (C) and 
        paragraph (5); and
            ``(II) reserve 55 percent to carry out subparagraph (D).

    ``(ii) The Secretary shall make the reservations described in clause 
(i) for a fiscal year if--
            ``(I) the total cumulative amount reserved under 
        subparagraph (A)(iii) for all preceding fiscal years equals 
        $100,000,000; or
            ``(II) in the 2-year period preceding such fiscal year, 
        funds were reserved under subparagraph (A)(iii) in an amount 
        that totals not less than $15,000,000 and the Secretary received 
        no approvable applications for such funds.

    ``(iii) The total cumulative amount reserved under subparagraph 
(A)(iii) for all fiscal years may not be greater than $100,000,000.
    ``(C) The Secretary shall fund the quality improvement activities 
described in paragraph (5) using the amount reserved under subparagraph 
(A)(i) or subparagraph (B)(i)(I), as appropriate, of which--
            ``(i) a portion that is less than 10 percent may be reserved 
        by the Secretary to provide funding to Head Start agencies 
        (including Early Head Start agencies) that demonstrate the 
        greatest need for additional funding for such activities, as 
        determined by the Secretary; and
            ``(ii) a portion that is not less than 90 percent shall be 
        reserved by the Secretary to allot, to each Head Start agency 
        (including each Early Head Start agency), an amount that bears 
        the same ratio to such portion as the number of enrolled 
        children served by the agency involved bears to the number of 
        enrolled children served by all the Head Start agencies 
        (including Early Head Start agencies), except that the Secretary 
        shall account for the additional costs of serving children in 
        Early Head Start programs and may consider whether an agency is 
        providing a full-day program or whether an agency is providing a 
        full-year program.

    ``(D) The Secretary shall fund expansion of Head Start programs 
(including Early Head Start programs) using the amount reserved under 
subparagraph (A)(ii) or subparagraph (B)(i)(II), as appropriate, of 
which the Secretary shall--
            ``(i) use 0.2 percent for Head Start programs funded under 
        clause (iv) or (v) of paragraph (2)(B) (other than Early Head 
        Start programs);

[[Page 121 STAT. 1372]]

            ``(ii) for any fiscal year after the last fiscal year for 
        which Indian Head Start programs receive funds under the special 
        expansion provisions, use 3 percent for Head Start programs 
        funded under paragraph (2)(B)(ii) (other than Early Head Start 
        programs), except that the Secretary may increase that 
        percentage if the Secretary determines that the results of the 
        study conducted under section 649(k) indicate that the 
        percentage should be increased;
            ``(iii) for any fiscal year after the last fiscal year for 
        which migrant or seasonal Head Start programs receive funds 
        under the special expansion provisions, use 4.5 percent for Head 
        Start programs funded under paragraph (2)(B)(iii) (other than 
        Early Head Start programs), except that the Secretary may 
        increase that percentage if the Secretary determines that the 
        results of the study conducted under section 649(l) indicate 
        that the percentage should be increased; and
            ``(iv) from the remainder of the reserved amount--
                    ``(I) use 50 percent for Head Start programs funded 
                under paragraph (2)(B)(i) (other than Early Head Start 
                programs), of which--
                          ``(aa) the covered percentage shall be 
                      allocated among the States serving less than 60 
                      percent (as determined by the Secretary) of 
                      children who are 3 or 4 years of age from families 
                      whose income is below the poverty line, by 
                      allocating to each of those States an amount that 
                      bears the same relationship to that covered 
                      percentage as the number of children who are less 
                      than 5 years of age from families whose income is 
                      below the poverty line (referred to in this 
                      subclause as `young low-income children') in that 
                      State bears to the number of young low-income 
                      children in all those States; and
                          ``(bb) the remainder shall be allocated 
                      proportionately among the States on the basis of 
                      the number of young low-income children; and
                    ``(II) use 50 percent for Early Head Start programs.

    ``(E) In this paragraph, the term `covered percentage' means--
            ``(i) for fiscal year 2008, 30 percent;
            ``(ii) for fiscal year 2009, 40 percent;
            ``(iii) for fiscal year 2010, 50 percent;
            ``(iv) for fiscal year 2011, 55 percent; and
            ``(v) for fiscal year 2012, 55 percent.

    ``(5)(A) Not less than 50 percent of the amount reserved under 
subparagraph (A)(i) or subparagraph (B)(i)(I), as appropriate, of 
paragraph (4) to carry out quality improvement activities under 
paragraph (4)(C) and this paragraph shall be used to improve the 
compensation (including benefits) of educational personnel, family 
service workers, and child counselors, as described in sections 644(a) 
and 653, in the manner determined by the Head Start agencies (including 
Early Head Start agencies) involved, to--
            ``(i) ensure that compensation is adequate to attract and 
        retain qualified staff for the programs involved in order to 
        enhance program quality;
            ``(ii) improve staff qualifications and assist with the 
        implementation of career development programs for staff that 
        support ongoing improvement of their skills and expertise; and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1373]]

            ``(iii) provide education and professional development to 
        enable teachers to be fully competent to meet the professional 
        standards established under section 648A(a)(1), including--
                    ``(I) providing assistance to complete postsecondary 
                course work;
                    ``(II) improving the qualifications and skills of 
                educational personnel to become certified and licensed 
                as bilingual education teachers, or as teachers of 
                English as a second language; and
                    ``(III) improving the qualifications and skills of 
                educational personnel to teach and provide services to 
                children with disabilities.

    ``(B) Any remaining funds from the reserved amount described in 
subparagraph (A) shall be used to carry out any of the following 
activities:
            ``(i) Supporting staff training, child counseling, and other 
        services, necessary to address the challenges of children from 
        immigrant, refugee, and asylee families, homeless children, 
        children in foster care, limited English proficient children, 
        children of migrant or seasonal farmworker families, children 
        from families in crisis, children referred to Head Start 
        programs (including Early Head Start programs) by child welfare 
        agencies, and children who are exposed to chronic violence or 
        substance abuse.
            ``(ii) Ensuring that the physical environments of Head Start 
        programs are conducive to providing effective program services 
        to children and families, and are accessible to children with 
        disabilities and other individuals with disabilities.
            ``(iii) Employing additional qualified classroom staff to 
        reduce the child-to-teacher ratio in the classroom and 
        additional qualified family service workers to reduce the 
        family-to-staff ratio for those workers.
            ``(iv) Ensuring that Head Start programs have qualified 
        staff that promote the language skills and literacy growth of 
        children and that provide children with a variety of skills that 
        have been identified, through scientifically based reading 
        research, as predictive of later reading achievement.
            ``(v) Increasing hours of program operation, including--
                    ``(I) conversion of part-day programs to full-
                working-day programs; and
                    ``(II) increasing the number of weeks of operation 
                in a calendar year.
            ``(vi) Improving communitywide strategic planning and needs 
        assessments for Head Start programs and collaboration efforts 
        for such programs, including outreach to children described in 
        clause (i).
            ``(vii) Transporting children in Head Start programs safely, 
        except that not more than 10 percent of funds made available to 
        carry out this paragraph may be used for such purposes.
            ``(viii) Improving the compensation and benefits of staff of 
        Head Start agencies, in order to improve the quality of Head 
        Start programs.

    ``(6) No sums appropriated under this subchapter may be combined 
with funds appropriated under any provision other than this subchapter 
if the purpose of combining funds is to make a single discretionary 
grant or a single discretionary payment, unless

[[Page 121 STAT. 1374]]

such sums appropriated under this subchapter are separately identified 
in such grant or payment and are used for the purposes of this 
subchapter.
    ``(7) In this subsection:
            ``(A) The term `base grant', used with respect to a fiscal 
        year, means the amount of permanent ongoing funding (other than 
        funding described in sections 645A(g)(2)(A)(i) and paragraph 
        (2)(C)(i)(II)(aa)) provided to a Head Start agency (including an 
        Early Head Start agency) under this subchapter for that fiscal 
        year.
            ``(B) The term `cost-of-living increase', used with respect 
        to an agency for a fiscal year, means an increase in the funding 
        for that agency, based on the percentage change in the Consumer 
        Price Index for All Urban Consumers (issued by the Bureau of 
        Labor Statistics) for the prior fiscal year, calculated on the 
        amount of the base grant for that agency for the prior fiscal 
        year.
            ``(C) For the purposes of this subsection, the term `State' 
        does not include Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands of the 
        United States, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
        the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall 
        Islands, and the Republic of Palau.''.

    (b) Minimum Enrollment Requirement for Children With Disabilities.--
Section 640(d) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(d)) is amended to 
read as follows:
    ``(d)(1) <<NOTE: Procedures.>> The Secretary shall establish 
policies and procedures to assure that, for fiscal year 2009 and 
thereafter, not less than 10 percent of the total number of children 
actually enrolled by each Head Start agency and each delegate agency 
will be children with disabilities who are determined to be eligible for 
special education and related services, or early intervention services, 
as appropriate, as determined under the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.), by the State or local agency 
providing services under section 619 or part C of the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.).

    ``(2) Such policies and procedures shall ensure the provision of 
early intervening services, such as educational and behavioral services 
and supports, to meet the needs of children with disabilities, prior to 
an eligibility determination under the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act.
    ``(3) Such policies and procedures shall require Head Start agencies 
to provide timely referral to and collaborate with the State or local 
agency providing services under section 619 or part C of the Individuals 
with Disabilities Education Act to ensure the provision of special 
education and related services and early intervention services, and the 
coordination of programmatic efforts, to meet the special needs of such 
children.
    ``(4) <<NOTE: Waiver authority.>> The Secretary shall establish 
policies and procedures to provide Head Start agencies with waivers of 
the requirements of paragraph (1) for not more than 3 years. Such 
policies and procedures shall require Head Start agencies, in order to 
receive such waivers, to provide evidence demonstrating that the Head 
Start agencies are making reasonable efforts on an annual basis to 
comply with the requirements of that paragraph.

    ``(5) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit or 
create a right to a free appropriate public education under the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.''.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1375]]

    (c) Service Delivery Models.--Section 640(f) of the Head Start Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9835(f)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(f) The'' and inserting ``(f)(1) Not later 
        than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Improving Head 
        Start for School Readiness Act of 2007, the'';
            (2) by striking ``needs.'' and inserting ``needs, including 
        models that leverage the capacity and capabilities of the 
        delivery system of early childhood education and development 
        services or programs.''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:

    ``(2) <<NOTE: Procedures.>> In establishing the procedures the 
Secretary shall establish procedures to provide for--
            ``(A) the conversion of part-day programs to full-working-
        day programs or part-day slots to full-working-day slots; and
            ``(B) serving additional infants and toddlers pursuant to 
        section 645(a)(5).''.

    (d) Additional Funds.--Section 640(g) of the Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9835(g)) is amended--
            (1) by striking paragraphs (1), (3), and (4);
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                striking ``, in allocating funds to an applicant within 
                a State, from amounts allotted to a State pursuant to 
                subsection (a)(4),'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``performance 
                standards'' and inserting ``standards described in 
                section 641A(a)(1)'';
                    (C) by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(C) the extent to which the applicant has undertaken a 
        communitywide strategic planning and needs assessment involving 
        other entities, including community organizations, and Federal, 
        State, and local public agencies (including the local 
        educational agency liaison designated under section 
        722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii))), that provide services to 
        children and families, such as--
                    ``(i) family support services;
                    ``(ii) child abuse prevention services;
                    ``(iii) protective services;
                    ``(iv) foster care;
                    ``(v) services for families in whose homes English 
                is not the language customarily spoken;
                    ``(vi) services for children with disabilities; and
                    ``(vii) services for homeless children;'';
                    (D) in subparagraph (D)--
                          (i) by striking ``family and community needs 
                      assessment'' and inserting ``family needs 
                      assessment and communitywide strategic planning 
                      and needs assessment'';
                          (ii) by striking ``reflects'' and inserting 
                      ``reflect''; and
                          (iii) by striking ``other local'' and 
                      inserting ``the State and local'';
                    (E) by striking subparagraph (E) and inserting the 
                following:

[[Page 121 STAT. 1376]]

                    ``(E) the number of eligible children, as described 
                in clause (i) or (ii) of section 645(a)(1)(B), in each 
                community who are not participating in a Head Start 
                program or any other publicly funded early childhood 
                education and development program;'';
                    (F) by striking subparagraphs (G) and (H) and 
                inserting the following:
            ``(G) the extent to which the applicant proposes to foster 
        partnerships with other service providers in a manner that will 
        leverage the existing delivery systems of such services and 
        enhance the resource capacity of the applicant; and
            ``(H) the extent to which the applicant, in providing 
        services, successfully coordinated activities with the local 
        educational agency serving the community involved (including the 
        local educational agency liaison designated under section 
        722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii))), and with schools in which 
        children participating in such applicant's program will enroll 
        following such program, with respect to such services and the 
        education services provided by such local educational agency.'';
            (3) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (1); and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:

    ``(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in using funds made available 
for expansion under subsection (a)(4)(D), the Secretary shall first 
allocate the funds to qualified applicants proposing to use such funds 
to serve children from families with incomes below the poverty line. 
Agencies that receive such funds are subject to the eligibility and 
enrollment requirements under section 645(a)(1).
    ``(3)(A) In the event that the amount appropriated to carry out the 
program under this subchapter for a fiscal year does not exceed the 
amount appropriated for the prior fiscal year, or is not sufficient to 
maintain services comparable to the services provided under this 
subchapter during the prior fiscal year, a Head Start agency may 
negotiate with the Secretary a reduced funded enrollment level without a 
reduction in the amount of the grant received by the agency under this 
subchapter, if such agency can reasonably demonstrate that such reduced 
funded enrollment level is necessary to maintain the quality of 
services.
    ``(B) <<NOTE: Process.>> In accordance with this paragraph, the 
Secretary shall set up a process for Head Start agencies to negotiate 
the reduced funded enrollment levels referred to in subparagraph (A) for 
the fiscal year involved.

    ``(C) <<NOTE: Notification.>> In the event described in subparagraph 
(A), the Secretary shall be required to notify Head Start agencies of 
their ability to negotiate the reduced funded enrollment levels if such 
an agency can reasonably demonstrate that such reduced funded enrollment 
level is necessary to maintain the quality of services.''.

    (e) Vehicle Safety Requirements.--Section 640(i) of the Head Start 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(i)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
``The regulations shall also establish requirements to ensure the 
appropriate supervision of, and appropriate background checks for, 
individuals with whom the agencies contract to transport those 
children.''.
    (f) Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Programs.--Section 640(l) of the 
Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(l)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--

[[Page 121 STAT. 1377]]

                    (A) by striking ``With funds'' and all that follows 
                through ``programs,'' and inserting ``With funds made 
                available under this subchapter to expand migrant and 
                seasonal Head Start programs,''; and
                    (B) by striking ``children of migrant and seasonal 
                farmworker families'' and inserting ``children of 
                migrant or seasonal farmworker families'';
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) by striking ``For'' and all that follows through 
                ``in determining'' and inserting ``In determining'';
                    (B) by striking ``children of migrant farmworkers'' 
                and inserting ``children of migrant farmworker 
                families'';
                    (C) by striking ``under such subsection'' and 
                inserting ``under this subchapter'';
                    (D) by striking ``children of seasonal farmworkers'' 
                each place it appears and inserting ``children of 
                seasonal farmworker families''; and
                    (E) by striking ``children of such farmworkers'' and 
                inserting ``children of such farmworker families''; and
            (3) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:

    ``(3) In carrying out this subchapter, the Secretary shall continue 
the administrative arrangement at the national level for meeting the 
needs of Indian children and children of migrant and seasonal farmworker 
families and shall ensure--
            ``(A) the provision of training and technical assistance by 
        staff with knowledge of and experience in working with such 
        populations; and
            ``(B) the appointment of a national Indian Head Start 
        collaboration director and a national migrant and seasonal Head 
        Start collaboration director.

    ``(4)(A) For the purposes of paragraph (3), the Secretary shall 
conduct an annual consultation in each affected Head Start region, with 
tribal governments operating Head Start (including Early Head Start) 
programs.
    ``(B) The consultations shall be for the purpose of better meeting 
the needs of Indian, including Alaska Native, children and their 
families, in accordance with this subchapter, taking into consideration 
funding allocations, distribution formulas, and other issues affecting 
the delivery of Head Start services in their geographic locations.
    ``(C) <<NOTE: Federal Register, publication.>> The Secretary shall 
publish a notification of the consultations in the Federal Register 
before conducting the consultations.

    ``(D) <<NOTE: Reports. Deadline.>> The Secretary shall ensure that a 
detailed report of each consultation shall be prepared and made 
available, within 90 days after the consultation, to all tribal 
governments receiving funds under this subchapter.''.

    (g) Enrollment of Homeless Children; Rule of Construction; 
Materials.--Section 640 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(m) <<NOTE: Regulations. Procedures.>> The Secretary shall issue 
rules to establish policies and procedures to remove barriers to the 
enrollment and participation of homeless children in Head Start 
programs. Such rules shall require Head Start agencies--
            ``(1) to implement policies and procedures to ensure that 
        homeless children are identified and prioritized for enrollment;

[[Page 121 STAT. 1378]]

            ``(2) to allow families of homeless children to apply to, 
        enroll in, and attend Head Start programs while required 
        documents, such as proof of residency, immunization and other 
        medical records, birth certificates, and other documents, are 
        obtained within a reasonable time frame; and
            ``(3) to coordinate individual Head Start programs with 
        efforts to implement subtitle B of title VII of the McKinney-
        Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.).

    ``(n) Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to require a 
State to establish a publicly funded program of early childhood 
education and development, or to require any child to participate in 
such a publicly funded program, including a State-funded preschool 
program, or to participate in any initial screening before participating 
in a publicly funded program of early childhood education and 
development, except as provided under sections 612(a)(3) and 635(a)(5) 
of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
1412(a)(3), 1435(a)(5)).
    ``(o) All curricula funded under this subchapter shall be based on 
scientifically valid research, and be age and developmentally 
appropriate. The curricula shall reflect all areas of child development 
and learning and be aligned with the Head Start Child Outcomes 
Framework. Parents shall have the opportunity to examine any such 
curricula or instructional materials funded under this subchapter.''.
SEC. 7. DESIGNATION OF HEAD START AGENCIES.

    Section 641 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836) is amended to 
read as follows:
``SEC. 641. DESIGNATION OF HEAD START AGENCIES.

    ``(a) Authority To Designate.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to designate 
        as a Head Start agency any local public or private nonprofit 
        agency, including community-based and faith-based organizations, 
        or for-profit agency, within a community, pursuant to the 
        requirements of this section.
            ``(2) Interim policy.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), until 
        such time as the Secretary develops and implements the system 
        for designation renewal under this section, the Secretary is 
        authorized to designate as a Head Start agency, any local public 
        or private nonprofit agency, including community-based and 
        faith-based organizations, or for-profit agency, within a 
        community, in the manner and process utilized by the Secretary 
        prior to the enactment of the Improving Head Start for School 
        Readiness Act of 2007.

    ``(b) Application for Designation Renewal.--To be considered for 
designation renewal, an entity shall submit an application to the 
Secretary, at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may require.
    ``(c) System for Designation Renewal.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall develop a system for 
        designation renewal that integrates the recommendations of the 
        expert panel convened under paragraph (2) to determine if a Head 
        Start agency is delivering a high-quality and comprehensive Head 
        Start program that meets the educational, health, nutritional, 
        and social needs of the children and families it serves, and 
        meets program and financial management

[[Page 121 STAT. 1379]]

        requirements and standards described in section 641A(a)(1), 
        based on--
                    ``(A) annual budget and fiscal management data;
                    ``(B) program reviews conducted under section 
                641A(c);
                    ``(C) annual audits required under section 647;
                    ``(D) classroom quality as measured under section 
                641A(c)(2)(F); and
                    ``(E) Program Information Reports.
            ``(2) Expert panel.--Not <<NOTE: Deadline.>> later than 3 
        months after the date of enactment of the Improving Head Start 
        for School Readiness Act of 2007, the Secretary shall convene an 
        expert panel of 7 members to make recommendations to the 
        Secretary on the development of a transparent, reliable, and 
        valid system for designation renewal.
            ``(3) Composition of expert panel.--The Secretary, in 
        convening such panel, shall appoint the following:
                    ``(A)(i) One member, who has demonstrated 
                competency, as evidenced by training, expertise, and 
                experience, in early childhood program accreditation.
                    ``(ii) One member, who has demonstrated competency 
                (as so evidenced) in research on early childhood 
                development.
                    ``(iii) One member, who has demonstrated competency 
                (as so evidenced) in governance and finance of nonprofit 
                organizations.
                    ``(iv) One member, who has demonstrated competency 
                (as so evidenced) in delivery of services to populations 
                of children with special needs and their families.
                    ``(v) One member, who has demonstrated competency 
                (as so evidenced) in assessment and evaluation of 
                programs serving young children.
                    ``(B) An employee from the Office of Head Start.
                    ``(C) An executive director of a Head Start agency.
            ``(4) Expert panel report.--Within 9 months after being 
        convened by the Secretary, the expert panel shall issue a report 
        to the Secretary that provides recommendations on a proposed 
        system for designation renewal that takes into account the 
        criteria in subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (1) to 
        evaluate whether a Head Start agency is fulfilling its mission 
        to deliver a high-quality and comprehensive Head Start program, 
        including adequately meeting its governance, legal, and 
        financial management requirements.
            ``(5) Public comment and consideration.--
        Not <<NOTE: Deadline. Federal Register, publication.>> later 
        than 3 months after receiving the report described in paragraph 
        (4), the Secretary shall publish a notice describing a proposed 
        system for designation renewal in the Federal Register, 
        including a proposal for the transition to such system, 
        providing at least 90 days for public comment. The Secretary 
        shall review and consider public comments prior to finalizing 
        the system for designation renewal described in this subsection.
            ``(6) Designation renewal system.--
        Not <<NOTE: Deadline.>> later than 12 months after publishing a 
        notice describing the proposed system under paragraph (5), the 
        Secretary shall implement the system for designation renewal and 
        use that system to determine--
                    ``(A) whether a Head Start grantee is successfully 
                delivering a high-quality and comprehensive Head Start 
                program; and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1380]]

                    ``(B) whether the grantee has any unresolved 
                deficiencies found during the last triennial review 
                under section 641A(c).
            ``(7) Implementation of the designation renewal system.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A grantee who is determined under 
                such system--
                          ``(i) to be delivering a high-quality and 
                      comprehensive Head Start program shall be 
                      designated (consistent with section 643) as a Head 
                      Start agency for the period of 5 years described 
                      in section 638;
                          ``(ii) to not be delivering a high-quality and 
                      comprehensive Head Start program shall be subject 
                      to an open competition as described in subsection 
                      (d); and
                          ``(iii) in the case of an Indian Head Start 
                      agency, to not be delivering a high-quality and 
                      comprehensive Head Start program shall 
                      (notwithstanding clause (ii)) be subject to the 
                      requirements of subparagraph (B).
                    ``(B) <<NOTE: Plan. Deadlines.>> Tribal government 
                consultation and reevaluation.--On making a 
                determination described in subparagraph (A)(iii), the 
                Secretary shall engage in government-to-government 
                consultation with the appropriate tribal government or 
                governments for the purpose of establishing a plan to 
                improve the quality of Head Start programs operated by 
                the Indian Head Start agency. Such plan shall be 
                established and implemented within 6 months after the 
                Secretary's determination. Not more than 6 months after 
                the implementation of that plan, the Secretary shall 
                reevaluate the performance of the Indian Head Start 
                agency. If the Indian Head Start agency is still not 
                delivering a high-quality and comprehensive Head Start 
                program, the Secretary shall conduct an open competition 
                as described in subsection (d), subject to the 
                limitations described in subsection (e).
            ``(8) Transparency, reliability, and validity.--The 
        Secretary shall ensure the system for designation renewal is 
        fair, consistent, and transparent and is applied in a manner 
        that renews designations, in a timely manner, grantees as Head 
        Start agencies for periods of 5 years if such grantees are 
        delivering high-quality and comprehensive Head Start programs. 
        The <<NOTE: Evaluation.>> Secretary shall periodically evaluate 
        whether the criteria of the system are being applied in a manner 
        that is transparent, reliable, and valid.
            ``(9) Transition.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Each <<NOTE: Deadline.>> Head 
                Start agency shall be reviewed under the system for 
                designation renewal described in paragraph (6), not 
                later than 3 years after the implementation of such 
                system.
                    ``(B) Limitation.--A Head Start agency shall not be 
                subject to the requirements of the system for 
                designation renewal prior to 18 months after the date of 
                enactment of the Improving Head Start for School 
                Readiness Act of 2007.
                    ``(C) Schedule.--The Secretary shall establish and 
                implement a schedule for reviewing each Head Start 
                agency

[[Page 121 STAT. 1381]]

                under the system for designation renewal described in 
                paragraph (6), consistent with subparagraphs (A) and 
                (B).
            ``(10) Reports to congress.--The Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) make available to the Committee on Education 
                and Labor of the House of Representatives and the 
                Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
                the Senate the report described in paragraph (4);
                    ``(B) concurrently with publishing a notice in the 
                Federal Register as described in paragraph (5), provide 
                a report to the Committee on Education and Labor of the 
                House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, 
                Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate that 
                provides a detailed description of the proposed system 
                described in paragraph (5), including a clear rationale 
                for any differences between the proposed system and the 
                recommendations of the expert panel, if any such 
                differences exist; and
                    ``(C) prior to implementing the system for 
                designation renewal, provide a report to the Committee 
                on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives 
                and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                Pensions of the Senate--
                          ``(i) summarizing the public comment on the 
                      proposed system and the Secretary's response to 
                      such comment; and
                          ``(ii) describing the final system for 
                      designation renewal and the plans for 
                      implementation of such system.

    ``(d) Designation When No Entity Is Renewed.--
            ``(1) In general.--If no entity in a community is determined 
        to be successfully delivering a high-quality and comprehensive 
        Head Start program, as specified in subsection (c), the 
        Secretary shall, after conducting an open competition, designate 
        for a 5-year period a Head Start agency from among qualified 
        applicants in such community.
            ``(2) Considerations for designation.--In selecting from 
        among qualified applicants for designation as a Head Start 
        agency, the Secretary shall consider the effectiveness of each 
        such applicant to provide Head Start services, based on--
                    ``(A) any past performance of such applicant in 
                providing services comparable to Head Start services, 
                including how effectively such applicant provided such 
                comparable services;
                    ``(B) the plan of such applicant to provide 
                comprehensive health, educational, nutritional, social, 
                and other services needed to aid participating children 
                in attaining their full potential, and to prepare 
                children to succeed in school;
                    ``(C) the plan of such applicant to attract and 
                retain qualified staff capable of delivering, including 
                implementing, a high-quality and comprehensive program, 
                including the ability to carry out a research based 
                curriculum aligned with the Head Start Child Outcomes 
                Framework and, as appropriate, State early learning 
                standards;
                    ``(D) the ability of such applicant to maintain 
                child-to-teacher ratios and family service worker 
                caseloads that

[[Page 121 STAT. 1382]]

                reflect best practices and are tied to high-quality 
                service delivery;
                    ``(E) the capacity of such applicant to serve 
                eligible children with--
                          ``(i) curricula that are based on 
                      scientifically valid research, that are 
                      developmentally appropriate, and that promote the 
                      school readiness of children participating in the 
                      program involved; and
                          ``(ii) teaching practices that are based, as 
                      appropriate, on scientifically valid research, 
                      that are developmentally appropriate, and that 
                      promote the school readiness of children 
                      participating in the program involved;
                    ``(F) the plan of such applicant to meet standards 
                described in section 641A(a)(1), with particular 
                attention to the standards described in subparagraphs 
                (A) and (B) of such section;
                    ``(G) the proposed budget of the applicant and plan 
                of such applicant to maintain strong fiscal controls and 
                cost-effective fiscal management;
                    ``(H) the plan of such applicant to coordinate and 
                collaborate with other public or private entities 
                providing early childhood education and development 
                programs and services for young children in the 
                community involved, including--
                          ``(i) programs implementing grant agreements 
                      under the Early Reading First and Even Start 
                      programs under subparts 2 and 3 of part B of title 
                      I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
                      1965 (20 U.S.C. 6371 et seq., 6381 et seq.);
                          ``(ii) other preschool programs under title I 
                      of that Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);
                          ``(iii) programs under section 619 and part C 
                      of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
                      (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.);
                          ``(iv) State prekindergarten programs;
                          ``(v) child care programs;
                          ``(vi) the educational programs that the 
                      children in the Head Start program involved will 
                      enter at the age of compulsory school attendance; 
                      and
                          ``(vii) local entities, such as a public or 
                      school library, for--
                                    ``(I) conducting reading readiness 
                                programs;
                                    ``(II) developing innovative 
                                programs to excite children about the 
                                world of books, including providing 
                                fresh books in the Head Start classroom;
                                    ``(III) assisting in literacy 
                                training for Head Start teachers; or
                                    ``(IV) supporting parents and other 
                                caregivers in literacy efforts;
                    ``(I) the plan of such applicant to coordinate the 
                Head Start program that the applicant proposes to carry 
                out, with public and private entities that are willing 
                to commit resources to assist the Head Start program in 
                meeting its program needs;
                    ``(J) the plan of such applicant--

[[Page 121 STAT. 1383]]

                          ``(i) to facilitate the involvement of parents 
                      (including grandparents and kinship caregivers, as 
                      appropriate) of children participating in the 
                      proposed Head Start program, in activities (at 
                      home and, if practicable, at the location of the 
                      Head Start program) designed to help such parents 
                      become full partners in the education of their 
                      children;
                          ``(ii) to afford such parents the opportunity 
                      to participate in the development and overall 
                      conduct of the program at the local level, 
                      including transportation assistance, as 
                      appropriate;
                          ``(iii) to offer (directly or through referral 
                      to local entities, such as entities carrying out 
                      Even Start programs under subpart 3 of part B of 
                      title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                      Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6381 et seq.), public and 
                      school libraries, and entities carrying out family 
                      support programs) to such parents--
                                    ``(I) family literacy services; and
                                    ``(II) parenting skills training;
                          ``(iv) to offer to parents of participating 
                      children substance abuse counseling (either 
                      directly or through referral to local entities), 
                      if needed, including information on the effect of 
                      drug exposure on infants and fetal alcohol 
                      syndrome;
                          ``(v) at the option of such applicant, to 
                      offer (directly or through referral to local 
                      entities) to such parents--
                                    ``(I) training in basic child 
                                development (including cognitive, 
                                social, and emotional development);
                                    ``(II) assistance in developing 
                                literacy and communication skills;
                                    ``(III) opportunities to share 
                                experiences with other parents 
                                (including parent-mentor relationships);
                                    ``(IV) regular in-home visitation;
                                    ``(V) health services, including 
                                information on maternal depression; or
                                    ``(VI) any other activity designed 
                                to help such parents become full 
                                partners in the education of their 
                                children;
                          ``(vi) to provide, with respect to each 
                      participating family, a family needs assessment 
                      that includes consultation with such parents 
                      (including foster parents, grandparents, and 
                      kinship caregivers, where applicable), in a manner 
                      and language that such parents can understand, to 
                      the extent practicable, about the benefits of 
                      parent involvement and about the activities 
                      described in this subparagraph in which such 
                      parents may choose to become involved (taking into 
                      consideration their specific family needs, work 
                      schedules, and other responsibilities); and
                          ``(vii) to extend outreach to fathers 
                      (including father figures), in appropriate cases, 
                      in order to strengthen the role of those fathers 
                      in families, in the education of young children, 
                      and in the Head Start

[[Page 121 STAT. 1384]]

                      program, by working directly with the fathers 
                      through activities such as--
                                    ``(I) in appropriate cases, 
                                including the fathers in home visits and 
                                providing opportunities for direct 
                                father-child interactions; and
                                    ``(II) targeting increased male 
                                participation in the conduct of the 
                                program;
                    ``(K) the plan of such applicant to meet the needs 
                of limited English proficient children and their 
                families, including procedures to identify such 
                children, plans to provide trained personnel, and plans 
                to provide services to assist the children in making 
                progress toward the acquisition of the English language, 
                while making meaningful progress in attaining the 
                knowledge, skills, abilities, and development described 
                in section 641A(a)(1)(B);
                    ``(L) the plan of such applicant to meet the diverse 
                needs of the population served;
                    ``(M) the plan of such applicant who chooses to 
                assist younger siblings of children who will participate 
                in the Head Start program to obtain health services from 
                other sources;
                    ``(N) the plan of such applicant to meet the needs 
                of children with disabilities, including procedures to 
                identify such children, procedures for referral of such 
                children for evaluation to State or local agencies 
                providing services under section 619 or part C of the 
                Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
                1419, 1431 et seq.), and plans for collaboration with 
                those State or local agencies;
                    ``(O) the plan of such applicant to meet the needs 
                of homeless children, including transportation needs, 
                and the needs of children in foster care; and
                    ``(P) other factors related to the requirements of 
                this subchapter.
            ``(3) Priority.--In selecting from among qualified 
        applicants for designation as a Head Start agency, the Secretary 
        shall give priority to applicants that have demonstrated 
        capacity in providing effective, comprehensive, and well-
        coordinated early childhood education and development services 
        and programs to children and their families.

    ``(e) Prohibition Against Non-Indian Head Start Agency Receiving a 
Grant for an Indian Head Start Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law, except as provided in paragraph (2), under no condition may 
        a non-Indian Head Start agency receive a grant to carry out an 
        Indian Head Start program.
            ``(2) Exception.--In a community in which there is no Indian 
        Head Start agency available for designation to carry out an 
        Indian Head Start program, a non-Indian Head Start agency may 
        receive a grant to carry out an Indian Head Start program but 
        only until such time as an Indian Head Start agency in such 
        community becomes available and is designated pursuant to this 
        section.

    ``(f) Interim Provider.--If no agency in a community is designated 
under subsection (d), and there is no qualified applicant in the 
community, the Secretary shall designate a qualified agency to carry out 
the Head Start program in the community on an

[[Page 121 STAT. 1385]]

interim basis until a qualified applicant from the community is 
designated under subsection (d).
    ``(g) Parent and Community Participation.--The Secretary shall 
require that the practice of significantly involving parents and 
community residents in the area affected by the program involved, in the 
selection of Head Start agencies, be continued.
    ``(h) Community.--For purposes of this subchapter, a community may 
be a city, county, or multicity or multicounty unit within a State, an 
Indian reservation (including Indians in any off-reservation area 
designated by an appropriate tribal government in consultation with the 
Secretary), or a neighborhood or other area (irrespective of boundaries 
or political subdivisions) that provides a suitable organizational base 
and possesses the commonality of interest needed to operate a Head Start 
program.''.
SEC. 8. STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD START AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS.

    Section 641A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836a) is amended to 
read as follows:
``SEC. 641A. STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD START AGENCIES AND 
                          PROGRAMS.

    ``(a) Standards.--
            ``(1) Content of standards.--
        The <<NOTE: Regulations.>> Secretary shall modify, as necessary, 
        program performance standards by regulation applicable to Head 
        Start agencies and programs under this subchapter, including--
                    ``(A) performance standards with respect to services 
                required to be provided, including health, parental 
                involvement, nutritional, and social services, 
                transition activities described in section 642A, and 
                other services;
                    ``(B) scientifically based and developmentally 
                appropriate education performance standards related to 
                school readiness that are based on the Head Start Child 
                Outcomes Framework to ensure that the children 
                participating in the program, at a minimum, develop and 
                demonstrate--
                          ``(i) language knowledge and skills, including 
                      oral language and listening comprehension;
                          ``(ii) literacy knowledge and skills, 
                      including phonological awareness, print awareness 
                      and skills, and alphabetic knowledge;
                          ``(iii) mathematics knowledge and skills;
                          ``(iv) science knowledge and skills;
                          ``(v) cognitive abilities related to academic 
                      achievement and child development;
                          ``(vi) approaches to learning related to child 
                      development and early learning;
                          ``(vii) social and emotional development 
                      related to early learning, school success, and 
                      social problemsolving;
                          ``(viii) abilities in creative arts;
                          ``(ix) physical development; and
                          ``(x) in the case of limited English 
                      proficient children, progress toward acquisition 
                      of the English language while making meaningful 
                      progress in attaining the knowledge, skills, 
                      abilities, and development described in clauses 
                      (i) through (ix), including progress

[[Page 121 STAT. 1386]]

                      made through the use of culturally and 
                      linguistically appropriate instructional services;
                    ``(C) administrative and financial management 
                standards;
                    ``(D) standards relating to the condition and 
                location of facilities (including indoor air quality 
                assessment standards, where appropriate) for such 
                agencies, and programs, including regulations that 
                require that the facilities used by Head Start agencies 
                (including Early Head Start agencies and any delegate 
                agencies) for regularly scheduled center-based and 
                combination program option classroom activities--
                          ``(i) shall meet or exceed State and local 
                      requirements concerning licensing for such 
                      facilities; and
                          ``(ii) shall be accessible by State and local 
                      authorities for purposes of monitoring and 
                      ensuring compliance, unless State or local laws 
                      prohibit such access; and
                    ``(E) such other standards as the Secretary finds to 
                be appropriate.
            ``(2) Considerations regarding standards.--In developing any 
        modifications to standards required under paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) consult with experts in the fields of child 
                development, early childhood education, child health 
                care, family services (including linguistically and 
                culturally appropriate services to non-English speaking 
                children and their families), administration, and 
                financial management, and with persons with experience 
                in the operation of Head Start programs;
                    ``(B) take into consideration--
                          ``(i) past experience with use of the 
                      standards in effect under this subchapter on the 
                      date of enactment of the Improving Head Start for 
                      School Readiness Act of 2007;
                          ``(ii) changes over the period since October 
                      27, 1998, in the circumstances and problems 
                      typically facing children and families served by 
                      Head Start agencies;
                          ``(iii) recommendations from the study on 
                      Developmental Outcomes and Assessments for Young 
                      Children by the National Academy of Sciences, 
                      consistent with section 649(j);
                          ``(iv) developments concerning research-based 
                      practices with respect to early childhood 
                      education and development, children with 
                      disabilities, homeless children, children in 
                      foster care, and family services, and best 
                      practices with respect to program administration 
                      and financial management;
                          ``(v) projected needs of an expanding Head 
                      Start program;
                          ``(vi) guidelines and standards that promote 
                      child health services and physical development, 
                      including participation in outdoor activity that 
                      supports children's motor development and overall 
                      health and nutrition;

[[Page 121 STAT. 1387]]

                          ``(vii) changes in the characteristics of the 
                      population of children who are eligible to 
                      participate in Head Start programs, including 
                      country of origin, language background, and family 
                      structure of such children, and changes in the 
                      population and number of such children who are in 
                      foster care or are homeless children;
                          ``(viii) mechanisms to ensure that children 
                      participating in Head Start programs make a 
                      successful transition to the schools that the 
                      children will be attending;
                          ``(ix) the need for Head Start agencies to 
                      maintain regular communications with parents, 
                      including conducting periodic meetings to discuss 
                      the progress of individual children in Head Start 
                      programs; and
                          ``(x) the unique challenges faced by 
                      individual programs, including those programs that 
                      are seasonal or short term and those programs that 
                      serve rural populations;
                    ``(C)(i) review and revise as necessary the 
                standards in effect under this subsection; and
                    ``(ii) ensure that any such revisions in the 
                standards will not result in the elimination of or any 
                reduction in quality, scope, or types of health, 
                educational, parental involvement, nutritional, social, 
                or other services required to be provided under such 
                standards as in effect on the date of enactment of the 
                Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act of 2007; 
                and
                    ``(D) consult with Indian tribes, including Alaska 
                Natives, experts in Indian, including Alaska Native, 
                early childhood education and development, linguists, 
                and the National Indian Head Start Directors Association 
                on the review and promulgation of standards under 
                paragraph (1) (including standards for language 
                acquisition and school readiness).
            ``(3) Standards relating to obligations to delegate 
        agencies.--In developing any modifications to standards under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall describe the obligations of a 
        Head Start agency to a delegate agency to which the Head Start 
        agency has delegated responsibility for providing services under 
        this subchapter.

    ``(b) Measures.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with 
        representatives of Head Start agencies and with experts in the 
        fields of early childhood education and development, family 
        services, and program management, shall use the study on 
        Developmental Outcomes and Assessments for Young Children by the 
        National Academy of Sciences and other relevant research to 
        inform, revise, and provide guidance to Head Start agencies for 
        utilizing, scientifically based measures that support, as 
        appropriate--
                    ``(A) classroom instructional practices;
                    ``(B) identification of children with special needs;
                    ``(C) program evaluation; and
                    ``(D) administrative and financial management 
                practices.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1388]]

            ``(2) Characteristics of measures.--The measures under this 
        subsection shall--
                    ``(A) be developmentally, linguistically, and 
                culturally appropriate for the population served;
                    ``(B) be reviewed periodically, based on advances in 
                the science of early childhood development;
                    ``(C) be consistent with relevant, nationally 
                recognized professional and technical standards related 
                to the assessment of young children;
                    ``(D) be valid and reliable in the language in which 
                they are administered;
                    ``(E) be administered by staff with appropriate 
                training for such administration;
                    ``(F) provide for appropriate accommodations for 
                children with disabilities and children who are limited 
                English proficient;
                    ``(G) be high-quality research-based measures that 
                have been demonstrated to assist with the purposes for 
                which they were devised; and
                    ``(H) be adaptable, as appropriate, for use in the 
                self-assessment of Head Start agencies, including in the 
                evaluation of administrative and financial management 
                practices.
            ``(3) Use of measures; limitations on use.--
                    ``(A) Use.--The measures shall be designed, as 
                appropriate, for the purpose of--
                          ``(i) helping to develop the skills, 
                      knowledge, abilities, and development described in 
                      subsection (a)(1)(B) of children participating in 
                      Head Start programs, with an emphasis on measuring 
                      skills that scientifically valid research has 
                      demonstrated are related to children's school 
                      readiness and later success in school;
                          ``(ii) improving classroom practices, 
                      including reviewing children's strengths and 
                      weaknesses and individualizing instruction to 
                      better meet the needs of the children involved;
                          ``(iii) identifying the special needs of 
                      children; and
                          ``(iv) improving overall program performance 
                      in order to help programs identify problem areas 
                      that may require additional training and technical 
                      assistance resources.
                    ``(B) Limitations.--Such measures shall not be used 
                to exclude children from Head Start programs.
            ``(4) Confidentiality.--
                    ``(A) In general.--
                The <<NOTE: Regulations.>> Secretary, through 
                regulation, shall ensure the confidentiality of any 
                personally identifiable data, information, and records 
                collected or maintained under this subchapter by the 
                Secretary and any Head Start agency. Such regulations 
                shall provide the policies, protections, and rights 
                equivalent to those provided to a parent, student, or 
                educational agency or institution under section 444 of 
                the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g).
                    ``(B) Prohibition on nationwide database.--Nothing 
                in this subsection shall be construed to authorize the 
                development of a nationwide database of personally 
                identifiable data, information, or records on children 
                resulting from the use of measures under this 
                subsection.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1389]]

            ``(5) Special rule.--
                    ``(A) Prohibition.--The use of assessment items and 
                data on any assessment authorized under this subchapter 
                by any agent of the Federal Government is prohibited for 
                the purposes of--
                          ``(i) ranking, comparing, or otherwise 
                      evaluating individual children for purposes other 
                      than research, training, or technical assistance; 
                      and
                          ``(ii) providing rewards or sanctions for 
                      individual children or teachers.
                    ``(B) Results.--The Secretary shall not use the 
                results of a single assessment as the sole method for 
                assessing program effectiveness or making agency funding 
                determinations at the national, regional, or local level 
                under this subchapter.

    ``(c) <<NOTE: Reviews.>> Monitoring of Local Agencies and 
Programs.--
            ``(1) In general.--To determine whether Head Start agencies 
        meet standards described in subsection (a)(1) established under 
        this subchapter with respect to program, administrative, 
        financial management, and other requirements, and in order to 
        help the programs identify areas for improvement and areas of 
        strength as part of their ongoing self-assessment process, the 
        Secretary shall conduct the following reviews of Head Start 
        agencies, including the Head Start programs operated by such 
        agencies:
                    ``(A) A full review, including the use of a risk-
                based assessment approach, of each such agency at least 
                once during each 3-year period.
                    ``(B) A review of each newly designated Head Start 
                agency immediately after the completion of the first 
                year such agency carries out a Head Start program.
                    ``(C) Followup reviews, including--
                          ``(i) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> return visits to 
                      Head Start agencies with 1 or more findings of 
                      deficiencies, not later than 6 months after the 
                      Secretary provides notification of such findings, 
                      or not later than 12 months after such 
                      notification if the Secretary determines that 
                      additional time is necessary for an agency to 
                      address such a deficiency prior to the review; and
                          ``(ii) a review of Head Start agencies with 
                      significant areas of noncompliance.
                    ``(D) Other reviews, including unannounced site 
                inspections of Head Start centers, as appropriate.
            ``(2) Conduct of reviews.--The Secretary shall ensure that 
        reviews described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph 
        (1)--
                    ``(A) are conducted by review teams that--
                          ``(i) include individuals who are 
                      knowledgeable about Head Start programs and, to 
                      the maximum extent practicable, individuals who 
                      are knowledgeable about--
                                    ``(I) other early childhood 
                                education and development programs, 
                                personnel management, financial 
                                accountability, and systems development 
                                and monitoring; and
                                    ``(II) the diverse (including 
                                linguistic and cultural) needs of 
                                eligible children (including children

[[Page 121 STAT. 1390]]

                                with disabilities, homeless children, 
                                children in foster care, and limited 
                                English proficient children) and their 
                                families;
                          ``(ii) include, to the maximum extent 
                      practicable, current or former employees of the 
                      Department of Health and Human Services who are 
                      knowledgeable about Head Start programs; and
                          ``(iii) shall receive periodic training to 
                      ensure quality and consistency across reviews;
                    ``(B) include as part of the reviews, a review and 
                assessment of program strengths and areas in need of 
                improvement;
                    ``(C) include as part of the reviews, a review and 
                assessment of whether programs have adequately addressed 
                population and community needs (including those of 
                limited English proficient children and children of 
                migrant or seasonal farmworker families);
                    ``(D) include as part of the reviews, an assessment 
                of the extent to which the programs address the 
                communitywide strategic planning and needs assessment 
                described in section 640(g)(1)(C);
                    ``(E) include information on the innovative and 
                effective efforts of the Head Start agencies to 
                collaborate with the entities providing early childhood 
                and development services or programs in the community 
                and any barriers to such collaboration that the agencies 
                encounter;
                    ``(F) include as part of the reviews, a valid and 
                reliable research-based observational instrument, 
                implemented by qualified individuals with demonstrated 
                reliability, that assesses classroom quality, including 
                assessing multiple dimensions of teacher-child 
                interactions that are linked to positive child 
                development and later achievement;
                    ``(G) are conducted in a manner that evaluates 
                program performance, quality, and overall operations 
                with consistency and objectivity, are based on a 
                transparent and reliable system of review, and are 
                conducted in a manner that includes periodic interrater 
                reliability checks, to ensure quality and consistency, 
                across and within regions, of the reviews and of 
                noncompliance and deficiency determinations;
                    ``(H) in the case of reviews of Early Head Start 
                agencies and programs, are conducted by a review team 
                that includes individuals who are knowledgeable about 
                the development of infants and toddlers;
                    ``(I) include as part of the reviews a protocol for 
                fiscal management that shall be used to assess 
                compliance with program requirements for--
                          ``(i) using Federal funds appropriately;
                          ``(ii) using Federal funds specifically to 
                      purchase property (consistent with section 644(f)) 
                      and to compensate personnel;
                          ``(iii) securing and using qualified financial 
                      officer support; and
                          ``(iv) reporting financial information and 
                      implementing appropriate internal controls to 
                      safeguard Federal funds;

[[Page 121 STAT. 1391]]

                    ``(J) include as part of the reviews of the 
                programs, a review and assessment of whether the 
                programs are in conformity with the eligibility 
                requirements under section 645(a)(1), including 
                regulations promulgated under such section and whether 
                the programs have met the requirements for the outreach 
                and enrollment policies and procedures, and selection 
                criteria, in such section, for the participation of 
                children in programs assisted under this subchapter;
                    ``(K) include as part of the reviews, a review and 
                assessment of whether agencies have adequately addressed 
                the needs of children with disabilities, including 
                whether the agencies involved have met the 10 percent 
                minimum enrollment requirement specified in section 
                640(d) and whether the agencies have made sufficient 
                efforts to collaborate with State and local agencies 
                providing services under section 619 or part C of the 
                Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
                1419, 1431 et seq.); and
                    ``(L) include as part of the reviews, a review and 
                assessment of child outcomes and performance as they 
                relate to agency-determined school readiness goals 
                described in subsection (g)(2), consistent with 
                subsection (b)(5).
            ``(3) Standards relating to obligations to delegate 
        agencies.--In conducting a review described in paragraph (1)(A) 
        of a Head Start agency, the Secretary shall determine whether 
        the agency complies with the obligations described in subsection 
        (a)(3). The Secretary shall consider such compliance in 
        determining whether to renew financial assistance to the Head 
        Start agency under this subchapter.
            ``(4) Use of review findings.--The findings of a review 
        described in paragraph (1) of a Head Start agency shall, at a 
        minimum--
                    ``(A) be presented to the agency in a timely, 
                transparent, and uniform manner that conveys information 
                of program strengths and weaknesses and assists with 
                program improvement; and
                    ``(B) be used by the agency to inform the 
                development and implementation of its plan for training 
                and technical assistance.

    ``(d) Evaluations and Corrective Action for Delegate Agencies.--
            ``(1) Procedures.--Each Head Start agency shall establish, 
        subject to paragraph (4), procedures relating to its delegate 
        agencies, including--
                    ``(A) procedures for evaluating delegate agencies;
                    ``(B) procedures for defunding delegate agencies; 
                and
                    ``(C) procedures for a delegate agency to appeal a 
                defunding decision.
            ``(2) Evaluation.--Each Head Start agency--
                    ``(A) shall evaluate its delegate agencies using the 
                procedures established under this subsection; and
                    ``(B) shall inform the delegate agencies of the 
                deficiencies identified through the evaluation that are 
                required to be corrected.
            ``(3) Remedies to ensure corrective actions.--In the event 
        that the Head Start agency identifies a deficiency for

[[Page 121 STAT. 1392]]

        a delegate agency through the evaluation, the Head Start agency 
        shall take action, which may include--
                    ``(A) initiating procedures to terminate the 
                designation of the agency unless the agency corrects the 
                deficiency;
                    ``(B) conducting monthly monitoring visits to such 
                delegate agency until all deficiencies are corrected or 
                the Head Start agency decides to defund such delegate 
                agency; and
                    ``(C) releasing funds to such delegate agency--
                          ``(i) only as reimbursements except that, upon 
                      receiving a request from the delegate agency 
                      accompanied by assurances satisfactory to the Head 
                      Start agency that the funds will be appropriately 
                      safeguarded, the Head Start agency shall provide 
                      to the delegate agency a working capital advance 
                      in an amount sufficient to cover the estimated 
                      expenses involved during an agreed upon disbursing 
                      cycle; and
                          ``(ii) only if there is continuity of 
                      services.
            ``(4) Termination.--The Head Start agency may not terminate 
        a delegate agency's contract or reduce a delegate agency's 
        service area without showing cause or demonstrating the cost-
        effectiveness of such a decision.
            ``(5) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection 
        shall be construed to limit the powers, duties, or functions of 
        the Secretary with respect to Head Start agencies or delegate 
        agencies that receive financial assistance under this 
        subchapter.

    ``(e) Corrective Action for Head Start Agencies.--
            ``(1) Determination.--If the Secretary determines, on the 
        basis of a review pursuant to subsection (c), that a Head Start 
        agency designated pursuant to this subchapter fails to meet the 
        standards described in subsection (a)(1) or fails to address the 
        communitywide strategic planning and needs assessment, the 
        Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) inform the agency of the deficiencies that 
                shall be corrected and identify the assistance to be 
                provided consistent with paragraph (3);
                    ``(B) with respect to each identified deficiency, 
                require the agency--
                          ``(i) to correct the deficiency immediately, 
                      if the Secretary finds that the deficiency 
                      threatens the health or safety of staff or program 
                      participants or poses a threat to the integrity of 
                      Federal funds;
                          ``(ii) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> to correct the 
                      deficiency not later than 90 days after the 
                      identification of the deficiency if the Secretary 
                      finds, in the discretion of the Secretary, that 
                      such a 90-day period is reasonable, in light of 
                      the nature and magnitude of the deficiency; or
                          ``(iii) in the discretion of the Secretary 
                      (taking into consideration the seriousness of the 
                      deficiency and the time reasonably required to 
                      correct the deficiency), to comply with the 
                      requirements of paragraph (2) concerning a quality 
                      improvement plan; and
                    ``(C) initiate proceedings to terminate the 
                designation of the agency unless the agency corrects the 
                deficiency.
            ``(2) Quality improvement plan.--
                    ``(A) Agency and program responsibilities.--To 
                retain a designation as a Head Start agency under this 
                subchapter, or in the case of a Head Start program to

[[Page 121 STAT. 1393]]

                continue to receive funds from such agency, a Head Start 
                agency that is the subject of a determination described 
                in paragraph (1), or a Head Start program that is 
                determined to have a deficiency under subsection (d)(2) 
                (excluding an agency required to correct a deficiency 
                immediately or during a 90-day period under clause (i) 
                or (ii) of paragraph (1)(B)) shall--
                          ``(i) develop in a timely manner, a quality 
                      improvement plan that shall be subject to the 
                      approval of the Secretary, or in the case of a 
                      program, the sponsoring agency, and that shall 
                      specify--
                                    ``(I) the deficiencies to be 
                                corrected;
                                    ``(II) the actions to be taken to 
                                correct such deficiencies; and
                                    ``(III) the timetable for 
                                accomplishment of the corrective actions 
                                specified; and
                          ``(ii) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> correct each 
                      deficiency identified, not later than the date for 
                      correction of such deficiency specified in such 
                      plan (which shall not be later than 1 year after 
                      the date the agency or Head Start program that is 
                      determined to have a deficiency received notice of 
                      the determination and of the specific deficiency 
                      to be corrected).
                    ``(B) Secretarial responsibility.--
                Not <<NOTE: Deadline.>> later than 30 days after 
                receiving from a Head Start agency a proposed quality 
                improvement plan pursuant to subparagraph (A), the 
                Secretary shall either approve such proposed plan or 
                specify the reasons why the proposed plan cannot be 
                approved.
                    ``(C) Agency responsibility.--
                Not <<NOTE: Deadline.>> later than 30 days after 
                receiving from a Head Start program a proposed quality 
                improvement plan pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Head 
                Start agency involved shall either approve such proposed 
                plan or specify the reasons why the proposed plan cannot 
                be approved.
            ``(3) Training and technical assistance.--The Secretary 
        shall provide training and technical assistance to Head Start 
        agencies and programs with respect to the development or 
        implementation of such quality improvement plans to the extent 
        the Secretary finds such provision to be feasible and 
        appropriate given available funding and other statutory 
        responsibilities.

    ``(f) Summaries of Monitoring Outcomes.--
            ``(1) In general.--
        Not <<NOTE: Deadline. Publication. Reports.>> later than 120 
        days after the end of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall 
        publish a summary report on the findings of reviews conducted 
        under subsection (c) and on the outcomes of quality improvement 
        plans implemented under subsection (e), during such fiscal year.
            ``(2) Report availability.--Such report shall be made widely 
        available to--
                    ``(A) parents with children receiving assistance 
                under this subchapter--
                          ``(i) in an understandable and uniform format; 
                      and
                          ``(ii) to the extent practicable, in a 
                      language that the parents understand; and
                    ``(B) the public through means such as--
                          ``(i) distribution through public agencies; 
                      and
                          ``(ii) posting such information on the 
                      Internet.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1394]]

            ``(3) Report information.--Such report shall contain 
        detailed data--
                    ``(A) on compliance with specific standards and 
                measures; and
                    ``(B) sufficient to allow Head Start agencies to use 
                such data to improve the quality of their programs.

    ``(g) Self-Assessments.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not less frequently than once each 
        program year, with the consultation and participation of policy 
        councils and, as applicable, policy committees and, as 
        appropriate, other community members, each Head Start agency, 
        and each delegate agency, that receives financial assistance 
        under this subchapter shall conduct a comprehensive self-
        assessment of its effectiveness and progress in meeting program 
        goals and objectives and in implementing and complying with 
        standards described in subsection (a)(1).
            ``(2) Goals, reports, and improvement plans.--
                    ``(A) Goals.--An agency conducting a self-assessment 
                shall establish agency-determined program goals for 
                improving the school readiness of children participating 
                in a program under this subchapter, including school 
                readiness goals that are aligned with the Head Start 
                Child Outcomes Framework, State early learning standards 
                as appropriate, and requirements and expectations of the 
                schools the children will be attending.
                    ``(B) Improvement plan.--The agency shall develop, 
                and submit to the Secretary a report containing, an 
                improvement plan approved by the governing body of the 
                agency to strengthen any areas identified in the self-
                assessment as weaknesses or in need of improvement.
            ``(3) <<NOTE: Procedures.>> Ongoing monitoring.--Each Head 
        Start agency (including each Early Head Start agency) and each 
        delegate agency shall establish and implement procedures for the 
        ongoing monitoring of their respective programs, to ensure that 
        the operations of the programs work toward meeting program goals 
        and objectives and standards described in subsection (a)(1).

    ``(h) Reduction of Grants and Redistribution of Funds in Cases of 
Underenrollment.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Actual enrollment.--The term `actual 
                enrollment' means, with respect to the program of a Head 
                Start agency, the actual number of children enrolled in 
                such program and reported by the agency (as required in 
                paragraph (2)) in a given month.
                    ``(B) Base grant.--The term `base grant' has the 
                meaning given the term in section 640(a)(7).
                    ``(C) Funded enrollment.--The term `funded 
                enrollment' means, with respect to the program of a Head 
                Start agency in a fiscal year, the number of children 
                that the agency is funded to serve through a grant for 
                the program during such fiscal year, as indicated in the 
                grant agreement.
            ``(2) Enrollment reporting requirement.--Each entity 
        carrying out a Head Start program shall report on a monthly 
        basis to the Secretary and the relevant Head Start agency--
                    ``(A) the actual enrollment in such program; and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1395]]

                    ``(B) if such actual enrollment is less than the 
                funded enrollment, any apparent reason for such 
                enrollment shortfall.
            ``(3) Secretarial review and plan.--The Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) on a semiannual basis, determine which Head 
                Start agencies are operating with an actual enrollment 
                that is less than the funded enrollment based on not 
                less than 4 consecutive months of data;
                    ``(B) for each such Head Start agency operating a 
                program with an actual enrollment that is less than its 
                funded enrollment, as determined under subparagraph (A), 
                develop, in collaboration with such agency, a plan and 
                timetable for reducing or eliminating underenrollment 
                taking into consideration--
                          ``(i) the quality and extent of the outreach, 
                      recruitment, and communitywide strategic planning 
                      and needs assessment conducted by such agency;
                          ``(ii) changing demographics, mobility of 
                      populations, and the identification of new 
                      underserved low-income populations;
                          ``(iii) facilities-related issues that may 
                      impact enrollment;
                          ``(iv) the ability to provide full-working-day 
                      programs, where needed, through funds made 
                      available under this subchapter or through 
                      collaboration with entities carrying out other 
                      early childhood education and development 
                      programs, or programs with other funding sources 
                      (where available);
                          ``(v) the availability and use by families of 
                      other early childhood education and development 
                      options in the community served; and
                          ``(vi) agency management procedures that may 
                      impact enrollment; and
                    ``(C) provide timely and ongoing technical 
                assistance to each agency described in subparagraph (B) 
                for the purpose of assisting the Head Start agency to 
                implement the plan described in such subparagraph.
            ``(4) Implementation.--Upon receipt of the technical 
        assistance described in paragraph (3)(C), a Head Start agency 
        shall immediately implement the plan described in paragraph 
        (3)(B). The Secretary shall, where determined appropriate, 
        continue to provide technical assistance to such agency.
            ``(5) Secretarial review and adjustment for chronic 
        underenrollment.--
                    ``(A) In general.--If, after receiving technical 
                assistance and developing and implementing the plan as 
                described in paragraphs (3) and (4) for 12 months, a 
                Head Start agency is operating a program with an actual 
                enrollment that is less than 97 percent of its funded 
                enrollment, the Secretary may--
                          ``(i) designate such agency as chronically 
                      underenrolled; and
                          ``(ii) recapture, withhold, or reduce the base 
                      grant for the program by a percentage equal to the 
                      percentage difference between funded enrollment 
                      and actual enrollment for the program for the most 
                      recent year

[[Page 121 STAT. 1396]]

                      for which the agency is determined to be 
                      underenrolled under paragraph (3)(A).
                    ``(B) Waiver or limitation of reductions.--The 
                Secretary may, as appropriate, waive or reduce the 
                percentage recapturing, withholding, or reduction 
                otherwise required by subparagraph (A), if, after the 
                implementation of the plan described in paragraph 
                (3)(B), the Secretary finds that--
                          ``(i) the causes of the enrollment shortfall, 
                      or a portion of the shortfall, are related to the 
                      agency's serving significant numbers of highly 
                      mobile children, or are other significant causes 
                      as determined by the Secretary;
                          ``(ii) the shortfall can reasonably be 
                      expected to be temporary; or
                          ``(iii) the number of slots allotted to the 
                      agency is small enough that underenrollment does 
                      not create a significant shortfall.
            ``(6) Redistribution of funds.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Funds held by the Secretary as a 
                result of recapturing, withholding, or reducing a base 
                grant in a fiscal year shall be redistributed by the end 
                of the following fiscal year as follows:
                          ``(i) Indian head start programs.--If such 
                      funds are derived from an Indian Head Start 
                      program, then such funds shall be redistributed to 
                      increase enrollment by the end of the following 
                      fiscal year in 1 or more Indian Head Start 
                      programs.
                          ``(ii) Migrant and seasonal head start 
                      programs.--If such funds are derived from a 
                      migrant or seasonal Head Start program, then such 
                      funds shall be redistributed to increase 
                      enrollment by the end of the following fiscal year 
                      in 1 or more programs of the type from which such 
                      funds are derived.
                          ``(iii) Early head start programs.--If such 
                      funds are derived from an Early Head Start program 
                      in a State, then such funds shall be redistributed 
                      to increase enrollment by the end of the following 
                      fiscal year in 1 or more Early Head Start programs 
                      in that State. If such funds are derived from an 
                      Indian Early Head Start program, then such funds 
                      shall be redistributed to increase enrollment by 
                      the end of the following fiscal year in 1 or more 
                      Indian Early Head Start programs.
                          ``(iv) Other head start programs.--If such 
                      funds are derived from a Head Start program in a 
                      State (excluding programs described in clauses (i) 
                      through (iii)), then such funds shall be 
                      redistributed to increase enrollment by the end of 
                      the following fiscal year in 1 or more Head Start 
                      programs (excluding programs described in clauses 
                      (i) through (iii)) that are carried out in such 
                      State.
                    ``(B) Adjustment to funded enrollment.--The 
                Secretary shall adjust as necessary the requirements 
                relating to funded enrollment indicated in the grant 
                agreement of a Head Start agency receiving redistributed 
                funds under this paragraph.''.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1397]]

SEC. 9. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF HEAD START AGENCIES.

    Section 642 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837) is amended to 
read as follows:
``SEC. 642. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF HEAD START AGENCIES.

    ``(a) Authority.--To be designated as a Head Start agency under this 
subchapter, an agency shall have authority under its charter or 
applicable law to receive and administer funds under this subchapter, 
funds and contributions from private or local public sources that may be 
used in support of a Head Start program, and funds under any Federal or 
State assistance program pursuant to which a public or private nonprofit 
or for-profit agency (as the case may be) organized in accordance with 
this subchapter, could act as grantee, contractor, or sponsor of 
projects appropriate for inclusion in a Head Start program. Such an 
agency shall also be empowered to transfer funds so received, and to 
delegate powers to other agencies, subject to the powers of its 
governing board and its overall program responsibilities. The power to 
transfer funds and delegate powers shall include the power to make 
transfers and delegations covering component projects in all cases where 
this will contribute to efficiency and effectiveness or otherwise 
further program objectives.
    ``(b) Family and Community Involvement; Family Services.--To be so 
designated, a Head Start agency shall, at a minimum, do all the 
following to involve and serve families and communities:
            ``(1) Provide for the regular and direct participation of 
        parents and community residents in the implementation of the 
        Head Start program, including decisions that influence the 
        character of such program, consistent with paragraphs (2)(D) and 
        (3)(C) of subsection (c).
            ``(2) Seek the involvement of parents, community residents, 
        and local business in the design and implementation of the 
        program.
            ``(3) <<NOTE: Procedures.>> Establish effective procedures--
                    ``(A) to facilitate and seek the involvement of 
                parents of participating children in activities designed 
                to help such parents become full partners in the 
                education of their children; and
                    ``(B) to afford such parents the opportunity to 
                participate in the development and overall conduct of 
                the program at the local level, including transportation 
                assistance as appropriate.
            ``(4) Offer (directly or through referral to local entities, 
        such as entities carrying out Even Start programs under subpart 
        3 of part B of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6381 et seq.), public and school 
        libraries, and entities carrying out family support programs) to 
        such parents--
                    ``(A) family literacy services; and
                    ``(B) parenting skills training.
            ``(5) Offer to parents of participating children substance 
        abuse counseling (either directly or through referral to local 
        entities), if needed, including information on the effect of 
        drug exposure on infants and fetal alcohol syndrome.
            ``(6) At the option of such agency, offer (directly or 
        through referral to local entities) to such parents--

[[Page 121 STAT. 1398]]

                    ``(A) training in basic child development (including 
                cognitive, social, and emotional development);
                    ``(B) assistance in developing literacy and 
                communication skills;
                    ``(C) opportunities to share experiences with other 
                parents (including parent-mentor relationships);
                    ``(D) health services, including information on 
                maternal depression;
                    ``(E) regular in-home visitation; or
                    ``(F) any other activity designed to help such 
                parents become full partners in the education of their 
                children.
            ``(7) Provide, with respect to each participating family, a 
        family needs assessment that includes consultation with such 
        parents (including foster parents, grandparents, and kinship 
        caregivers, where applicable), in a manner and language that 
        such parents can understand (to the extent practicable), about 
        the benefits of parent involvement and about the activities 
        described in this subsection in which such parents may choose to 
        be involved (taking into consideration their specific family 
        needs, work schedules, and other responsibilities).
            ``(8) Consider providing services to assist younger siblings 
        of children participating in its Head Start program to obtain 
        health services from other sources.
            ``(9) Perform community outreach to encourage individuals 
        previously unaffiliated with Head Start programs to participate 
        in its Head Start program as volunteers.
            ``(10)(A) Inform custodial parents in single-parent families 
        that participate in programs, activities, or services carried 
        out or provided under this subchapter about the availability of 
        child support services for purposes of establishing paternity 
        and acquiring child support.
            ``(B) Refer eligible parents to the child support offices of 
        State and local governments.
            ``(11) Provide to parents of limited English proficient 
        children outreach and information, in an understandable and 
        uniform format and, to the extent practicable, in a language 
        that the parents can understand.
            ``(12) Provide technical and other support needed to enable 
        parents and community residents to secure, on their own behalf, 
        available assistance from public and private sources.
            ``(13) Promote the continued involvement of the parents 
        (including foster parents, grandparents, and kinship caregivers, 
        as appropriate) of children that participate in Head Start 
        programs in the education of their children upon transition of 
        their children to school, by working with the local educational 
        agency--
                    ``(A) to provide training to the parents--
                          ``(i) to inform the parents about their rights 
                      and responsibilities concerning the education of 
                      their children; and
                          ``(ii) to enable the parents--
                                    ``(I) to understand and work with 
                                schools in order to communicate with 
                                teachers and other school personnel;
                                    ``(II) to support the schoolwork of 
                                their children; and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1399]]

                                    ``(III) to participate as 
                                appropriate in decisions relating to the 
                                education of their children; and
                    ``(B) to take other actions, as appropriate and 
                feasible, to support the active involvement of the 
                parents with schools, school personnel, and school-
                related organizations.
            ``(14) <<NOTE: Procedures.>> Establish effective procedures 
        for timely referral of children with disabilities to the State 
        or local agency providing services under section 619 or part C 
        of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
        1419, 1431 et seq.), and collaboration with that agency, 
        consistent with section 640(d)(3).
            ``(15) <<NOTE: Procedures.>> Establish effective procedures 
        for providing necessary early intervening services to children 
        with disabilities prior to an eligibility determination by the 
        State or local agency responsible for providing services under 
        section 619 or part C of such Act, consistent with section 
        640(d)(2).
            ``(16) At the option of the Head Start agency, partner with 
        an institution of higher education and a nonprofit organization 
        to provide college students with the opportunity to serve as 
        mentors or reading partners for Head Start participants.

    ``(c) Program Governance.--Upon receiving designation as a Head 
Start agency, the agency shall establish and maintain a formal structure 
for program governance, for the oversight of quality services for Head 
Start children and families and for making decisions related to program 
design and implementation. Such structure shall include the following:
            ``(1) Governing body.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The governing body shall have 
                legal and fiscal responsibility for the Head Start 
                agency.
                    ``(B) Composition.--The governing body shall be 
                composed as follows:
                          ``(i) Not less than 1 member shall have a 
                      background and expertise in fiscal management or 
                      accounting.
                          ``(ii) Not less than 1 member shall have a 
                      background and expertise in early childhood 
                      education and development.
                          ``(iii) Not less than 1 member shall be a 
                      licensed attorney familiar with issues that come 
                      before the governing body.
                          ``(iv) Additional members shall--
                                    ``(I) reflect the community to be 
                                served and include parents of children 
                                who are currently, or were formerly, 
                                enrolled in Head Start programs; and
                                    ``(II) are selected for their 
                                expertise in education, business 
                                administration, or community affairs.
                          ``(v) Exceptions shall be made to the 
                      requirements of clauses (i) through (iv) for 
                      members of a governing body when those members 
                      oversee a public entity and are selected to their 
                      positions with the public entity by public 
                      election or political appointment.
                          ``(vi) If a person described in clause (i), 
                      (ii), or (iii) is not available to serve as a 
                      member of the governing body, the governing body 
                      shall use a consultant,

[[Page 121 STAT. 1400]]

                      or an other individual with relevant expertise, 
                      with the qualifications described in that clause, 
                      who shall work directly with the governing body.
                    ``(C) Conflict of interest.--Members of the 
                governing body shall--
                          ``(i) not have a financial conflict of 
                      interest with the Head Start agency (including any 
                      delegate agency);
                          ``(ii) not receive compensation for serving on 
                      the governing body or for providing services to 
                      the Head Start agency;
                          ``(iii) not be employed, nor shall members of 
                      their immediate family be employed, by the Head 
                      Start agency (including any delegate agency); and
                          ``(iv) operate as an entity independent of 
                      staff employed by the Head Start agency.
                    ``(D) Exception.--If an individual holds a position 
                as a result of public election or political appointment, 
                and such position carries with it a concurrent 
                appointment to serve as a member of a Head Start agency 
                governing body, and such individual has any conflict of 
                interest described in clause (ii) or (iii) of 
                subparagraph (C)--
                          ``(i) such individual shall not be prohibited 
                      from serving on such body and the Head Start 
                      agency shall report such conflict to the 
                      Secretary; and
                          ``(ii) if the position held as a result of 
                      public election or political appointment provides 
                      compensation, such individual shall not be 
                      prohibited from receiving such compensation.
                    ``(E) Responsibilities.--The governing body shall--
                          ``(i) have legal and fiscal responsibility for 
                      administering and overseeing programs under this 
                      subchapter, including the safeguarding of Federal 
                      funds;
                          ``(ii) adopt practices that assure active, 
                      independent, and informed governance of the Head 
                      Start agency, including practices consistent with 
                      subsection (d)(1), and fully participate in the 
                      development, planning, and evaluation of the Head 
                      Start programs involved;
                          ``(iii) be responsible for ensuring compliance 
                      with Federal laws (including regulations) and 
                      applicable State, tribal, and local laws 
                      (including regulations); and
                          ``(iv) be responsible for other activities, 
                      including--
                                    ``(I) selecting delegate agencies 
                                and the service areas for such agencies;
                                    ``(II) establishing procedures and 
                                criteria for recruitment, selection, and 
                                enrollment of children;
                                    ``(III) reviewing all applications 
                                for funding and amendments to 
                                applications for funding for programs 
                                under this subchapter;
                                    ``(IV) establishing procedures and 
                                guidelines for accessing and collecting 
                                information described in subsection 
                                (d)(2);
                                    ``(V) reviewing and approving all 
                                major policies of the agency, 
                                including--
                                            ``(aa) the annual self-
                                        assessment and financial audit;

[[Page 121 STAT. 1401]]

                                            ``(bb) such agency's 
                                        progress in carrying out the 
                                        programmatic and fiscal 
                                        provisions in such agency's 
                                        grant application, including 
                                        implementation of corrective 
                                        actions; and
                                            ``(cc) personnel policies of 
                                        such agencies regarding the 
                                        hiring, evaluation, termination, 
                                        and compensation of agency 
                                        employees;
                                    ``(VI) developing procedures for how 
                                members of the policy council are 
                                selected, consistent with paragraph 
                                (2)(B);
                                    ``(VII) approving financial 
                                management, accounting, and reporting 
                                policies, and compliance with laws and 
                                regulations related to financial 
                                statements, including the--
                                            ``(aa) approval of all major 
                                        financial expenditures of the 
                                        agency;
                                            ``(bb) annual approval of 
                                        the operating budget of the 
                                        agency;
                                            ``(cc) selection (except 
                                        when a financial auditor is 
                                        assigned by the State under 
                                        State law or is assigned under 
                                        local law) of independent 
                                        financial auditors who shall 
                                        report all critical accounting 
                                        policies and practices to the 
                                        governing body; and
                                            ``(dd) monitoring of the 
                                        agency's actions to correct any 
                                        audit findings and of other 
                                        action necessary to comply with 
                                        applicable laws (including 
                                        regulations) governing financial 
                                        statement and accounting 
                                        practices;
                                    ``(VIII) reviewing results from 
                                monitoring conducted under section 
                                641A(c), including appropriate followup 
                                activities;
                                    ``(IX) approving personnel policies 
                                and procedures, including policies and 
                                procedures regarding the hiring, 
                                evaluation, compensation, and 
                                termination of the Executive Director, 
                                Head Start Director, Director of Human 
                                Resources, Chief Fiscal Officer, and any 
                                other person in an equivalent position 
                                with the agency;
                                    ``(X) establishing, adopting, and 
                                periodically updating written standards 
                                of conduct that establish standards and 
                                formal procedures for disclosing, 
                                addressing, and resolving--
                                            ``(aa) any conflict of 
                                        interest, and any appearance of 
                                        a conflict of interest, by 
                                        members of the governing body, 
                                        officers and employees of the 
                                        Head Start agency, and 
                                        consultants and agents who 
                                        provide services or furnish 
                                        goods to the Head Start agency; 
                                        and
                                            ``(bb) complaints, including 
                                        investigations, when 
                                        appropriate; and
                                    ``(XI) to the extent practicable and 
                                appropriate, at the discretion of the 
                                governing body, establishing advisory 
                                committees to oversee key 
                                responsibilities related to program 
                                governance and improvement of the Head 
                                Start program involved.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1402]]

            ``(2) Policy council.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Consistent with paragraph (1)(E), 
                each Head Start agency shall have a policy council 
                responsible for the direction of the Head Start program, 
                including program design and operation, and long- and 
                short-term planning goals and objectives, taking into 
                account the annual communitywide strategic planning and 
                needs assessment and self-assessment.
                    ``(B) Composition and selection.--
                          ``(i) The policy council shall be elected by 
                      the parents of children who are currently enrolled 
                      in the Head Start program of the Head Start 
                      agency.
                          ``(ii) The policy council shall be composed 
                      of--
                                    ``(I) parents of children who are 
                                currently enrolled in the Head Start 
                                program of the Head Start agency 
                                (including any delegate agency), who 
                                shall constitute a majority of the 
                                members of the policy council; and
                                    ``(II) members at large of the 
                                community served by the Head Start 
                                agency (including any delegate agency), 
                                who may include parents of children who 
                                were formerly enrolled in the Head Start 
                                program of the agency.
                    ``(C) Conflict of interest.--Members of the policy 
                council shall--
                          ``(i) not have a conflict of interest with the 
                      Head Start agency (including any delegate agency); 
                      and
                          ``(ii) not receive compensation for serving on 
                      the policy council or for providing services to 
                      the Head Start agency.
                    ``(D) Responsibilities.--The policy council shall 
                approve and submit to the governing body decisions about 
                each of the following activities:
                          ``(i) Activities to support the active 
                      involvement of parents in supporting program 
                      operations, including policies to ensure that the 
                      Head Start agency is responsive to community and 
                      parent needs.
                          ``(ii) Program recruitment, selection, and 
                      enrollment priorities.
                          ``(iii) Applications for funding and 
                      amendments to applications for funding for 
                      programs under this subchapter, prior to 
                      submission of applications described in this 
                      clause.
                          ``(iv) Budget planning for program 
                      expenditures, including policies for reimbursement 
                      and participation in policy council activities.
                          ``(v) Bylaws for the operation of the policy 
                      council.
                          ``(vi) Program personnel policies and 
                      decisions regarding the employment of program 
                      staff, consistent with paragraph (1)(E)(iv)(IX), 
                      including standards of conduct for program staff, 
                      contractors, and volunteers and criteria for the 
                      employment and dismissal of program staff.
                          ``(vii) Developing procedures for how members 
                      of the policy council of the Head Start agency 
                      will be elected.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1403]]

                          ``(viii) Recommendations on the selection of 
                      delegate agencies and the service areas for such 
                      agencies.
            ``(3) Policy committees.--Each delegate agency shall create 
        a policy committee, which shall--
                    ``(A) be elected and composed of members, consistent 
                with paragraph (2)(B) (with respect to delegate 
                agencies);
                    ``(B) follow procedures to prohibit conflict of 
                interest, consistent with clauses (i) and (ii) of 
                paragraph (2)(C) (with respect to delegate agencies); 
                and
                    ``(C) be responsible for approval and submission of 
                decisions about activities as they relate to the 
                delegate agency, consistent with paragraph (2)(D) (with 
                respect to delegate agencies).

    ``(d) Program Governance Administration.--
            ``(1) Impasse policies.--The <<NOTE: Procedures.>> Secretary 
        shall develop policies, procedures, and guidance for Head Start 
        agencies concerning--
                    ``(A) the resolution of internal disputes, including 
                any impasse in the governance of Head Start programs; 
                and
                    ``(B) the facilitation of meaningful consultation 
                and collaboration about decisions of the governing body 
                and policy council.
            ``(2) Conduct of responsibilities.--
        Each <<NOTE: Reports.>> Head Start agency shall ensure the 
        sharing of accurate and regular information for use by the 
        governing body and the policy council, about program planning, 
        policies, and Head Start agency operations, including--
                    ``(A) monthly financial statements, including credit 
                card expenditures;
                    ``(B) monthly program information summaries;
                    ``(C) program enrollment reports, including 
                attendance reports for children whose care is partially 
                subsidized by another public agency;
                    ``(D) monthly reports of meals and snacks provided 
                through programs of the Department of Agriculture;
                    ``(E) the financial audit;
                    ``(F) the annual self-assessment, including any 
                findings related to such assessment;
                    ``(G) the communitywide strategic planning and needs 
                assessment of the Head Start agency, including any 
                applicable updates;
                    ``(H) communication and guidance from the Secretary; 
                and
                    ``(I) the program information reports.
            ``(3) Training and technical assistance.--Appropriate 
        training and technical assistance shall be provided to the 
        members of the governing body and the policy council to ensure 
        that the members understand the information the members receive 
        and can effectively oversee and participate in the programs of 
        the Head Start agency.

    ``(e) Collaboration and Coordination.--To be so designated, a Head 
Start agency shall collaborate and coordinate with public and private 
entities, to the maximum extent practicable, to improve the availability 
and quality of services to Head Start children and families, including 
carrying out the following activities:
            ``(1) Conduct outreach to schools in which children 
        participating in the Head Start program will enroll following 
        the

[[Page 121 STAT. 1404]]

        program, local educational agencies, the local business 
        community, community-based organizations, faith-based 
        organizations, museums, and libraries to generate support and 
        leverage the resources of the entire local community in order to 
        improve school readiness.
            ``(2)(A) In communities where both a public prekindergarten 
        program and a Head Start program operate, collaborate and 
        coordinate activities with the local educational agency or other 
        public agency responsible for the operation of the 
        prekindergarten program and providers of prekindergarten, 
        including outreach activities to identify eligible children.
            ``(B) With the permission of the parents of children 
        enrolled in the Head Start program, regularly communicate with 
        the schools in which the children will enroll following the 
        program, to--
                    ``(i) share information about such children;
                    ``(ii) collaborate with the teachers in such schools 
                regarding professional development and instructional 
                strategies, as appropriate; and
                    ``(iii) ensure a smooth transition to school for 
                such children.
            ``(3) Coordinate activities and collaborate with programs 
        under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
        U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), the agencies responsible for administering 
        section 106 of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 
        U.S.C. 5106a) and parts B and E of title IV of the Social 
        Security Act (42 U.S.C. 621 et seq., 670 et seq.), programs 
        under subtitle B of title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
        Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.), Even Start programs 
        under subpart 3 of part B of title I of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6381 et seq.), 
        programs under section 619 and part C of the Individuals with 
        Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.), and 
        other entities providing early childhood education and 
        development programs or services, serving the children and 
        families served by the Head Start agency.
            ``(4) Take steps to coordinate activities with the local 
        educational agency serving the community involved and with 
        schools in which children participating in the Head Start 
        program will enroll following the program, including--
                    ``(A) collaborating on the shared use of 
                transportation and facilities, in appropriate cases;
                    ``(B) collaborating to reduce the duplication and 
                enhance the efficiency of services while increasing the 
                program participation of underserved populations of 
                eligible children; and
                    ``(C) exchanging information on the provision of 
                noneducational services to such children.
            ``(5) <<NOTE: Memorandum. Deadline.>> Enter into a 
        memorandum of understanding, not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of the Improving Head Start for School 
        Readiness Act of 2007, with the appropriate local entity 
        responsible for managing publicly funded preschool programs in 
        the service area of the Head Start agency, that shall--
                    ``(A)(i) provide for a review of each of the 
                activities described in clause (ii); and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1405]]

                    ``(ii) include plans to coordinate, as appropriate, 
                activities regarding--
                          ``(I) educational activities, curricular 
                      objectives, and instruction;
                          ``(II) public information dissemination and 
                      access to programs for families contacting the 
                      Head Start program or any of the preschool 
                      programs;
                          ``(III) selection priorities for eligible 
                      children to be served by programs;
                          ``(IV) service areas;
                          ``(V) staff training, including opportunities 
                      for joint staff training on topics such as 
                      academic content standards, instructional methods, 
                      curricula, and social and emotional development;
                          ``(VI) program technical assistance;
                          ``(VII) provision of additional services to 
                      meet the needs of working parents, as applicable;
                          ``(VIII) communications and parent outreach 
                      for smooth transitions to kindergarten as required 
                      in paragraphs (3) and (6) of section 642A(a);
                          ``(IX) provision and use of facilities, 
                      transportation, and other program elements; and
                          ``(X) other elements mutually agreed to by the 
                      parties to such memorandum;
                    ``(B) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> be submitted to the 
                Secretary and the State Director of Head Start 
                Collaboration not later than 30 days after the parties 
                enter into such memorandum, except that--
                          ``(i) where there is an absence of publicly 
                      funded preschool programs in the service area of a 
                      Head Start agency, this paragraph shall not apply; 
                      or
                          ``(ii) where the appropriate local entity 
                      responsible for managing the publicly funded 
                      preschool programs is unable or unwilling to enter 
                      into such a memorandum, this paragraph shall not 
                      apply and the Head Start agency shall inform the 
                      Secretary and the State Director of Head Start 
                      Collaboration of such inability or unwillingness; 
                      and
                    ``(C) be revised periodically and renewed biennially 
                by the parties to such memorandum, in alignment with the 
                beginning of the school year.

    ``(f) Quality Standards, Curricula, and Assessment.--To be so 
designated, each Head Start agency shall--
            ``(1) take steps to ensure, to the maximum extent 
        practicable, that children maintain the developmental and 
        educational gains achieved in Head Start programs and build upon 
        such gains in further schooling;
            ``(2) establish a program with the standards set forth in 
        section 641A(a)(1), with particular attention to the standards 
        set forth in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of such section;
            ``(3) implement a research-based early childhood curriculum 
        that--
                    ``(A) promotes young children's school readiness in 
                the areas of language and cognitive development, early 
                reading and mathematics skills, socio-emotional 
                development, physical development, and approaches to 
                learning;

[[Page 121 STAT. 1406]]

                    ``(B) is based on scientifically valid research and 
                has standardized training procedures and curriculum 
                materials to support implementation;
                    ``(C) is comprehensive and linked to ongoing 
                assessment, with developmental and learning goals and 
                measurable objectives;
                    ``(D) is focused on improving the learning 
                environment, teaching practices, family involvement, and 
                child outcomes across all areas of development; and
                    ``(E) is aligned with the Head Start Child Outcomes 
                Framework developed by the Secretary and, as 
                appropriate, State early learning standards;
            ``(4) implement effective interventions and support services 
        that help promote the school readiness of children participating 
        in the program;
            ``(5) use research-based assessment methods that reflect the 
        characteristics described in section 641A(b)(2) in order to 
        support the educational instruction and school readiness of 
        children in the program;
            ``(6) use research-based developmental screening tools that 
        have been demonstrated to be standardized, reliable, valid, and 
        accurate for the child being assessed, to the maximum extent 
        practicable, for the purpose of meeting the relevant standards 
        described in section 641A(a)(1);
            ``(7) adopt, in consultation with experts in child 
        development and with classroom teachers, an evaluation to assess 
        whether classroom teachers have mastered the functions discussed 
        in section 648A(a)(1);
            ``(8) use the information provided from the assessment 
        conducted under section 641A(c)(2)(F) to inform professional 
        development plans, as appropriate, that lead to improved teacher 
        effectiveness;
            ``(9) establish goals and measurable objectives for the 
        provision of health, educational, nutritional, and social 
        services provided under this subchapter and related to the 
        program mission and to promote school readiness; and
            ``(10) develop procedures for identifying children who are 
        limited English proficient, and informing the parents of such 
        children about the instructional services used to help children 
        make progress towards acquiring the knowledge and skills 
        described in section 641A(a)(1)(B) and acquisition of the 
        English language.

    ``(g) Funded Enrollment; Waiting List.--Each Head Start agency shall 
enroll 100 percent of its funded enrollment and maintain an active 
waiting list at all times with ongoing outreach to the community and 
activities to identify underserved populations.
    ``(h) Technical Assistance and Training Plan.--In order to receive 
funds under this subchapter, a Head Start agency shall develop an annual 
technical assistance and training plan. Such plan shall be based on the 
agency's self-assessment, the communitywide strategic planning and needs 
assessment, the needs of parents and children to be served by such 
agency, and the results of the reviews conducted under section 641A(c).
    ``(i) Financial Management.--In order to receive funds under this 
subchapter, a Head Start agency shall document strong fiscal controls, 
including the employment of well-qualified fiscal staff with

[[Page 121 STAT. 1407]]

a history of successful management of a public or private 
organization.''.
SEC. 10. HEAD START TRANSITION AND ALIGNMENT WITH K-12 EDUCATION.

    Section 642A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837a) is amended to 
read as follows:
``SEC. 642A. HEAD START TRANSITION AND ALIGNMENT WITH K-12 
                          EDUCATION.

    ``(a) In General.--Each Head Start agency shall take steps to 
coordinate with the local educational agency serving the community 
involved and with schools in which children participating in a Head 
Start program operated by such agency will enroll following such program 
to promote continuity of services and effective transitions, including--
            ``(1) developing and implementing a systematic procedure for 
        transferring, with parental consent, Head Start program records 
        for each participating child to the school in which such child 
        will enroll;
            ``(2) establishing ongoing channels of communication between 
        Head Start staff and their counterparts in the schools 
        (including teachers, social workers, local educational agency 
        liaisons designated under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the 
        McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
        11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)), and health staff) to facilitate 
        coordination of programs;
            ``(3) establishing ongoing communications between the Head 
        Start agency and local educational agency for developing 
        continuity of developmentally appropriate curricular objectives 
        (which for the purpose of the Head Start program shall be 
        aligned with the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework and, as 
        appropriate, State early learning standards) and for shared 
        expectations for children's learning and development as the 
        children transition to school;
            ``(4) organizing and participating in joint training, 
        including transition-related training for school staff and Head 
        Start staff;
            ``(5) establishing comprehensive transition policies and 
        procedures that support children transitioning to school, 
        including by engaging the local educational agency in the 
        establishment of such policies;
            ``(6) conducting outreach to parents and elementary school 
        (such as kindergarten) teachers to discuss the educational, 
        developmental, and other needs of individual children;
            ``(7) helping parents of limited English proficient children 
        understand--
                    ``(A) the instructional and other services provided 
                by the school in which such child will enroll after 
                participation in Head Start; and
                    ``(B) as appropriate, the information provided to 
                parents of limited English proficient children under 
                section 3302 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7012);
            ``(8) developing and implementing a family outreach and 
        support program, in cooperation with entities carrying out 
        parental involvement efforts under title I of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), and 
        family outreach and support efforts under subtitle B of

[[Page 121 STAT. 1408]]

        title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 
        U.S.C. 11431 et seq.), taking into consideration the language 
        needs of parents of limited English proficient children;
            ``(9) assisting families, administrators, and teachers in 
        enhancing educational and developmental continuity and 
        continuity of parental involvement in activities between Head 
        Start services and elementary school classes;
            ``(10) linking the services provided in such Head Start 
        program with educational services, including services relating 
        to language, literacy, and numeracy, provided by such local 
        educational agency;
            ``(11) helping parents (including grandparents and kinship 
        caregivers, as appropriate) to understand the importance of 
        parental involvement in a child's academic success while 
        teaching them strategies for maintaining parental involvement as 
        their child moves from Head Start to elementary school;
            ``(12) helping parents understand the instructional and 
        other services provided by the school in which their child will 
        enroll after participation in the Head Start program;
            ``(13) developing and implementing a system to increase 
        program participation of underserved populations of eligible 
        children; and
            ``(14) coordinating activities and collaborating to ensure 
        that curricula used in the Head Start program are aligned with--
                    ``(A) the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework, as 
                developed by the Secretary; and
                    ``(B) State early learning standards, as 
                appropriate, with regard to cognitive, social, 
                emotional, and physical competencies that children 
                entering kindergarten are expected to demonstrate.

    ``(b) Construction.--In this section, a reference to a Head Start 
agency, or its program, services, facility, or personnel, shall not be 
construed to be a reference to an Early Head Start agency, or its 
program, services, facility, or personnel.
    ``(c) Dissemination and Technical Assistance.--The Secretary, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Education, shall--
            ``(1) disseminate to Head Start agencies information on 
        effective policies and activities relating to the transition of 
        children from Head Start programs to public schools; and
            ``(2) provide technical assistance to such agencies to 
        promote and assist such agencies to adopt and implement such 
        effective policies and activities.''.
SEC. 11. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, COORDINATION, AND IMPROVEMENT.

    (a) Head Start Collaboration.--The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et 
seq.) is amended by inserting after section 642A the following:

       ``HEAD START COLLABORATION; STATE EARLY EDUCATION AND CARE

    ``Sec. 642B.  <<NOTE: 42 USC 9837b.>> (a)(1) From amounts made 
available under section 640(a)(2)(B)(vi), the Secretary shall award the 
collaboration grants described in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4).

    ``(2)(A) <<NOTE: Grants.>> The Secretary shall award, upon 
submission of a written request, a collaboration grant to each State and 
to each national administrative office serving Indian Head Start 
programs and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1409]]

migrant or seasonal Head Start programs to facilitate collaboration 
among Head Start agencies (including Early Head Start agencies) and 
entities that carry out activities designed to benefit low-income 
children from birth to school entry, and their families. The national 
administrative offices shall use the funds made available through the 
grants to carry out the authorities and responsibilities described in 
subparagraph (B) and paragraphs (3) and (4), as appropriate.

    ``(B) Grants described in subparagraph (A) shall be used to--
            ``(i) assist Head Start agencies to collaborate with 
        entities involved in State and local planning processes to 
        better meet the needs of low-income children from birth to 
        school entry, and their families;
            ``(ii) assist Head Start agencies to coordinate activities 
        with the State agency responsible for administering the State 
        program carried out under the Child Care and Development Block 
        Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) and entities 
        providing resource and referral services in the State, to make 
        full-working-day and full calendar year services available to 
        children;
            ``(iii) promote alignment of curricula used in Head Start 
        programs and continuity of services with the Head Start Child 
        Outcomes Framework and, as appropriate, State early learning 
        standards;
            ``(iv) promote better linkages between Head Start agencies 
        and other child and family agencies, including agencies that 
        provide health, mental health, or family services, or other 
        child or family supportive services, such as services provided 
        under section 619 or part C of the Individuals with Disabilities 
        Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.); and
            ``(v) carry out the activities of the State Director of Head 
        Start Collaboration authorized in paragraph (4).

    ``(3) In order to improve coordination and delivery of early 
childhood education and development to children in the State, a State 
that receives a collaboration grant under paragraph (2) shall--
            ``(A) appoint or designate an individual to serve as, or 
        carry out the responsibilities of, the State Director of Head 
        Start Collaboration;
            ``(B) ensure that the State Director of Head Start 
        Collaboration holds a position with sufficient authority and 
        access to ensure that the collaboration described in paragraph 
        (2) is effective and involves a range of State agencies; and
            ``(C) involve the State Head Start Association in the 
        selection of the Director and involve the Association in 
        determinations relating to the ongoing direction of the 
        collaboration office involved.

    ``(4) The State Director of Head Start Collaboration shall--
            ``(A) <<NOTE: Deadline. Assessment.>> not later than 1 year 
        after the State receives a collaboration grant under paragraph 
        (2), conduct an assessment that--
                    ``(i) addresses the needs of Head Start agencies in 
                the State with respect to collaboration, coordination 
                and alignment of services, and alignment of curricula 
                and assessments used in Head Start programs with the 
                Head Start Child Outcomes Framework and, as appropriate, 
                State early learning standards;
                    ``(ii) shall be updated on an annual basis; and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1410]]

                    ``(iii) <<NOTE: Public information.>> shall be made 
                available to the general public within the State;
            ``(B) <<NOTE: Strategic plan.>> develop a strategic plan 
        that is based on the assessment described in subparagraph (A) 
        that will--
                    ``(i) enhance collaboration and coordination of Head 
                Start services by Head Start agencies with other 
                entities providing early childhood education and 
                development (such as child care or services offered by 
                museums), health care, mental health care, welfare, 
                child protective services, education and community 
                service activities, family literacy services, reading 
                readiness programs (including such programs offered by 
                public and school libraries), services relating to 
                children with disabilities, other early childhood 
                education and development for limited English proficient 
                children and homeless children, and services provided 
                for children in foster care and children referred to 
                Head Start programs by child welfare agencies, including 
                agencies and State officials responsible for services 
                described in this clause;
                    ``(ii) assist Head Start agencies to develop a plan 
                for the provision of full working-day, full calendar 
                year services for children enrolled in Head Start 
                programs who need such services;
                    ``(iii) assist Head Start agencies to align 
                curricula and assessments used in Head Start programs 
                with the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework and, as 
                appropriate, State early learning standards;
                    ``(iv) enable Head Start agencies to better access 
                professional development opportunities for Head Start 
                staff, such as by working with Head Start agencies to 
                enable the agencies to meet the degree requirements 
                described in section 648A(a)(2)(A), including providing 
                distance learning opportunities for Head Start staff, 
                where needed to make higher education more accessible to 
                Head Start staff; and
                    ``(v) enable the Head Start agencies to better 
                conduct outreach to eligible families;
            ``(C) promote partnerships between Head Start agencies, 
        State and local governments, and the private sector to help 
        ensure that children from low-income families, who are in Head 
        Start programs or are preschool age, are receiving comprehensive 
        services to prepare the children for elementary school;
            ``(D) consult with the chief State school officer, local 
        educational agencies, and providers of early childhood education 
        and development, at both the State and local levels;
            ``(E) promote partnerships between Head Start agencies, 
        schools, law enforcement, relevant community-based 
        organizations, and substance abuse and mental health treatment 
        agencies to strengthen family and community environments and to 
        reduce the impact on child development of substance abuse, child 
        abuse, domestic violence, and other high-risk behaviors that 
        compromise healthy development;
            ``(F) promote partnerships between Head Start agencies and 
        other organizations in order to enhance Head Start program 
        quality, including partnerships to promote inclusion of more 
        books in Head Start classrooms;

[[Page 121 STAT. 1411]]

            ``(G) identify other resources and organizations (both 
        public and private) for the provision of in-kind services to 
        Head Start agencies in the State; and
            ``(H) serve on the State Advisory Council in order to assist 
        the efforts of Head Start agencies to engage in effective 
        coordination and collaboration.''.

    (b) State Early Education and Care.--Section 642B of the Head Start 
Act, as added by subsection (a), is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
    ``(b)(1)(A) The Governor of the State shall--
            ``(i) <<NOTE: Establishment.>> designate or establish a 
        council to serve as the State Advisory Council on Early 
        Childhood Education and Care for children from birth to school 
        entry (in this subchapter referred to as the `State Advisory 
        Council'); and
            ``(ii) designate an individual to coordinate activities of 
        the State Advisory Council, as described in subparagraph (D)(i).

    ``(B) The Governor may designate an existing entity in the State to 
serve as the State Advisory Council, and shall appoint representatives 
to the State Advisory Council at the Governor's discretion. In 
designating an existing entity, the Governor shall take steps to ensure 
that its membership includes, to the extent possible, representatives 
consistent with subparagraph (C).
    ``(C) Members of the State Advisory Council shall include, to the 
maximum extent possible--
            ``(i) a representative of the State agency responsible for 
        child care;
            ``(ii) a representative of the State educational agency;
            ``(iii) a representative of local educational agencies;
            ``(iv) a representative of institutions of higher education 
        in the State;
            ``(v) a representative of local providers of early childhood 
        education and development services;
            ``(vi) a representative from Head Start agencies located in 
        the State, including migrant and seasonal Head Start programs 
        and Indian Head Start programs;
            ``(vii) the State Director of Head Start Collaboration;
            ``(viii) a representative of the State agency responsible 
        for programs under section 619 or part C of the Individuals with 
        Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.);
            ``(ix) a representative of the State agency responsible for 
        health or mental health care; and
            ``(x) representatives of other entities determined to be 
        relevant by the Governor of the State.

    ``(D)(i) The State Advisory Council shall, in addition to any 
responsibilities assigned to the Council by the Governor of the State--
            ``(I) <<NOTE: Assessment.>> conduct a periodic statewide 
        needs assessment concerning the quality and availability of 
        early childhood education and development programs and services 
        for children from birth to school entry, including an assessment 
        of the availability of high-quality pre-kindergarten services 
        for low-income children in the State;
            ``(II) identify opportunities for, and barriers to, 
        collaboration and coordination among Federally-funded and State-
        funded child development, child care, and early childhood 
        education programs and services, including collaboration and 
        coordination

[[Page 121 STAT. 1412]]

        among State agencies responsible for administering such 
        programs;
            ``(III) develop recommendations for increasing the overall 
        participation of children in existing Federal, State, and local 
        child care and early childhood education programs, including 
        outreach to underrepresented and special populations;
            ``(IV) develop recommendations regarding the establishment 
        of a unified data collection system for public early childhood 
        education and development programs and services throughout the 
        State;
            ``(V) develop recommendations regarding statewide 
        professional development and career advancement plans for early 
        childhood educators in the State;
            ``(VI) assess the capacity and effectiveness of 2- and 4-
        year public and private institutions of higher education in the 
        State toward supporting the development of early childhood 
        educators, including the extent to which such institutions have 
        in place articulation agreements, professional development and 
        career advancement plans, and practice or internships for 
        students to spend time in a Head Start or prekindergarten 
        program; and
            ``(VII) make recommendations for improvements in State early 
        learning standards and undertake efforts to develop high-quality 
        comprehensive early learning standards, as appropriate.

    ``(ii) <<NOTE: Public information.>> The State Advisory Council 
shall hold public hearings and provide an opportunity for public comment 
on the activities described in clause (i). <<NOTE: Reports.>> The State 
Advisory Council shall submit a statewide strategic report addressing 
the activities described in clause (i) to the State Director of Head 
Start Collaboration and the Governor of the State.

    ``(iii) After submission of a statewide strategic report under 
clause (ii), the State Advisory Council shall meet periodically to 
review any implementation of the recommendations in such report and any 
changes in State and local needs.
    ``(2)(A) <<NOTE: Grants.>> The Secretary shall use the portion 
reserved under section 640(a)(4)(A)(iii) to award, on a competitive 
basis, one-time startup grants of not less than $500,000 to eligible 
States to enable such States to pay for the Federal share of developing 
and implementing a plan pursuant to the responsibilities included under 
paragraph (1)(D)(i). A State that receives funds under this paragraph 
shall use such funds to facilitate the development or enhancement of 
high-quality systems of early childhood education and care designed to 
improve school preparedness through one or more of the following 
activities--
            ``(i) promoting school preparedness of children from birth 
        through school entry, including activities to encourage families 
        and caregivers to engage in highly interactive, developmentally 
        and age-appropriate activities to improve children's early 
        social, emotional, and cognitive development, support the 
        transition of young children to school, and foster parental and 
        family involvement in the early education of young children;
            ``(ii) supporting professional development, recruitment, and 
        retention initiatives for early childhood educators;
            ``(iii) enhancing existing early childhood education and 
        development programs and services (in existence on the date on 
        which the grant involved is awarded), including quality

[[Page 121 STAT. 1413]]

        improvement activities authorized under the Child Care and 
        Development Block Grant Act of 1990; and
            ``(iv) carrying out other activities consistent with the 
        State's plan and application, pursuant to subparagraph (B).

    ``(B) <<NOTE: Plan.>> To be eligible to receive a grant under this 
paragraph, a State shall prepare and submit to the Secretary a plan and 
application, for a 3-year period, at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary shall require, including--
            ``(i) <<NOTE: Reports.>> the statewide strategic report 
        described in paragraph (1)(D)(ii), including a description of 
        the State Advisory Council's responsibilities under paragraph 
        (1)(D)(i);
            ``(ii) a description, for each fiscal year, of how the State 
        will make effective use of funds available under this paragraph, 
        with funds described in subparagraph (C), to create an early 
        childhood education and care system, by developing or enhancing 
        programs and activities consistent with the statewide strategic 
        report described in paragraph (1)(D)(i);
            ``(iii) a description of the State early learning standards 
        and the State's goals for increasing the number of children 
        entering kindergarten ready to learn;
            ``(iv) information identifying the agency or joint 
        interagency office, and individual, designated to carry out the 
        activities under this paragraph, which may be the individual 
        designated under paragraph (1)(A)(ii); and
            ``(v) a description of how the State plans to sustain 
        activities under this paragraph beyond the grant period.

    ``(C) The Federal share of the cost of activities proposed to be 
conducted under subparagraph (A) shall be 30 percent, and the State 
shall provide the non-Federal share.
    ``(D) Funds made available under this paragraph shall be used to 
supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local funds 
expended to carry out activities related to early childhood education 
and care in the State.
    ``(E) <<NOTE: Deadline. Reports.>> Not later than 18 months after 
the date a State receives a grant under this paragraph, the State shall 
submit an interim report to the Secretary. A State that receives a grant 
under this paragraph shall submit a final report to the Secretary at the 
end of the grant period. Each report shall include--
            ``(i) a description of the activities and services carried 
        out under the grant, including the outcomes of such activities 
        and services in meeting the needs described in the periodic 
        needs assessment and statewide strategic report;
            ``(ii) information about how the State used such funds to 
        meet the goals of this subsection through activities to develop 
        or enhance high-quality systems of early childhood education and 
        care, increase effectiveness of delivery systems and use of 
        funds, and enhance existing programs and services;
            ``(iii) information regarding the remaining needs described 
        in the periodic statewide needs assessment and statewide 
        strategic report that have not yet been addressed by the State; 
        and
            ``(iv) any other information that the Secretary may require.

    ``(F) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to provide the 
State Advisory Council with authority to modify, supersede, or negate 
the requirements of this subchapter.''.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1414]]

SEC. 12. SUBMISSION OF PLANS.

    Section 643 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9838) is amended by 
adding at the end the following: ``This section shall not apply to 
contracts, agreements, grants, loans, or other assistance for Indian 
Head Start programs or migrant or seasonal Head Start programs.''.
SEC. 13. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS.

    Section 644 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9839) is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:

    ``(a)(1) Each Head Start agency shall observe standards of 
organization, management, and administration that will ensure, so far as 
reasonably possible, that all program activities are conducted in a 
manner consistent with the purposes of this subchapter and the objective 
of providing assistance effectively, efficiently, and free of any taint 
of partisan political bias or personal or family favoritism. Each such 
agency shall establish or adopt rules to carry out this section, which 
shall include rules to assure full staff accountability in matters 
governed by law, regulations, or agency policy. Each agency shall also 
provide for reasonable public access to information, including public 
hearings at the request of appropriate community groups and reasonable 
public access to books and records of the agency or other agencies 
engaged in program activities or operations involving the use of 
authority or funds for which it is responsible.
    ``(2) <<NOTE: Public information. Reports.>> Each Head Start agency 
shall make available to the public a report published at least once in 
each fiscal year that discloses the following information from the most 
recently concluded fiscal year, except that reporting such information 
shall not reveal personally identifiable information about an individual 
child or parent:
            ``(A) The total amount of public and private funds received 
        and the amount from each source.
            ``(B) An explanation of budgetary expenditures and proposed 
        budget for the fiscal year.
            ``(C) The total number of children and families served, the 
        average monthly enrollment (as a percentage of funded 
        enrollment), and the percentage of eligible children served.
            ``(D) The results of the most recent review by the Secretary 
        and the financial audit.
            ``(E) The percentage of enrolled children that received 
        medical and dental exams.
            ``(F) Information about parent involvement activities.
            ``(G) The agency's efforts to prepare children for 
        kindergarten.
            ``(H) Any other information required by the Secretary.

    ``(3) Each such agency shall adopt for itself and other agencies 
using funds or exercising authority for which it is responsible, rules 
designed to--
            ``(A) establish specific standards governing salaries, 
        salary increases, travel and per diem allowances, and other 
        employee benefits;
            ``(B) assure that only persons capable of discharging their 
        duties with competence and integrity are employed and that 
        employees are promoted or advanced under impartial procedures 
        calculated to improve agency performance and effectiveness;

[[Page 121 STAT. 1415]]

            ``(C) guard against personal or financial conflicts of 
        interest; and
            ``(D) define employee duties in an appropriate manner that 
        will in any case preclude employees from participating, in 
        connection with the performance of their duties, in any form of 
        picketing, protest, or other direct action that is in violation 
        of law.''; and
            (2) in subsection (f)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2)--
                          (i) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through 
                      (E) as subparagraphs (B) through (F), 
                      respectively; and
                          (ii) by inserting before subparagraph (B), as 
                      redesignated by clause (i), the following:
            ``(A) a description of the efforts by the agency to 
        coordinate or collaborate with other providers in the community 
        to seek assistance, including financial assistance, prior to the 
        use of funds under this section;''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (3), by striking ``, from the 
                amount reserved under section 640(a)(2)(A),''.
SEC. 14. PARTICIPATION IN HEAD START PROGRAMS.

    Section 645 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
                following:

    ``(a)(1)(A) <<NOTE: Regulations.>> The Secretary shall by regulation 
prescribe eligibility for the participation of persons in Head Start 
programs assisted under this subchapter.

    ``(B) Except as provided in paragraph (2), such regulation shall 
provide--
            ``(i) that children from low-income families shall be 
        eligible for participation in programs assisted under this 
        subchapter if their families' incomes are below the poverty 
        line, or if their families are eligible or, in the absence of 
        child care, would potentially be eligible for public assistance;
            ``(ii) that homeless children shall be deemed to be eligible 
        for such participation;
            ``(iii) that programs assisted under this subchapter may 
        include--
                    ``(I) to a reasonable extent (but not to exceed 10 
                percent of participants), participation of children in 
                the area served who would benefit from such programs but 
                who are not eligible under clause (i) or (ii); and
                    ``(II) from the area served, an additional 35 
                percent of participants who are not eligible under 
                clause (i) or (ii) and whose families have incomes below 
                130 percent of the poverty line, if--
                          ``(aa) the Head Start agency involved 
                      establishes and implements outreach and enrollment 
                      policies and procedures that ensure such agency is 
                      meeting the needs of children eligible under 
                      clause (i) or (ii) (or subclause (I) if the child 
                      involved has a disability) prior to meeting the 
                      needs of children eligible under this subclause; 
                      and
                          ``(bb) in prioritizing the selection of 
                      children to be served, the Head Start agency 
                      establishes criteria

[[Page 121 STAT. 1416]]

                      that provide that the agency will serve children 
                      eligible under clause (i) or (ii) prior to serving 
                      the children eligible under this subclause;
            ``(iv) that any Head Start agency serving children eligible 
        under clause (iii)(II) shall report annually to the Secretary 
        information on--
                    ``(I) how such agency is meeting the needs of 
                children eligible under clause (i) or (ii), in the area 
                served, including local demographic data on families of 
                children eligible under clause (i) or (ii);
                    ``(II) the outreach and enrollment policies and 
                procedures established by the agency that ensure the 
                agency is meeting the needs of children eligible under 
                clause (i) or (ii) (or clause (iii)(I) if the child 
                involved has a disability) prior to meeting the needs of 
                children eligible under clause (iii)(II);
                    ``(III) the efforts, including outreach efforts 
                (that are appropriate to the community involved), of 
                such agency to be fully enrolled with children eligible 
                under clause (i) or (ii);
                    ``(IV) the policies, procedures, and selection 
                criteria such agency is implementing to serve eligible 
                children, consistent with clause (iii)(II);
                    ``(V) the agency's enrollment level, and enrollment 
                level over the fiscal year prior to the fiscal year in 
                which the report is submitted;
                    ``(VI) the number of children served by the agency, 
                disaggregated by whether such children are eligible 
                under clause (i), clause (ii), clause (iii)(I), or 
                clause (iii)(II); and
                    ``(VII) the eligibility criteria category of the 
                children on the agency's waiting list;
            ``(v) that a child who has been determined to meet the 
        eligibility criteria described in this subparagraph and who is 
        participating in a Head Start program in a program year shall be 
        considered to continue to meet the eligibility criteria through 
        the end of the succeeding program year.

    ``(C) In determining, for purposes of this paragraph, whether a 
child who has applied for enrollment in a Head Start program meets the 
eligibility criteria, an entity may consider evidence of family income 
during the 12 months preceding the month in which the application is 
submitted, or during the calendar year preceding the calendar year in 
which the application is submitted, whichever more accurately reflects 
the needs of the family at the time of application.''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:

    ``(3)(A) In this paragraph:
            ``(i) The term `dependent' has the meaning given the term in 
        paragraphs (2)(A) and (4)(A)(i) of section 401(a) of title 37, 
        United States Code.
            ``(ii) The terms `member' and `uniformed services' have the 
        meanings given the terms in paragraphs (23) and (3), 
        respectively, of section 101 of title 37, United States Code.

    ``(B) The following amounts of pay and allowance of a member of the 
uniformed services shall not be considered to be income for purposes of 
determining the eligibility of a dependent of such member for programs 
funded under this subchapter:

[[Page 121 STAT. 1417]]

            ``(i) The amount of any special pay payable under section 
        310 of title 37, United States Code, relating to duty subject to 
        hostile fire or imminent danger.
            ``(ii) The amount of basic allowance payable under section 
        403 of such title, including any such amount that is provided on 
        behalf of the member for housing that is acquired or constructed 
        under the alternative authority for the acquisition and 
        improvement of military housing under subchapter IV of chapter 
        169 of title 10, United States Code, or any other related 
        provision of law.

    ``(4) After demonstrating a need through a communitywide strategic 
planning and needs assessment, a Head Start agency may apply to the 
Secretary to convert part-day sessions, particularly consecutive part-
day sessions, into full-working-day sessions.
    ``(5)(A) Upon written request and pursuant to the requirements of 
this paragraph, a Head Start agency may use funds that were awarded 
under this subchapter to serve children age 3 to compulsory school age, 
in order to serve infants and toddlers if the agency submits an 
application to the Secretary containing, as specified in rules issued by 
the Secretary, all of the following information:
            ``(i) The amount of such funds that are proposed to be used 
        in accordance with section 645A(b).
            ``(ii) A communitywide strategic planning and needs 
        assessment demonstrating how the use of such funds would best 
        meet the needs of the community.
            ``(iii) A description of how the needs of pregnant women, 
        and of infants and toddlers, will be addressed in accordance 
        with section 645A(b), and with regulations prescribed by the 
        Secretary pursuant to section 641A in areas including the 
        agency's approach to child development and provision of health 
        services, approach to family and community partnerships, and 
        approach to program design and management.
            ``(iv) A description of how the needs of eligible children 
        will be met in the community.
            ``(v) Assurances that the agency will participate in 
        technical assistance activities (including planning, start-up 
        site visits, and national training activities) in the same 
        manner as recipients of grants under section 645A.
            ``(vi) Evidence that the agency meets the same eligibility 
        criteria as recipients of grants under section 645A.

    ``(B) An application that satisfies the requirements specified in 
subparagraph (A) shall be approved by the Secretary unless the Secretary 
finds that--
            ``(i) the agency lacks adequate capacity and capability to 
        carry out an effective Early Head Start program; or
            ``(ii) the information provided under subparagraph (A) is 
        inadequate.

    ``(C) In approving such applications, the Secretary shall take into 
account the costs of serving persons under section 645A.
    ``(D) Any Head Start agency with an application approved under 
subparagraph (B) shall be considered to be an Early Head Start agency 
and shall be subject to the same rules, regulations, and conditions as 
apply to recipients of grants under section 645A, with respect to 
activities carried out under this paragraph.'';
            (2) in the first sentence of subsection (c), by striking 
        ``(age 3 to compulsory school attendance)''; and
            (3) in subsection (d)--

[[Page 121 STAT. 1418]]

                    (A) by striking paragraph (3); and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:

    ``(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, an Indian 
tribe or tribes that operates both an Early Head Start program under 
section 645A and a Head Start program may, at its discretion, at any 
time during the grant period involved, reallocate funds between the 
Early Head Start program and the Head Start program in order to address 
fluctuations in client populations, including pregnant women and 
children from birth to compulsory school age. The reallocation of such 
funds between programs by an Indian tribe or tribes during a year shall 
not serve as the basis for the Secretary to reduce a base grant (as 
defined in section 640(a)(7)) for either program in succeeding years.''.
SEC. 15. EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS.

    Section 645A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840a) is amended--
            (1) by striking the section heading and inserting the 
        following:
``SEC. 645A. EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS.'';
            (2) <<NOTE: Grants.>> in subsection (a) by striking ``The 
        Secretary'' and all that follows through ``for programs'' and 
        inserting ``The Secretary shall make grants to entities 
        (referred to in this subchapter as `Early Head Start agencies') 
        in accordance with this section for programs (referred to in 
        this subchapter as `Early Head Start programs')'';
            (3) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(4) provide services to parents to support their role as 
        parents (including parenting skills training and training in 
        basic child development) and services to help the families move 
        toward self-sufficiency (including educational and employment 
        services, as appropriate);'';
                    (B) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(5) coordinate services with services provided by programs 
        in the State (including home-based services) and programs in the 
        community (including programs for infants and toddlers with 
        disabilities and programs for homeless infants and toddlers) to 
        ensure a comprehensive array of services (such as health and 
        mental health services and family support services);'';
                    (C) by redesignating paragraphs (6), (7), (8), and 
                (9), as paragraphs (7), (10), (11), and (12), 
                respectively;
                    (D) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
            ``(6) ensure that children with documented behavioral 
        problems, including problems involving behavior related to prior 
        or existing trauma, receive appropriate screening and 
        referral;'';
                    (E) by inserting after paragraph (7), as 
                redesignated by subparagraph (C), the following:
            ``(8) develop and implement a systematic procedure for 
        transitioning children and parents from an Early Head Start 
        program to a Head Start program or other local early childhood 
        education and development program;
            ``(9) establish channels of communication between staff of 
        the Early Head Start program, and staff of a Head Start

[[Page 121 STAT. 1419]]

        program or other local providers of early childhood education 
        and development programs, to facilitate the coordination of 
        programs;''; and
                    (F) by striking paragraph (11), as redesignated by 
                subparagraph (C), and inserting the following:
            ``(11) ensure formal linkages with providers of early 
        intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities 
        under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
        1400 et seq.), with the State interagency coordinating council, 
        as established in part C of the Individuals with Disabilities 
        Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), and with the agency 
        responsible for administering section 106 of the Child Abuse 
        Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a);'';
            (4) in subsection (c), by striking ``income criteria 
        specified for families in section 645(a)(1)'' and inserting 
        ``eligibility criteria specified in section 645(a)(1), including 
        the criteria specified in section 645(a)(1)(B)(ii)'';
            (5) in subsection (d), by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) 
        and inserting the following:
            ``(1) entities operating Head Start programs under this 
        subchapter;
            ``(2) entities operating Indian Head Start programs or 
        migrant or seasonal Head Start programs; and
            ``(3) other public entities, and nonprofit or for-profit 
        private entities, including community-based and faith-based 
        organizations, capable of providing child and family services 
        that meet the standards for participation in programs under this 
        subchapter and meet such other appropriate requirements relating 
        to the activities under this section as the Secretary may 
        establish.'';
            (6) in subsection (e), by striking ``From'' and all that 
        follows through ``under this subsection'' and inserting ``The 
        Secretary shall award grants under this section'';
            (7) by striking subsection (g) and inserting the following:

    ``(g) Monitoring, Training, Technical Assistance, and Evaluation.--
            ``(1) Requirement.--In order to ensure the successful 
        operation of programs assisted under this section, the Secretary 
        shall use funds made available under section 640(a)(2)(E) to 
        monitor the operation of such programs, and funds made available 
        under section 640(a)(2)(C)(i)(I) to provide training and 
        technical assistance tailored to the particular needs of such 
        programs, consistent with section 640(c).
            ``(2) Training and technical assistance.--
                    ``(A) Activities.--Of the portion set aside under 
                section 640(a)(2)(C)(i)(I)--
                          ``(i) not less than 50 percent shall be made 
                      available to Early Head Start agencies to use 
                      directly, which may include, at their discretion, 
                      the establishment of local or regional agreements 
                      with community experts, institutions of higher 
                      education, or private consultants, for training 
                      and technical assistance activities in order to 
                      make program improvements identified by such 
                      agencies;
                          ``(ii) not less than 25 percent shall be 
                      available to the Secretary to support a State-
                      based training and technical assistance system, or 
                      a national system,

[[Page 121 STAT. 1420]]

                      described in section 648(e), including infant and 
                      toddler specialists, to support Early Head Start 
                      agencies, consistent with subparagraph (B); and
                          ``(iii) the remainder of such amount shall be 
                      made available to the Secretary to assist Early 
                      Head Start agencies in meeting and exceeding the 
                      standards described in section 641A(a)(1) 
                      (directly, or through grants, contracts, or other 
                      agreements or arrangements with an entity with 
                      demonstrated expertise relating to infants, 
                      toddlers, and families) by--
                                    ``(I) providing ongoing training and 
                                technical assistance to Early Head Start 
                                agencies, including developing training 
                                and technical assistance materials and 
                                resources to support program development 
                                and improvement and best practices in 
                                providing services to children and 
                                families served by Early Head Start 
                                programs;
                                    ``(II) supporting a national network 
                                of infant and toddler specialists 
                                designed to improve the quality of Early 
                                Head Start programs;
                                    ``(III) providing ongoing training 
                                and technical assistance on Early Head 
                                Start program development and 
                                improvement for regional staff charged 
                                with monitoring and overseeing the 
                                administration of the program carried 
                                out under this section; and
                                    ``(IV) if funds remain after the 
                                activities described in subclauses (I), 
                                (II), and (III) are carried out, carry 
                                out 1 or more of the following 
                                activities:
                                            ``(aa) Providing support and 
                                        program planning and 
                                        implementation assistance for 
                                        new Early Head Start agencies, 
                                        including for agencies who want 
                                        to use funds as described in 
                                        section 645(a)(5) to serve 
                                        infants and toddlers.
                                            ``(bb) Creating special 
                                        training and technical 
                                        assistance initiatives targeted 
                                        to serving high-risk 
                                        populations, such as children in 
                                        the child welfare system and 
                                        homeless children.
                                            ``(cc) Providing 
                                        professional development 
                                        designed to increase program 
                                        participation for underserved 
                                        populations of eligible 
                                        children.
                    ``(B) Contracts.--For the purposes of supporting a 
                State-based system, as described in subparagraph 
                (A)(ii), that will meet the needs of Early Head Start 
                agencies and provide high-quality, sustained, and 
                intensive training and technical assistance on 
                programming for infants and toddlers to Early Head Start 
                agencies, and in order to help such agencies meet or 
                exceed the standards described in section 641A(a)(1), 
                the Secretary shall--
                          ``(i) use funds reserved under subparagraph 
                      (A)(ii) in combination with funds reserved under 
                      section 640(a)(2)(C)(i)(II)(bb) to ensure the 
                      contracts described in section 648(e)(1) provide 
                      for a minimum of 1 full-time specialist with 
                      demonstrated expertise in the development of 
                      infants and toddlers; and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1421]]

                          ``(ii) ensure that such contracts and the 
                      services provided in the contracts are integrated 
                      with and augment the contracts awarded and 
                      services provided under section 648(e);''; and
            (8) by adding at the end the following:

    ``(h) <<NOTE: Deadlines.>> Center-Based Staff.--The Secretary 
shall--
            ``(1) ensure that, not later than September 30, 2010, all 
        teachers providing direct services to children and families 
        participating in Early Head Start programs located in Early Head 
        Start centers, have a minimum of a child development associate 
        credential, and have been trained (or have equivalent 
        coursework) in early childhood development; and
            ``(2) establish staff qualification goals to ensure that not 
        later than September 30, 2012, all such teachers have been 
        trained (or have equivalent coursework) in early childhood 
        development with a focus on infant and toddler development.

    ``(i) Staff Qualifications and Development.--
            ``(1) Home visitor staff standards.--In order to further 
        enhance the quality of home visiting services provided to 
        families of children participating in home-based, center-based, 
        or combination program options under this subchapter, the 
        Secretary shall establish standards for training, 
        qualifications, and the conduct of home visits for home visitor 
        staff in Early Head Start programs.
            ``(2) Contents of standards.--The standards for training, 
        qualifications, and the conduct of home visits shall include 
        content related to--
                    ``(A) structured child-focused home visiting that 
                promotes parents' ability to support the child's 
                cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development;
                    ``(B) effective strengths-based parent education, 
                including methods to encourage parents as their child's 
                first teachers;
                    ``(C) early childhood development with respect to 
                children from birth through age 3;
                    ``(D) methods to help parents promote emergent 
                literacy in their children from birth through age 3, 
                including use of research-based strategies to support 
                the development of literacy and language skills for 
                children who are limited English proficient;
                    ``(E) ascertaining what health and developmental 
                services the family receives and working with providers 
                of these services to eliminate gaps in service by 
                offering annual health, vision, hearing, and 
                developmental screening for children from birth to entry 
                into kindergarten, when needed;
                    ``(F) strategies for helping families coping with 
                crisis; and
                    ``(G) the relationship of health and well-being of 
                pregnant women to prenatal and early child 
                development.''.
SEC. 16. APPEALS, NOTICE, AND HEARING.

    Section 646(a) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9841(a)) is 
amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
        ``procedures to assure that'';

[[Page 121 STAT. 1422]]

            (2) in paragraphs (1) and (2), by inserting ``procedures to 
        assure that'' after the paragraph designation;
            (3) by striking paragraphs (3) and (4) and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(3) <<NOTE: Deadlines.>> procedures to assure that 
        financial assistance under this subchapter may be terminated or 
        reduced, and an application for refunding may be denied, after 
        the recipient has been afforded reasonable notice and 
        opportunity for a full and fair hearing, including--
                    ``(A) a right to file a notice of appeal of a 
                decision not later than 30 days after notice of the 
                decision from the Secretary; and
                    ``(B) access to a full and fair hearing of the 
                appeal, not later than 120 days after receipt by the 
                Secretary of the notice of appeal;
            ``(4) procedures (including mediation procedures) are 
        developed and published, to be used in order to--
                    ``(A) resolve in a timely manner conflicts 
                potentially leading to an adverse action between--
                          ``(i) recipients of financial assistance under 
                      this subchapter; and
                          ``(ii) delegate agencies, or policy councils 
                      of Head Start agencies;
                    ``(B) avoid the need for an administrative hearing 
                on an adverse action; and
                    ``(C) prohibit a Head Start agency from expending 
                financial assistance awarded under this subchapter for 
                the purpose of paying legal fees, or other costs 
                incurred, pursuant to an appeal under paragraph (3);
            ``(5) procedures to assure that the Secretary may suspend 
        financial assistance to a recipient under this subchapter--
                    ``(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), for 
                not more than 30 days; or
                    ``(B) in the case of a recipient under this 
                subchapter that has multiple and recurring deficiencies 
                for 180 days or more and has not made substantial and 
                significant progress toward meeting the goals of the 
                grantee's quality improvement plan or eliminating all 
                deficiencies identified by the Secretary, during the 
                hearing of an appeal described in paragraph (3), for any 
                amount of time; and
            ``(6) procedures to assure that in cases where a Head Start 
        agency prevails in a decision under paragraph (4), the Secretary 
        may determine and provide a reimbursement to the Head Start 
        agency for fees deemed reasonable and customary.''.
SEC. 17. RECORDS AND AUDITS.

    Section 647 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9842) is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Each recipient of financial assistance under this subchapter 
shall--
            ``(1) maintain, and annually submit to the Secretary, a 
        complete accounting of the recipient's administrative expenses 
        (including a detailed statement identifying the amount of 
        financial assistance provided under this subchapter used to pay 
        expenses for salaries and compensation and the amount (if any) 
        of other funds used to pay such expenses);

[[Page 121 STAT. 1423]]

            ``(2) <<NOTE: Deadline.>> not later than 30 days after the 
        date of completion of an audit conducted in the manner and to 
        the extent provided in chapter 75 of title 31, United States 
        Code (commonly known as the `Single Audit Act of 1984'), submit 
        to the Secretary a copy of the audit management letter and of 
        any audit findings as they relate to the Head Start program; and
            ``(3) provide such additional documentation as the Secretary 
        may require.''.
SEC. 18. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING.

    Section 648 of the of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9843) is amended 
to read as follows:
``SEC. 648. <<NOTE: Grants. Contracts.>> TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND 
                        TRAINING.

    ``(a) Secretarial Training and Technical Assistance.--
            ``(1) Authority.--From the funds provided under section 
        640(a)(2)(C)(i), the Secretary shall provide, directly or 
        through grants, contracts, or other agreements or arrangements 
        as the Secretary considers appropriate, technical assistance and 
        training for Head Start programs for the purposes of improving 
        program quality and helping prepare children to succeed in 
        school.
            ``(2) Process.--The process for determining the technical 
        assistance and training activities to be carried out under this 
        section shall--
                    ``(A) ensure that the needs of local Head Start 
                agencies and programs relating to improving program 
                quality and to program expansion are addressed to the 
                maximum extent practicable; and
                    ``(B) incorporate mechanisms to ensure 
                responsiveness to local needs, including an ongoing 
                procedure for obtaining input from the individuals and 
                agencies carrying out Head Start programs.
            ``(3) Activities.--In providing training and technical 
        assistance and for allocating resources for such assistance 
        under this section, the Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) give priority consideration to--
                          ``(i) activities to correct program and 
                      management deficiencies identified through reviews 
                      carried out pursuant to section 641A(c) (including 
                      the provision of assistance to local programs in 
                      the development of quality improvement plans under 
                      section 641A(d)(2));
                          ``(ii) assisting Head Start agencies in 
                      ensuring the school readiness of children; and
                          ``(iii) activities that supplement those 
                      funded with amounts provided under section 
                      640(a)(5)(B) to address the training and career 
                      development needs of classroom staff (including 
                      instruction for providing services to children 
                      with disabilities, and for activities described in 
                      section 1222(d) of the Elementary and Secondary 
                      Education Act of 1965), and non-classroom staff, 
                      including home visitors and other staff working 
                      directly with families, including training 
                      relating to increasing parent involvement and 
                      services designed to increase family literacy and 
                      improve parenting skills; and
                    ``(B) to the maximum extent practicable--

[[Page 121 STAT. 1424]]

                          ``(i) assist Head Start agencies in the 
                      development of collaborative initiatives with 
                      States and other entities within the States, to 
                      foster effective professional development systems 
                      for early childhood education and development 
                      services;
                          ``(ii) provide technical assistance and 
                      training, either directly or through a grant, 
                      contract, or cooperative agreement with an entity 
                      that has experience in the development and 
                      operation of successful family literacy services 
                      programs, for the purpose of--
                                    ``(I) assisting Head Start agencies 
                                providing family literacy services, in 
                                order to improve the quality of such 
                                family literacy services; and
                                    ``(II) enabling those Head Start 
                                agencies that demonstrate effective 
                                provision of family literacy services, 
                                based on improved outcomes for children 
                                and their parents, to provide technical 
                                assistance and training to other Head 
                                Start agencies and to service providers 
                                that work in collaboration with such 
                                agencies to provide family literacy 
                                services;
                          ``(iii) assist Head Start agencies and 
                      programs in conducting and participating in 
                      communitywide strategic planning and needs 
                      assessments, including the needs of homeless 
                      children and their families, and in conducting 
                      self-assessments;
                          ``(iv) assist Head Start agencies and programs 
                      in developing and implementing full-working-day 
                      and full calendar year programs where community 
                      need is clearly identified and making the 
                      transition to such programs, with particular 
                      attention to involving parents and programming for 
                      children throughout the day, and assist the 
                      agencies and programs in expediting the sharing of 
                      information about innovative models for providing 
                      full-working-day, full calendar year services for 
                      children;
                          ``(v) assist Head Start agencies in better 
                      serving the needs of families with very young 
                      children, including providing support and program 
                      planning and implementation assistance for Head 
                      Start agencies that apply to serve or are serving 
                      additional infants and toddlers, in accordance 
                      with section 645(a)(5);
                          ``(vi) assist Head Start agencies and programs 
                      in the development of sound management practices, 
                      including financial management procedures;
                          ``(vii) assist in efforts to secure and 
                      maintain adequate facilities for Head Start 
                      programs;
                          ``(viii) assist Head Start agencies in 
                      developing innovative program models, including 
                      mobile and home-based programs;
                          ``(ix) provide support for Head Start agencies 
                      (including policy councils and policy committees) 
                      that meet the standards described in section 
                      641A(a) but that have, as documented by the 
                      Secretary through reviews conducted pursuant to 
                      section 641A(c), programmatic, quality, and fiscal 
                      issues to address;

[[Page 121 STAT. 1425]]

                          ``(x) assist Head Start agencies and programs 
                      in improving outreach to, increasing program 
                      participation of, and improving the quality of 
                      services available to meet the unique needs of--
                                    ``(I) homeless children;
                                    ``(II) limited English proficient 
                                children and their families, 
                                particularly in communities that have 
                                experienced a large percentage increase 
                                in the population of limited English 
                                proficient individuals, as measured by 
                                the Bureau of the Census; and
                                    ``(III) children with disabilities, 
                                particularly if such program's 
                                enrollment opportunities or funded 
                                enrollment for children with 
                                disabilities is less than 10 percent;
                          ``(xi) assist Head Start agencies and programs 
                      to increase the capacity of classroom staff to 
                      meet the needs of eligible children in Head Start 
                      classrooms that are serving both children with 
                      disabilities and children without disabilities;
                          ``(xii) assist Head Start agencies and 
                      programs to address the unique needs of programs 
                      located in rural communities, including--
                                    ``(I) removing barriers related to 
                                the recruitment and retention of Head 
                                Start teachers in rural communities;
                                    ``(II) developing innovative and 
                                effective models of professional 
                                development for improving staff 
                                qualifications and skills for staff 
                                living in rural communities;
                                    ``(III) removing barriers related to 
                                outreach efforts to eligible families in 
                                rural communities;
                                    ``(IV) removing barriers to parent 
                                involvement in Head Start programs in 
                                rural communities;
                                    ``(V) removing barriers to providing 
                                home visiting services in rural 
                                communities; and
                                    ``(VI) removing barriers to 
                                obtaining health screenings for Head 
                                Start participants in rural communities;
                          ``(xiii) provide training and technical 
                      assistance to members of governing bodies, policy 
                      councils, and, as appropriate, policy committees, 
                      to ensure that the members can fulfill their 
                      functions;
                          ``(xiv) provide activities that help ensure 
                      that Head Start programs have qualified staff who 
                      can promote prevention of childhood obesity by 
                      integrating developmentally appropriate research-
                      based initiatives that stress the importance of 
                      physical activity and healthy, nutritional choices 
                      in daily classroom and family routines;
                          ``(xv) assist Indian Head Start agencies to 
                      provide on-site and off-site training to staff, 
                      using approaches that identify and enhance the 
                      positive resources and strengths of Indian 
                      children and families, to improve parent and 
                      family engagement and staff development, 
                      particularly with regard to child and family 
                      development; and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1426]]

                          ``(xvi) assisting Head Start agencies in 
                      selecting and using the measures described in 
                      section 641A(b).

    ``(b) Additional Support.--The Secretary shall provide, either 
directly or through grants, contracts or other arrangements, funds from 
section 640(a)(2)(C)(i)(II)(cc) to--
            ``(1) support an organization to administer a centralized 
        child development and national assessment program leading to 
        recognized credentials for personnel working in early childhood 
        education and development programs; and
            ``(2) support training for personnel--
                    ``(A) providing services to limited English 
                proficient children and their families (including 
                services to promote the acquisition of the English 
                language);
                    ``(B) providing services to children determined to 
                be abused or neglected or children referred by or 
                receiving child welfare services;
                    ``(C) in helping children cope with community 
                violence;
                    ``(D) to recognize common health, including mental 
                health, problems in children for appropriate referral;
                    ``(E) to address the needs of children with 
                disabilities and their families;
                    ``(F) to address the needs of migrant and seasonal 
                farmworker families; and
                    ``(G) to address the needs of homeless families.

    ``(c) Outreach.--The Secretary shall develop and implement a program 
of outreach to recruit and train professionals from diverse backgrounds 
to become Head Start teachers in order to reflect the communities in 
which Head Start children live and to increase the provision of quality 
services and instruction to children with diverse backgrounds.
    ``(d) Funds to Agencies.--Funds made available under section 
640(a)(2)(C)(i)(II)(aa) shall be used by a Head Start agency to provide 
high-quality, sustained, and intensive training and technical assistance 
as follows:
            ``(1) For 1 or more of the following:
                    ``(A) Activities that ensure that Head Start 
                programs meet or exceed the standards described in 
                section 641A(a)(1).
                    ``(B) Activities that ensure that Head Start 
                programs have adequate numbers of trained, qualified 
                staff who have skills in working with children and 
                families, including children and families who are 
                limited English proficient and children with 
                disabilities and their families.
                    ``(C) Activities to improve the management and 
                implementation of Head Start services and systems, 
                including direct training for expert consultants working 
                with staff.
                    ``(D) Activities that help ensure that Head Start 
                programs have qualified staff who can promote language 
                skills and literacy growth of children and who can 
                provide children with a variety of skills that have been 
                identified as predictive of later reading achievement, 
                school success, and the skills, knowledge, abilities, 
                development, and progress described in section 
                641A(a)(1)(B)(ii).
                    ``(E) Activities to improve staff qualifications and 
                to assist with the implementation of career development 
                programs and to encourage the staff to continually 
                improve

[[Page 121 STAT. 1427]]

                their skills and expertise, including developing 
                partnerships with programs that recruit, train, place, 
                and support college students in Head Start centers to 
                deliver an innovative early learning program to 
                preschool children.
                    ``(F) Activities that help local programs ensure 
                that the arrangement, condition, and implementation of 
                the learning environments in Head Start programs are 
                conducive to providing effective program services to 
                children and families.
                    ``(G) Activities to provide training necessary to 
                improve the qualifications of Head Start staff and to 
                support staff training, child counseling, health 
                services, and other services necessary to address the 
                needs of children enrolled in Head Start programs, 
                including children from families in crises, children who 
                experience chronic violence or homelessness, children 
                who experience substance abuse in their families, and 
                children under 3 years of age, where applicable.
                    ``(H) Activities to provide classes or in-service-
                type programs to improve or enhance parenting skills, 
                job skills, and adult and family literacy, including 
                financial literacy, or training to become a classroom 
                aide or bus driver in a Head Start program.
                    ``(I) Additional activities deemed appropriate to 
                the improvement of Head Start programs, as determined by 
                the technical assistance and training plans of the Head 
                Start agencies.
            ``(2) To support enhanced early language and literacy 
        development of children in Head Start programs, and to provide 
        the children with high-quality oral language skills and with 
        environments that are rich in literature in which to acquire 
        language and early literacy skills. Each Head Start agency, in 
        consultation with the State-based training and technical 
        assistance system, as appropriate, shall ensure that--
                    ``(A) all of the agency's Head Start teachers 
                receive ongoing training in language and emergent 
                literacy (referred to in this subsection as `literacy 
                training'), including appropriate curricula and 
                assessment to improve instruction and learning;
                    ``(B) such literacy training shall include training 
                in methods to promote vocabulary development and 
                phonological awareness (including phonemic awareness) in 
                a developmentally, culturally, and linguistically 
                appropriate manner and support children's development in 
                their native language;
                    ``(C) the literacy training shall include training 
                in how to work with parents to enhance positive language 
                and early literacy development at home;
                    ``(D) the literacy training shall include specific 
                methods to best address the needs of children who are 
                limited English proficient;
                    ``(E) the literacy training shall include training 
                on how to best address the language and literacy needs 
                of children with disabilities, including training on how 
                to work with specialists in language development; and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1428]]

                    ``(F) the literacy training shall be tailored to the 
                early childhood literacy background and experience of 
                the teachers involved;
        except that funds made available under section 640(a)(2)(C)(i) 
        shall not be used for long-distance travel expenses for training 
        activities available locally or regionally or for training 
        activities substantially similar to locally or regionally 
        available training activities.

    ``(e) State-Based Training and Technical Assistance System.--For the 
purposes of delivering a State-based training and technical assistance 
system (which may include a consortium of 2 or more States within a 
region) or a national system in the case of migrant or seasonal Head 
Start and Indian Head Start programs, as described in section 
640(a)(2)(C)(i)(II)(bb), that will meet the needs of local grantees, as 
determined by such grantees, and provide high-quality, sustained, and 
intensive training and technical assistance to Head Start agencies and 
programs in order to improve their capacity to deliver services that 
meet or exceed the standards described in section 641A(a)(1), the 
Secretary shall--
            ``(1) enter into contracts in each State with 1 or more 
        entities that have a demonstrated expertise in supporting the 
        delivery of high-quality early childhood education and 
        development programs, except that contracts for a consortium of 
        2 or more States within a geographic region may be entered into 
        if such a system is more appropriate to better meet the needs of 
        local grantees within a region, as determined by such grantees;
            ``(2) ensure that the entities described in subparagraph (1) 
        determine the types of services to be provided through 
        consultation with--
                    ``(A) local Head Start agencies (including Indian 
                Head Start agencies and migrant or seasonal Head Start 
                agencies, as appropriate);
                    ``(B) the State Head Start collaboration office; and
                    ``(C) the State Head Start Association;
            ``(3) encourage States to supplement the funds authorized in 
        section 640(a)(2)(C)(i)(II)(bb) with Federal, State, or local 
        funds other than funds made available under this subchapter, to 
        expand training and technical assistance activities beyond Head 
        Start agencies to include other providers of other early 
        childhood education and development programs within a State;
            ``(4) <<NOTE: Reports. Deadline.>> provide a report to the 
        Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives 
        and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
        the Senate, not later than 90 days after the end of the fiscal 
        year, summarizing the funding for such contracts and the 
        activities carried out thereunder;
            ``(5) periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the 
        delivery of services in each State in promoting program quality; 
        and
            ``(6) ensure that in entering into such contracts as 
        described in paragraph (1), such entities will address the needs 
        of grantees in both urban and rural communities.

    ``(f) Indoor Air Quality.--The Secretary shall consult with 
appropriate Federal agencies and other experts, as appropriate, on 
issues of air quality related to children's health and inform Head Start 
agencies of existing programs or combination of programs that provide 
methods for improving indoor air quality.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1429]]

    ``(g) <<NOTE: Minorities.>> Career Advancement Partnership 
Program.--
            ``(1) Authority.--From amounts allocated under section 
        640(a)(2)(C) the Secretary is authorized to award demonstration 
        grants, for a period of not less than 5 years, to historically 
        Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, 
        and Tribal Colleges and Universities--
                    ``(A) to implement education programs that increase 
                the number of associate, baccalaureate, and graduate 
                degrees in early childhood education and related fields 
                that are earned by Head Start agency staff members, 
                parents of children served by such agencies, and members 
                of the communities involved;
                    ``(B) to provide assistance for stipends and costs 
                related to tuition, fees, and books for enrolling Head 
                Start agency staff members, parents of children served 
                by such an agency, and members of the communities 
                involved in courses required to complete the degree and 
                certification requirement to become teachers in early 
                childhood education and related fields;
                    ``(C) to develop program curricula to promote high-
                quality services and instruction to children with 
                diverse backgrounds, including--
                          ``(i) in the case of historically Black 
                      colleges and universities, to help Head Start 
                      Agency staff members develop skills and expertise 
                      needed to teach in programs serving large numbers 
                      of African American children;
                          ``(ii) in the case of Hispanic-serving 
                      institutions, programs to help Head Start Agency 
                      staff members develop skills and expertise needed 
                      to teach in programs serving large numbers of 
                      Hispanic children, including programs to develop 
                      the linguistic skills and expertise needed to 
                      teach in programs serving a large number of 
                      children with limited English proficiency; and
                          ``(iii) in the case of Tribal Colleges and 
                      Universities, to help Head Start Agency staff 
                      members develop skills and expertise needed to 
                      teach in programs serving large numbers of Indian 
                      children, including programs concerning tribal 
                      culture and language;
                    ``(D) to provide other activities to upgrade the 
                skills and qualifications of educational personnel to 
                meet the professional standards in subsection (a) to 
                better promote high-quality services and instruction to 
                children and parents from populations served by 
                historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-
                serving institutions, or Tribal Colleges and 
                Universities;
                    ``(E) to provide technology literacy programs for 
                Indian Head Start agency staff members and families of 
                children served by such agency; and
                    ``(F) to develop and implement the programs 
                described under subparagraph (A) in technology-mediated 
                formats, including through such means as distance 
                learning and use of advanced technology, as appropriate.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1430]]

            ``(2) Other assistance.--The Secretary shall, using 
        resources within the Department of Health and Human Services--
                    ``(A) provide appropriate technical assistance to 
                historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-
                serving institutions, and Tribal Colleges and 
                Universities receiving grants under this section, 
                including coordinating with the White House Initiative 
                on historically Black colleges and universities; and
                    ``(B) ensure that the American Indian Programs 
                Branch of the Office of Head Start of the Administration 
                for Children and Families of the Department of Health 
                and Human Services can effectively administer the 
                programs under this section and provide appropriate 
                technical assistance to Tribal Colleges and Universities 
                under this section.
            ``(3) Application.--Each historically Black college or 
        university, Hispanic-serving institution, or Tribal College or 
        University desiring a grant under this section shall submit an 
        application, in partnership with at least 1 Head Start agency 
        enrolling large numbers of students from the populations served 
        by historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-
        serving institutions, or Tribal Colleges and Universities, to 
        the Secretary, at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require, including a 
        certification that the institution of higher education has 
        established a formal partnership with 1 or more Head Start 
        agencies for the purposes of conducting the activities described 
        in paragraph (1).
            ``(4) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) The term `Hispanic-serving institution' has 
                the meaning given such term in section 502 of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1101a).
                    ``(B) The term `historically Black college or 
                university' has the meaning given the term `part B 
                institution' in section 322(2) of the Higher Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)).
                    ``(C) The term `Tribal College or University' has 
                the meaning given such term in section 316(b) of the 
                Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)).
            ``(5) Teaching requirement.--A student at an institution 
        receiving a grant under this subsection who receives assistance 
        under a program funded under this subsection shall teach in a 
        center-based Head Start program for a period of time equivalent 
        to the period for which they received assistance or shall repay 
        such assistance.''.
SEC. 19. STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT.

    Section 648A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9843a) is amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

    ``(a) Classroom Teachers.--
            ``(1) Professional requirements.--The Secretary shall ensure 
        that each Head Start classroom in a center-based program is 
        assigned 1 teacher who has demonstrated competency to perform 
        functions that include--
                    ``(A) planning and implementing learning experiences 
                that advance the intellectual and physical development

[[Page 121 STAT. 1431]]

                of children, including improving the readiness of 
                children for school by developing their literacy, 
                phonemic, and print awareness, their understanding and 
                use of language, their understanding and use of 
                increasingly complex and varied vocabulary, their 
                appreciation of books, their understanding of early math 
                and early science, their problem-solving abilities, and 
                their approaches to learning;
                    ``(B) establishing and maintaining a safe, healthy 
                learning environment;
                    ``(C) supporting the social and emotional 
                development of children; and
                    ``(D) encouraging the involvement of the families of 
                the children in a Head Start program and supporting the 
                development of relationships between children and their 
                families.
            ``(2) <<NOTE: Deadlines.>> Degree requirements.--
                    ``(A) Head start teachers.--The Secretary shall 
                ensure that not later than September 30, 2013, at least 
                50 percent of Head Start teachers nationwide in center-
                based programs have--
                          ``(i) a baccalaureate or advanced degree in 
                      early childhood education; or
                          ``(ii) a baccalaureate or advanced degree and 
                      coursework equivalent to a major relating to early 
                      childhood education, with experience teaching 
                      preschool-age children.
                    ``(B) Additional staff.--The Secretary shall ensure 
                that, not later than September 30, 2013, all--
                          ``(i) Head Start education coordinators, 
                      including those that serve as curriculum 
                      specialists, nationwide in center-based programs--
                                    ``(I) have the capacity to offer 
                                assistance to other teachers in the 
                                implementation and adaptation of 
                                curricula to the group and individual 
                                needs of children in a Head Start 
                                classroom; and
                                    ``(II) have--
                                            ``(aa) a baccalaureate or 
                                        advanced degree in early 
                                        childhood education; or
                                            ``(bb) a baccalaureate or 
                                        advanced degree and coursework 
                                        equivalent to a major relating 
                                        to early childhood education, 
                                        with experience teaching 
                                        preschool-age children; and
                          ``(ii) Head Start teaching assistants 
                      nationwide in center-based programs have--
                                    ``(I) at least a child development 
                                associate credential;
                                    ``(II) enrolled in a program leading 
                                to an associate or baccalaureate degree; 
                                or
                                    ``(III) enrolled in a child 
                                development associate credential program 
                                to be completed within 2 years.
                    ``(C) <<NOTE: Reports.>> Progress.--
                          ``(i) Implementation.--The Secretary shall--
                                    ``(I) require Head Start agencies 
                                to--
                                            ``(aa) describe continuing 
                                        progress each year toward 
                                        achieving the goals described in 
                                        subparagraphs (A) and (B); and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1432]]

                                            ``(bb) annually submit to 
                                        the Secretary a report 
                                        indicating the number and 
                                        percentage of classroom 
                                        personnel described in 
                                        subparagraphs (A) and (B) in 
                                        center-based programs with child 
                                        development associate 
                                        credentials or associate, 
                                        baccalaureate, or advanced 
                                        degrees;
                                    ``(II) compile and submit a summary 
                                of all program reports described in 
                                subclause (I)(bb) to the Committee on 
                                Education and Labor of the House of 
                                Representatives and the Committee on 
                                Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 
                                of the Senate; and
                                    ``(III) not impose any penalties or 
                                sanctions on any individual Head Start 
                                agency, program, or staff in the 
                                monitoring of local agencies and 
                                programs under this subchapter not 
                                meeting the requirements of subparagraph 
                                (A) or (B).
                    ``(D) Construction.--In this paragraph a reference 
                to a Head Start agency, or its program, services, 
                facility, or personnel, shall not be considered to be a 
                reference to an Early Head Start agency, or its program, 
                services, facility, or personnel.
            ``(3) <<NOTE: Deadlines.>> Alternative credentialing and 
        degree requirements.--The Secretary shall ensure that, for 
        center-based programs, each Head Start classroom that does not 
        have a teacher who meets the qualifications described in clause 
        (i) or (ii) of paragraph (2)(A) is assigned one teacher who has 
        the following during the period specified:
                    ``(A) Through September 30, 2011--
                          ``(i) a child development associate credential 
                      that is appropriate to the age of children being 
                      served in center-based programs;
                          ``(ii) a State-awarded certificate for 
                      preschool teachers that meets or exceeds the 
                      requirements for a child development associate 
                      credential;
                          ``(iii) an associate degree in early childhood 
                      education;
                          ``(iv) an associate degree in a related field 
                      and coursework equivalent to a major relating to 
                      early childhood education, with experience 
                      teaching preschool-age children; or
                          ``(v) a baccalaureate degree and has been 
                      admitted into the Teach For America program, 
                      passed a rigorous early childhood content exam, 
                      such as the Praxis II, participated in a Teach For 
                      America summer training institute that includes 
                      teaching preschool children, and is receiving 
                      ongoing professional development and support from 
                      Teach For America's professional staff.
                    ``(B) As of October 1, 2011--
                          ``(i) an associate degree in early childhood 
                      education;
                          ``(ii) an associate degree in a related field 
                      and coursework equivalent to a major relating to 
                      early childhood education, with experience 
                      teaching preschool-age children; or

[[Page 121 STAT. 1433]]

                          ``(iii) a baccalaureate degree and has been 
                      admitted into the Teach For America program, 
                      passed a rigorous early childhood content exam, 
                      such as the Praxis II, participated in a Teach For 
                      America summer training institute that includes 
                      teaching preschool children, and is receiving 
                      ongoing professional development and support from 
                      Teach For America's professional staff.
            ``(4) Waiver.--On request, the Secretary shall grant--
                    ``(A) through September 30, 2011, a 180-day waiver 
                ending on or before September 30, 2011, of the 
                requirements of paragraph (3)(A) for a Head Start agency 
                that can demonstrate that the agency has attempted 
                unsuccessfully to recruit an individual who has the 
                qualifications described in any of clauses (i) through 
                (iv) of paragraph (3)(A) with respect to an individual 
                who--
                          ``(i) is enrolled in a program that grants a 
                      credential, certificate, or degree described in 
                      clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (3)(A); and
                          ``(ii) will receive such credential, 
                      certificate, or degree under the terms of such 
                      program not later than 180 days after beginning 
                      employment as a teacher with such agency; and
                    ``(B) as of October 1, 2011, a 3-year waiver of the 
                requirements of paragraph (3)(B) for a Head Start agency 
                that can demonstrate that--
                          ``(i) the agency has attempted unsuccessfully 
                      to recruit an individual who has the 
                      qualifications described in clause (i) or (ii) of 
                      such paragraph, with respect to an individual who 
                      is enrolled in a program that grants a degree 
                      described in clause (i) or (ii) of such paragraph 
                      and will receive such degree in a reasonable time; 
                      and
                          ``(ii) each Head Start classroom has a teacher 
                      who has, at a minimum--
                                    ``(I) a child development associate 
                                credential that is appropriate to the 
                                age of children being served in center-
                                based programs; or
                                    ``(II) a State-awarded certificate 
                                for preschool teachers that meets or 
                                exceeds the requirements for a child 
                                development associate credential.
            ``(5) Teacher in-service requirement.--Each Head Start 
        teacher shall attend not less than 15 clock hours of 
        professional development per year. Such professional development 
        shall be high-quality, sustained, intensive, and classroom-
        focused in order to have a positive and lasting impact on 
        classroom instruction and the teacher's performance in the 
        classroom, and regularly evaluated by the program for 
        effectiveness.
            ``(6) Service requirements.--The Secretary shall establish 
        requirements to ensure that, in order to enable Head Start 
        agencies to comply with the requirements of paragraph (2)(A), 
        individuals who receive financial assistance under this 
        subchapter to pursue a degree described in paragraph (2)(A) 
        shall--
                    ``(A) teach or work in a Head Start program for a 
                minimum of 3 years after receiving the degree; or
                    ``(B) repay the total or a prorated amount of the 
                financial assistance received based on the length of 
                service completed after receiving the degree.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1434]]

            ``(7) Use of funds.--The Secretary shall require that any 
        Federal funds provided directly or indirectly to comply with 
        paragraph (2)(A) shall be used toward degrees awarded by an 
        institution of higher education, as defined by section 101 or 
        102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001, 
        1002).'';
            (2) by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:

    ``(c) Family Service Workers.--To improve the quality and 
effectiveness of staff providing in-home and other services (including 
needs assessment, development of service plans, family advocacy, and 
coordination of service delivery) to families of children participating 
in Head Start programs, the Secretary, in coordination with concerned 
public and private agencies and organizations examining the issues of 
standards and training for family service workers, shall--
            ``(1) review and, as necessary, revise or develop new 
        qualification standards for Head Start staff providing such 
        services;
            ``(2) review, and as necessary, revise or develop maximum 
        caseload requirements, as suggested by best practices;
            ``(3) promote the development of model curricula (on 
        subjects including parenting training and family literacy) 
        designed to ensure the attainment of appropriate competencies by 
        individuals working or planning to work in the field of early 
        childhood and family services;
            ``(4) promote the establishment of a credential that 
        indicates attainment of the competencies and that is accepted 
        nationwide; and
            ``(5) promote the use of appropriate strategies to meet the 
        needs of special populations (including populations of limited 
        English proficient children).'';
            (3) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting ``(including a 
                center)'' after ``agency''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (6), by striking ``amounts 
                appropriated under this subchapter and allotted under 
                section 640(a)(2)(D)'' and inserting ``amounts made 
                available under section 640(a)(2)(E)''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:

    ``(f) Professional Development Plans.--Each Head Start agency and 
program shall create, in consultation with an employee, a professional 
development plan for all full-time Head Start employees who provide 
direct services to children and shall ensure that such plans are 
regularly evaluated for their impact on teacher and staff effectiveness. 
The agency and the employee shall implement the plan to the extent 
feasible and practicable.
    ``(g) Staff Recruitment and Selection Procedures.--Before a Head 
Start agency employs an individual, such agency shall--
            ``(1) conduct an interview of such individual;
            ``(2) verify the personal and employment references provided 
        by such individual; and
            ``(3) obtain--
                    ``(A) a State, tribal, or Federal criminal record 
                check covering all jurisdictions where the grantee 
                provides Head Start services to children;
                    ``(B) a State, tribal, or Federal criminal record 
                check as required by the law of the jurisdiction where 
                the grantee provides Head Start services; or

[[Page 121 STAT. 1435]]

                    ``(C) a criminal record check as otherwise required 
                by Federal law.''.
SEC. 20. RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND EVALUATION.

    Section 649 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9844) is amended--
            (1) by amending subsection (a)(1)(B) to read as follows:
                    ``(B) use the Head Start programs to develop, test, 
                and disseminate new ideas based on existing 
                scientifically valid research, for addressing the needs 
                of low-income preschool children (including children 
                with disabilities, homeless children, children who have 
                been abused or neglected, and children in foster care) 
                and their families and communities (including 
                demonstrations of innovative non-center-based program 
                models such as home-based and mobile programs), and 
                otherwise to further the purposes of this subchapter.'';
            (2) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (8), by adding ``and'' at the end;
                    (B) by striking paragraphs (9) and (10), and 
                inserting the following:
            ``(10)(A) contribute to understanding the impact of Head 
        Start services delivered in classrooms which include both 
        children with disabilities and children without disabilities, on 
        all of the children; and
            ``(B) disseminate promising practices for increasing the 
        availability and quality of such services and such 
        classrooms.'';
                    (C) in paragraph (5), by striking ``early childhood 
                education, or child development services'' and inserting 
                ``early childhood education and development or services 
                programs'';
                    (D) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (8) as 
                paragraphs (6) through (9), respectively;
                    (E) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
            ``(5)(A) identify successful strategies that promote good 
        oral health and provide effective linkages to quality dental 
        services through pediatric dental referral networks, for infants 
        and toddlers participating in Early Head Start programs and 
        children participating in other Head Start programs; and
            ``(B) identify successful strategies that promote good 
        vision health through vision screenings for such infants, 
        toddlers, and children, and referrals for appropriate followup 
        care for those identified as having a vision problem;''; and
                    (F) by striking the last sentence; and
            (3) in subsection (e)(3), by striking ``child care, early 
        childhood education, or child development services'' and 
        inserting ``early childhood education and development services 
        or programs'';
            (4) in subsection (g) by amending paragraph (7)(C) to read 
        as follows:
                    ``(C) Transmittal of report to congress.--Not later 
                than September 30, 2009, the Secretary shall transmit 
                the final report to the Committee on Education and Labor 
                of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
                Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.''; 
                and
            (5) by striking subsection (h) and inserting the following:

[[Page 121 STAT. 1436]]

    ``(h) Limited English Proficient Children.--
            ``(1) Study.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act 
        of 2007, the Secretary shall conduct a study on the status of 
        limited English proficient children and their families 
        participating in Head Start programs (including Early Head Start 
        programs).
            ``(2) Report.--The Secretary shall prepare and submit to the 
        Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives 
        and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
        the Senate, not later than September 30, 2010, a report 
        containing the results of the study, including information on--
                    ``(A) the demographics of limited English proficient 
                children from birth through age 5, including the number 
                of such children receiving Head Start services and Early 
                Head Start services, and the geographic distribution of 
                children described in this subparagraph;
                    ``(B) the nature of the Head Start services and of 
                the Early Head Start services provided to limited 
                English proficient children and their families, 
                including the types, content, duration, intensity, and 
                costs of family services, language assistance, and 
                educational services;
                    ``(C) procedures in Head Start programs and Early 
                Head Start programs for the assessment of language needs 
                and the transition of limited English proficient 
                children to kindergarten, including the extent to which 
                such programs meet the requirements of section 642A for 
                limited English proficient children;
                    ``(D) the qualifications and training provided to 
                Head Start teachers and Early Head Start teachers who 
                serve limited English proficient children and their 
                families;
                    ``(E) the languages in which Head Start teachers and 
                Early Head Start teachers are fluent, in relation to the 
                population, and instructional needs, of the children 
                served;
                    ``(F) the rate of progress made by limited English 
                proficient children and their families in Head Start 
                programs and in Early Head Start programs, including--
                          ``(i) the rate of progress made by limited 
                      English proficient children toward meeting the 
                      additional educational standards described in 
                      section 641A(a)(1)(B)(ii) while enrolled in such 
                      programs;
                          ``(ii) a description of the type of assessment 
                      or assessments used to determine the rate of 
                      progress made by limited English proficient 
                      children;
                          ``(iii) the correlation between such progress 
                      and the type and quality of instruction and 
                      educational programs provided to limited English 
                      proficient children; and
                          ``(iv) the correlation between such progress 
                      and the health and family services provided by 
                      such programs to limited English proficient 
                      children and their families; and
                    ``(G) the extent to which Head Start programs and 
                Early Head Start programs make use of funds under 
                section 640(a)(2)(D) to improve the quality of such 
                services

[[Page 121 STAT. 1437]]

                provided to limited English proficient children and 
                their families.

    ``(i) Research and Evaluation Activities Relevant to Diverse 
Communities.--For purposes of conducting the study described in 
subsection (h), activities described in section 640(l)(5)(A), and other 
research and evaluation activities relevant to limited English 
proficient children and their families, migrant and seasonal farmworker 
families, and other families from diverse populations served by Head 
Start programs, the Secretary shall award, on a competitive basis, funds 
from amounts made available under section 640(a)(2)(D) to 1 or more 
organizations with a demonstrated capacity for serving and studying the 
populations involved.
    ``(j) Review of Assessments.--
            ``(1) Application of study.--When the study on Developmental 
        Outcomes and Assessments for Young Children by the National 
        Academy of Sciences is made available to the Secretary, the 
        Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) integrate the results of the study, as 
                appropriate and in accordance with paragraphs (2) and 
                (3), into each assessment used in Head Start programs; 
                and
                    ``(B) use the results of the study to develop, 
                inform, and revise as appropriate the standards and 
                measures described in section 641A, consistent with 
                section 641A(a)(2)(C)(ii).
            ``(2) Inform and revise.--In informing and revising any 
        assessment used in the Head Start programs, the Secretary 
        shall--
                    ``(A) receive recommendations from the Panel on 
                Developmental Outcomes and Assessments for Young 
                Children of the National Academy of Sciences; and
                    ``(B) with respect to the development or refinement 
                of such assessment, ensure--
                          ``(i) consistency with relevant, nationally 
                      recognized professional and technical standards;
                          ``(ii) validity and reliability for all 
                      purposes for which assessments under this 
                      subchapter are designed and used;
                          ``(iii) developmental and linguistic 
                      appropriateness of such assessments for children 
                      assessed, including children who are limited 
                      English proficient; and
                          ``(iv) that the results can be used to improve 
                      the quality of, accountability of, and training 
                      and technical assistance in, Head Start programs.
            ``(3) Additional requirements.--The Secretary, in carrying 
        out the process described in paragraph (2), shall ensure that--
                    ``(A) staff administering any assessments under this 
                subchapter have received appropriate training to 
                administer such assessments;
                    ``(B) appropriate accommodations for children with 
                disabilities and children who are limited English 
                proficient are made;
                    ``(C) the English and Spanish (and any other 
                language, as appropriate) forms of such assessments are 
                valid and reliable in the languages in which they are 
                administered; and

[[Page 121 STAT. 1438]]

                    ``(D) such assessments are not used to exclude 
                children from Head Start programs.
            ``(4) Suspended implementation of national reporting 
        system.--The Secretary shall suspend implementation and 
        terminate further development and use of the National Reporting 
        System.

    ``(k) Indian Head Start Study.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(1) work in collaboration with the Head Start agencies 
        that carry out Indian Head Start programs, the Indian Head Start 
        collaboration director, and other appropriate entities, 
        including tribal governments and the National Indian Head Start 
        Directors Association--
                    ``(A) to undertake a study or set of studies 
                designed to focus on the American Indian and Alaska 
                Native Head Start-eligible population, with a focus on 
                issues such as curriculum development, availability and 
                need for services, appropriate research methodologies 
                and measures for these populations, and best practices 
                for teaching and educating American Indian and Alaska 
                Native Head Start Children;
                    ``(B) to accurately determine the number of children 
                nationwide who are eligible to participate in Indian 
                Head Start programs each year;
                    ``(C) to document how many of these children are 
                receiving Head Start services each year;
                    ``(D) to the extent practicable, to ensure that 
                access to Indian Head Start programs for eligible 
                children is comparable to access to other Head Start 
                programs for other eligible children; and
                    ``(E) to make the funding decisions required in 
                section 640(a)(4)(D)(ii), after completion of the 
                studies required in that section, taking into account--
                          ``(i) the Federal government's unique trust 
                      responsibility to American Indians and Alaska 
                      Natives;
                          ``(ii) limitations faced by tribal communities 
                      in accessing non-Federal sources of funding to 
                      supplement Federal funding for early childhood 
                      programs; and
                          ``(iii) other factors that uniquely and 
                      adversely impact children in American Indian and 
                      Alaska Native communities such as highly elevated 
                      poverty, unemployment and violent crime rates, as 
                      well as depressed levels of educational 
                      achievement and limited access to non-Federal 
                      health, social and educational resources;
            ``(2) in carrying out paragraph (1), consult with the 
        Secretary of Education about the Department of Education's 
        systems for collecting and reporting data about, and maintaining 
        records on, American Indian and Alaska Native students;
            ``(3) <<NOTE: Deadline. Federal Register, publication.>> not 
        later than 9 months after the effective date of this subsection, 
        publish in the Federal Register a notice of how the Secretary 
        plans to carry out paragraph (1) and shall provide a period for 
        public comment. To the extent practicable, the Secretary shall 
        consider comments received before submitting a report to the 
        Congress;
            ``(4) <<NOTE: Deadline. Reports.>> not later than 1 year 
        after the effective date of this subsection, submit a report to 
        the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
        and Pensions of the Senate,

[[Page 121 STAT. 1439]]

        detailing how the Department of Health and Human Services plans 
        to carry out paragraph (1);
            ``(5) <<NOTE: Regulations. Confidentiality.>> through 
        regulation, ensure the confidentiality of any personally 
        identifiable data, information, and records collected or 
        maintained by the Secretary, by Head Start agencies that carry 
        out Indian Head Start programs, and by State Directors of Head 
        Start Collaboration, by the Indian Head Start Collaboration 
        Project Director and by other appropriate entities pursuant to 
        this subsection (such regulations shall provide the policies, 
        protections, and rights equivalent to those provided a parent, 
        student, or educational agency or institution under section 444 
        of the General Education Provisions Act); and
            ``(6) ensure that nothing in this subsection shall be 
        construed to authorize the development of a nationwide database 
        of personally identifiable information on individuals involved 
        in studies or other collections of data under this subsection.

    ``(l) Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Program Study.--
            ``(1) Data.--In order to increase access to Head Start 
        services for children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers, the 
        Secretary shall work in collaboration with providers of migrant 
        and seasonal Head Start programs, the Secretary of Agriculture, 
        the Secretary of Labor, the Bureau of Migrant Health, and the 
        Secretary of Education to--
                    ``(A) collect, report, and share data, within a 
                coordinated system, on children of migrant and seasonal 
                farmworkers and their families, including health records 
                and educational documents of such children, in order to 
                adequately account for the number of children of migrant 
                and seasonal farmworkers who are eligible for Head Start 
                services and determine how many of such children receive 
                the services; and
                    ``(B) identify barriers that prevent children of 
                migrant and seasonal farmworkers who are eligible for 
                Head Start services from accessing Head Start services, 
                and develop a plan for eliminating such barriers, 
                including certain requirements relating to tracking, 
                health records, and educational documents, and 
                increasing enrollment.
            ``(2) <<NOTE: Deadline. Federal Register, 
        publication.>> Publication of plan.--Not later than 1 year after 
        the date of enactment of the Improving Head Start for School 
        Readiness Act of 2007, the Secretary shall publish in the 
        Federal Register a notice about how the Secretary plans to 
        implement the activities identified in paragraph (1) and shall 
        provide a period for public comment. To the extent practicable, 
        the Secretary shall consider comments received before 
        implementing any of the activities identified in paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act 
        of 2007, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a 
        report to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
        and Pensions of the Senate detailing how the Secretary plans to 
        implement the activities identified in paragraph (1), including 
        the progress made in reaching out to and serving eligible 
        children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers, and information on 
        States where such children are still underserved.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1440]]

            ``(4) <<NOTE: Regulations.>> Protection of 
        confidentiality.--The Secretary shall, through regulation, 
        ensure the protection of the confidentiality of any personally 
        identifiable data, information, and records collected or 
        maintained by the Secretary, by Head Start agencies that carry 
        out migrant or seasonal Head Start programs, by the State 
        director of Head Start Collaboration, and by the Migrant and 
        Seasonal Farmworker Collaboration project Director (such 
        regulations shall provide the policies, protections, and rights 
        equivalent to those provided a parent, student, or educational 
        agency or institution under section 444 of the General Education 
        Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g)).
            ``(5) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection 
        shall be construed to authorize the development of a nationwide 
        database of personally identifiable data, information, or 
        records on individuals involved in studies or other collections 
        of data under this subsection.

    ``(m) Program Emergency Preparedness.--
            ``(1) Purpose.--The purpose of this subsection is to 
        evaluate the emergency preparedness of the Head Start programs, 
        including Early Head Start programs, and make recommendations 
        for how Head Start shall enhance its readiness to respond to an 
        emergency.
            ``(2) Study.--The Secretary shall evaluate the Federal, 
        State, and local preparedness of Head Start programs, including 
        Early Head Start programs, to respond appropriately in the event 
        of a large-scale emergency, such as the hurricanes Katrina, 
        Rita, and Wilma, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, or 
        other incidents where assistance may be warranted under the 
        Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.).
            ``(3) Report to congress.--Not later than 18 months after 
        the date of the enactment of the Improving Head Start for School 
        Readiness Act of 2007, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to 
        Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives 
        and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
        the Senate a report containing the results of the evaluation 
        required under paragraph (2), including--
                    ``(A) recommendations for improvements to Federal, 
                State, and local preparedness and response capabilities 
                to large-scale emergencies, including those that were 
                developed in response to hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and 
                Wilma, as they relate to Head Start programs, including 
                Early Head Start programs, and the Secretary's plan to 
                implement such recommendations;
                    ``(B) an evaluation of the procedures for informing 
                families of children in Head Start programs about the 
                program protocols for response to a large-scale 
                emergency, including procedures for communicating with 
                such families in the event of a large-scale emergency;
                    ``(C) an evaluation of such procedures for staff 
                training on State and local evacuation and emergency 
                protocols; and
                    ``(D) an evaluation of procedures for Head Start 
                agencies and the Secretary to coordinate with 
                appropriate Federal, State, and local emergency 
                management agencies in

[[Page 121 STAT. 1441]]

                the event of a large scale emergency and recommendations 
                to improve such procedures.''.
SEC. 21. REPORTS.

    Section 650 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9846) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
                          (i) by striking ``Education and the 
                      Workforce'' and inserting ``Education and Labor'';
                          (ii) by striking ``Labor and Human Resources'' 
                      and inserting ``Health, Education, Labor, and 
                      Pensions''; and
                          (iii) by striking ``(including disabled and 
                      non-English language background children)'' and 
                      inserting ``(including children with disabilities, 
                      limited English proficient children, homeless 
                      children, children in foster care, and children 
                      participating in Indian Head Start programs and 
                      migrant or seasonal Head Start programs)'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting before the 
                semicolon the following: ``, and information on the 
                number of children served under this subsection, 
                disaggregated by type of eligibility criterion'';
                    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``funds expended'' 
                and all that follows through ``640(a)(3),'' and 
                inserting ``funds made available under section 640(a)'';
                    (D) in paragraph (8), by inserting ``homelessness, 
                whether the child is in foster care or was referred by a 
                child welfare agency,'' after ``background,'';
                    (E) in paragraph (12), by inserting ``vision care,'' 
                after ``dental care,'';
                    (F) in paragraph (14)--
                          (i) by striking ``Alaskan Natives'' and 
                      inserting ``Alaska Natives''; and
                          (ii) by striking ``seasonal farmworkers'' and 
                      inserting ``seasonal farmworker families''; and
                    (G) in the flush matter at the end--
                          (i) by striking ``Education and the 
                      Workforce'' and inserting ``Education and Labor''; 
                      and
                          (ii) by striking ``Labor and Human Resources'' 
                      and inserting ``Health, Education, Labor, and 
                      Pensions'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking ``Education and the Workforce'' and 
                inserting ``Education and Labor'';
                    (B) by striking ``Labor and Human Resources'' and 
                inserting ``Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions''; 
                and
                    (C) by striking ``Native Alaskan'' and inserting 
                ``Alaska Native''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:

    ``(c) Fiscal Protocol.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall conduct an annual 
        review to assess whether the design and implementation of the 
        triennial reviews described in section 641A(c) include 
        compliance procedures that provide reasonable assurances that 
        Head Start agencies are complying with applicable fiscal laws 
        and regulations.

[[Page 121 STAT. 1442]]

            ``(2) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the date the 
        Secretary completes the annual review under paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary shall report the findings and conclusions of the 
        annual review to the Committee on Education and Labor of the 
        House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, 
        Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.

    ``(d) Disability-Related Services.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall track the provision 
        of disability-related services for children, in order to--
                    ``(A) determine whether Head Start agencies are 
                making timely referrals to the State or local agency 
                responsible for providing services under section 619 or 
                part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
                Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.);
                    ``(B) identify barriers to timely evaluations and 
                eligibility determinations by the State or local agency 
                responsible for providing services under section 619 or 
                part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
                Act; and
                    ``(C) determine under what circumstances and for 
                what length of time Head Start agencies are providing 
                disability-related services for children who have not 
                been determined under the Individuals with Disabilities 
                Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) to be children 
                with disabilities.
            ``(2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of the Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act 
        of 2007, the Secretary shall provide a report to the Committee 
        on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the 
        Senate on the activities described in paragraph (1).

    ``(e) Evaluation and Recommendations Regarding Obesity Prevention.--
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Improving Head 
Start for School Readiness Act of 2007 the Secretary shall submit to the 
Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate a 
report on the Secretary's progress in assisting program efforts to 
prevent and reduce obesity in children who participate in Head Start 
programs, including progress on implementing initiatives within the Head 
Start program to prevent and reduce obesity in such children.''.
SEC. 22. COMPARABILITY OF WAGES.

    Section 653 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9848) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``The Secretary shall take'' and inserting 
        ``(a) Comparability of Wages.--The Secretary shall take''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:

    ``(b) Limitation.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law, no Federal funds may be used to pay any part of the 
        compensation of an individual employed by a Head Start agency, 
        if such compensation, including non-Federal funds, exceeds an 
        amount equal to the rate payable for level II of the Executive 
        Schedule under section 5313 of title 5, United States Code.
            ``(2) Compensation.--In this subsection, the term 
        `compensation'--

[[Page 121 STAT. 1443]]

                    ``(A) includes salary, bonuses, periodic payments, 
                severance pay, the value of any vacation time, the value 
                of a compensatory or paid leave benefit not excluded by 
                subparagraph (B), and the fair market value of any 
                employee perquisite or benefit not excluded by 
                subparagraph (B); and
                    ``(B) excludes any Head Start agency expenditure for 
                a health, medical, life insurance, disability, 
                retirement, or any other employee welfare or pension 
                benefit.''.
SEC. 23. LIMITATION WITH RESPECT TO CERTAIN UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES.

    Section 655 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9850) is amended by 
inserting ``or in'' after ``assigned by''.
SEC. 24. POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.

    Section 656 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9851) is amended--
            (1) by striking all that precedes ``chapter 15'' and 
        inserting the following:
``SEC. 656. POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) State or Local Agency.--For purposes of''; and
            (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:

    ``(b) Restrictions.--
            ``(1) In general.--A program assisted under this subchapter, 
        and any individual employed by, or assigned to or in, a program 
        assisted under this subchapter (during the hours in which such 
        individual is working on behalf of such program), shall not 
        engage in--
                    ``(A) any partisan or nonpartisan political activity 
                or any other political activity associated with a 
                candidate, or contending faction or group, in an 
                election for public or party office; or
                    ``(B) any activity to provide voters or prospective 
                voters with transportation to the polls or similar 
                assistance in connection with any such election.
            ``(2) Registration.--No funds appropriated under this 
        subchapter may be used to conduct voter registration activities. 
        Nothing in this subchapter prohibits the availability of Head 
        Start facilities during hours of operation for the use of any 
        nonpartisan organization to increase the number of eligible 
        citizens who register to vote in elections for Federal office.
            ``(3) Rules and regulations.--The Secretary, after 
        consultation with the Director of the Office of Personnel 
        Management, may issue rules and regulations to provide for the 
        enforcement of this section, which may include provisions for 
        summary suspension of assistance or other action necessary to 
        permit enforcement on an emergency basis.''.
SEC. 25. PARENTAL CONSENT REQUIREMENT FOR HEALTH SERVICES.

    The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following:

[[Page 121 STAT. 1444]]

``SEC. 657A. <<NOTE: 42 USC 9852a.>> PARENTAL CONSENT REQUIREMENT 
                          FOR NONEMERGENCY INTRUSIVE PHYSICAL 
                          EXAMINATIONS.

    ``(a) Definition.--The term `nonemergency intrusive physical 
examination' means, with respect to a child, a physical examination 
that--
            ``(1) is not immediately necessary to protect the health or 
        safety of the child involved or the health or safety of another 
        individual; and
            ``(2) requires incision or is otherwise invasive, or 
        involves exposure of private body parts.

    ``(b) Requirement.--A Head Start agency shall obtain written 
parental consent before administration of any nonemergency intrusive 
physical examination of a child in connection with participation in a 
program under this subchapter.
    ``(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to prohibit agencies from using established methods, for 
handling cases of suspected or known child abuse and neglect, that are 
in compliance with applicable Federal, State, or tribal law.''.
SEC. 26. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD.

    The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), as amended by section 
25, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 657B. <<NOTE: 42 USC 9852b.>> CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN 
                          EARLY CHILDHOOD.

    ``(a) Definition.--In this section, the term `center of excellence' 
means a Center of Excellence in Early Childhood designated under 
subsection (b).
    ``(b) Designation and Bonus Grants.--The Secretary shall, subject to 
the availability of funds under this section, establish a program under 
which the Secretary shall--
            ``(1) designate not more than 200 exemplary Head Start 
        agencies (including Early Head Start agencies, Indian Head Start 
        agencies, and migrant and seasonal Head Start agencies) as 
        Centers of Excellence in Early Childhood; and
            ``(2) make bonus grants to the centers of excellence to 
        carry out the activities described in subsection (d).

    ``(c) Application and Designation.--
            ``(1) Application.--
                    ``(A) Nomination and submission.--
                          ``(i) In general.--To be eligible to receive a 
                      designation as a center of excellence under 
                      subsection (b), except as provided in clause (ii), 
                      a Head Start agency in a State shall be nominated 
                      by the Governor of the State, after selection for 
                      nomination by such Governor through a competitive 
                      process, and shall submit an application to the 
                      Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
                      containing such information as the Secretary may 
                      require.
                          ``(ii) Indian and migrant and seasonal head 
                      start programs.--In the case of an Indian Head 
                      Start agency or a migrant or seasonal Head Start 
                      agency, to be eligible to receive a designation as 
                      a center of excellence under subsection (b), such 
                      an agency shall be nominated by the head of the 
                      appropriate regional office of the Department of 
                      Health and Human Services

[[Page 121 STAT. 1445]]

                      and shall submit an application to the Secretary 
                      in accordance with clause (i).
                    ``(B) Contents.--At a minimum, the application shall 
                include--
                          ``(i) evidence that the Head Start program 
                      carried out by the agency involved has 
                      significantly improved the school readiness of 
                      children who have participated in the program;
                          ``(ii) evidence that the program meets or 
                      exceeds standards described in section 641A(a)(1), 
                      as evidenced by the results of monitoring reviews 
                      described in section 641A(c), and has no findings 
                      of deficiencies in the preceding 3 years;
                          ``(iii) evidence that the program is making 
                      progress toward meeting the requirements described 
                      in section 648A;
                          ``(iv) an assurance that the Head Start agency 
                      will develop a collaborative partnership with the 
                      State (or a State agency) and other providers of 
                      early childhood education and development programs 
                      and services in the local community involved to 
                      conduct activities under subsection (d);
                          ``(v) a nomination letter from the Governor, 
                      or appropriate regional office, demonstrating the 
                      agency's ability to provide the coordination, 
                      transition, and training services of the program 
                      to be carried out under the bonus grant involved, 
                      including coordination of activities with State 
                      and local agencies that provide early childhood 
                      education and development to children and families 
                      in the community served by the agency, and carry 
                      out the activities described under subsection 
                      (d)(1); and
                          ``(vi) a description of how the center 
                      involved, in order to expand accessibility and 
                      continuity of quality early childhood education 
                      and development services and programs, will 
                      coordinate activities, as appropriate, assisted 
                      under this section with--
                                    ``(I) programs carried out under the 
                                Child Care and Development Block Grant 
                                Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.);
                                    ``(II) the Early Head Start programs 
                                carried out under section 645A;
                                    ``(III) Early Reading First and Even 
                                Start programs carried out under 
                                subparts 2 and 3 of part B of title I of 
                                the Elementary and Secondary Education 
                                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6371 et seq., 
                                6381 et seq.);
                                    ``(IV) other preschool programs 
                                carried out under title I of that Act 
                                (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.);
                                    ``(V) programs carried out under 
                                section 619 and part C of the 
                                Individuals with Disabilities Education 
                                Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.);
                                    ``(VI) State prekindergarten 
                                programs; and
                                    ``(VII) other programs of early 
                                childhood education and development.
            ``(2) Selection.--In selecting agencies to designate as 
        centers of excellence under subsection (b), the Secretary shall

[[Page 121 STAT. 1446]]

        designate not less than 1 from each of the 50 States, the 
        District of Columbia, an Indian Head Start program, a migrant or 
        seasonal Head Start program, and the Commonwealth of Puerto 
        Rico.
            ``(3) Priority.--In making bonus grant determinations under 
        this section, the Secretary shall give priority to agencies 
        that, through their applications, demonstrate that their 
        programs are of exceptional quality and would serve as exemplary 
        models for programs in the same geographic region. The Secretary 
        may also consider the populations served by the applicants, such 
        as agencies that serve large proportions of families of limited 
        English proficient children or other underserved populations, 
        and may make bonus grants to agencies that do an exceptional job 
        meeting the needs of children in such populations.
            ``(4) Term of designation.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                Secretary shall designate a Head Start agency as a 
                center of excellence for a 5-year term. During the 
                period of that designation, subject to the availability 
                of appropriations, the agency shall be eligible to 
                receive a bonus grant under subsection (b).
                    ``(B) Revocation.--The Secretary may revoke an 
                agency's designation under subsection (b) if the 
                Secretary determines that the agency is not 
                demonstrating adequate performance or has had findings 
                of deficiencies described in paragraph (1)(B)(ii).
            ``(5) Amount of bonus grant.--The Secretary shall base the 
        amount of funding provided through a bonus grant made under 
        subsection (b) to a center of excellence on the number of 
        children eligible for Head Start services in the community 
        involved. The Secretary shall, subject to the availability of 
        funding, make such a bonus grant in an amount of not less than 
        $200,000 per year.

    ``(d) Use of Funds.--A center of excellence that receives a bonus 
grant under subsection (b)--
            ``(1) shall use not less than 15 percent of the funds made 
        available through the bonus grant to disseminate to other Head 
        Start agencies in the State involved, best practices for 
        achieving early academic success, including--
                    ``(A) best practices for achieving school readiness, 
                including developing early literacy and mathematics 
                skills, for children at risk for school difficulties;
                    ``(B) best practices for achieving the acquisition 
                of the English language for limited English proficient 
                children, if appropriate to the population served; and
                    ``(C) best practices for providing high-quality 
                comprehensive services for eligible children and their 
                families;
            ``(2) may use the funds made available through the bonus 
        grant--
                    ``(A) to provide Head Start services to additional 
                eligible children;
                    ``(B) to better meet the needs of working families 
                in the community served by the center by serving more 
                children in existing Early Head Start programs (existing 
                as of the date the center is designated under this 
                section)

[[Page 121 STAT. 1447]]

                or in full-working-day, full calendar year Head Start 
                programs;
                    ``(C) to further coordinate early childhood 
                education and development programs and services and 
                social services available in the community served by the 
                center for at-risk children (birth through age 8), their 
                families, and pregnant women;
                    ``(D) to provide professional development for Head 
                Start teachers and staff, including joint training for 
                Head Start teachers and staff, child care providers, 
                public and private preschool and elementary school 
                teachers, and other providers of early childhood 
                education and development programs;
                    ``(E) to provide effective transitions between Head 
                Start programs and elementary schools and to facilitate 
                ongoing communication between Head Start and elementary 
                school teachers concerning children receiving Head Start 
                services to improve the teachers' ability to work 
                effectively with low-income, at-risk children and their 
                families;
                    ``(F) to develop or maintain partnerships with 
                institutions of higher education and nonprofit 
                organizations, including community-based organizations, 
                that recruit, train, place, and support college students 
                to serve as mentors and reading partners to preschool 
                children in Head Start programs; and
                    ``(G) to carry out other activities determined by 
                the center to improve the overall quality of the Head 
                Start program carried out by the agency and the program 
                carried out under the bonus grant involved.

    ``(e) Research and Reports.--
            ``(1) <<NOTE: Grants. Contracts.>> Research.--The Secretary 
        shall, subject to the availability of funds to carry out this 
        subsection, award a grant or contract to an independent 
        organization to conduct research on the ability of the centers 
        of excellence to use the funds received under this section to 
        improve the school readiness of children receiving Head Start 
        services, and to positively impact school results in the 
        earliest grades. The organization shall also conduct research to 
        measure the success of the centers of excellence at encouraging 
        the center's delegate agencies, additional Head Start agencies, 
        and other providers of early childhood education and development 
        programs in the communities involved to meet measurable 
        improvement goals, particularly in the area of school readiness.
            ``(2) Research report.--Not later than 48 months after the 
        date of enactment of the Improving Head Start for School 
        Readiness Act of 2007, the organization shall prepare and submit 
        to the Secretary and Congress a report containing the results of 
        the research described in paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Reports to the secretary.--Each center of excellence 
        shall submit an annual report to the Secretary, at such time and 
        in such manner as the Secretary may require, that contains a 
        description of the activities the center carried out with funds 
        received under this section, including a description of how such 
        funds improved services for children and families.

    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2008 
through 2012 to make bonus grants to centers

[[Page 121 STAT. 1448]]

of excellence under subsection (b) to carry out activities described in 
subsection (d) and research and report activities described in 
subsection (e).''.
SEC. 27. GENERAL PROVISIONS.

    The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), as amended by section 
26, is further amended by adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 657C. <<NOTE: 42 USC 9852c.>> GENERAL PROVISIONS.

    ``(a) Limitation.--Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to 
authorize or permit the Secretary or any employee or contractor of the 
Department of Health and Human Services to mandate, direct, or control, 
the selection of a curriculum, a program of instruction, or 
instructional materials, for a Head Start program.
    ``(b) Special Rule.--Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed 
to authorize a Head Start program or a local educational agency to 
require the other to select or implement a specific curriculum or 
program of instruction.
    ``(c) Definition.--In this subchapter, the term `health', when used 
to refer to services or care provided to enrolled children, their 
parents, or their siblings, shall be interpreted to refer to both 
physical and mental health.''.
SEC. 28. COMPLIANCE WITH IMPROPER PAYMENTS INFORMATION ACT OF 
                      2002.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section, the term--
            (1) ``appropriate committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                Pensions of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Education and Labor of the 
                House of Representatives; and
            (2) ``improper payment'' has the meaning given that term 
        under section 2(d)(2) of the Improper Payments Information Act 
        of 2002 (31 U.S.C. 3321 note).

    (b) Requirement for Compliance Certification and Report.--The 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit a report to the 
appropriate committees that--
            (1) contains a certification that the Department of Health 
        and Human Services has, for each program and activity of the 
        Administration for Children and Families, performed and 
        completed a risk assessment to determine programs and activities 
        that are at significant risk of making improper payments; and
            (2) describes the actions to be taken to reduce improper 
        payments for the programs and activities determined to be at 
        significant risk of making improper payments.
SEC. 29. REFERENCES IN OTHER ACTS.

    (a) Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.--Section 1112(c) 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
6312(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(G), by striking ``performance standards 
        established under section 641A(a) of the Head Start Act'' and 
        inserting ``education performance standards in effect under 
        section 641A(a)(1)(B) of the Head Start Act''; and
            (2) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ``Head Start 
        performance standards as in effect under section 641A(a) of the 
        Head

[[Page 121 STAT. 1449]]

        Start Act'' and inserting ``education performance standards in 
        effect under section 641A(a)(1)(B) of the Head Start Act''.

    (b) Early Learning Opportunities Act.--Section 810(b)(1) of the 
Early Learning Opportunities Act (20 U.S.C. 9409(b)(1)) is amended by 
striking ``entities funded under section 640(a)(5) of the Head Start Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9835(a)(5))'' and inserting ``entities funded under section 
640(a)(2)(B)(vi) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(a)(2)(B)(vi))''.
    (c) Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.--
            (1) Section 9(b)(12)(A)(iii) of the Richard B. Russell 
        National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(12)(A)(iii)) is 
        amended by striking ``the child is a member of a family that 
        meets the low-income criteria prescribed under section 
        645(a)(1)(A) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(A))'' 
        and inserting ``the child meets the eligibility criteria 
        prescribed under section 645(a)(1)(B) of the Head Start Act (42 
        U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(B))''.
            (2) Section 17(c)(5) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1766(c)(5)) is 
        amended by striking ``the child is a member of a family that 
        meets the low-income criteria prescribed under section 
        645(a)(1)(A) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(A))'' 
        and inserting ``the child meets the eligibility criteria 
        prescribed under section 645(a)(1)(B) of the Head Start Act (42 
        U.S.C. 9840(a)(1)(B))''.

    Approved December 12, 2007.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1429 (S. 556):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: Nos. 110-67 (Comm. on Education and Labor) and 110-439 
(Comm. of Conference).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 110-49 accompanying S. 556 (Comm. on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 153 (2007):
            May 2, considered and passed House.
            June 19, considered and passed Senate, amended.
            Nov. 14, House and Senate agreed to conference report.
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 43 (2007):
            Dec. 12, Presidential statement.

                                  <all>
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