EARLY Act

To direct the Secretary of Education to award grants to States to pay the Federal share of carrying out full-day prekindergarten programs. 1. Short title (a) Short title This Act may be cited as the Expanded Access to Real Learning for our Young Act EARLY Act 2. Universal prekindergarten and early childhood education grant program (a) Program authorization From amounts appropriated under subsection (g), the Secretary of Education is authorized to award grants, on a competitive basis, to States to pay the Federal share of carrying out full-day prekindergarten programs. (b) State application To receive a grant under this Act, a State shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (c) Use of funds A State that receives a grant under this Act shall use such grant funds to carry out a prekindergarten program that, at a minimum— (1) if practicable, is located at a public school in the State or, if not practicable, is carried out by a private or other community provider; (2) permits each 4-year-old child in the State to be voluntarily enrolled by the child’s parent in the prekindergarten program, and which is made available at no cost to families who make a combined income of up to 400 percent of the poverty line; (3) is a full-day program that runs the length of the regular school year; (4) maintains a maximum class size of 20 children, with at least 1 prekindergarten teacher per classroom; (5) ensures that the ratio of children to prekindergarten teachers and teacher aides does not exceed 10 to 1; (6) is taught by teachers who are paid a salary comparable to teachers of kindergarten through grade 12 at public schools in the State; (7) requires the State in which the program is located to determinate a minimum level of parental engagement in their child’s program; and (8) meets any other criteria that the Secretary may require. (d) Priority In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to States that will use the grants to carry out a prekindergarten program at a public school. (e) Federal share The Federal share of a grant under this Act shall not exceed 75 percent of the costs of carrying out the activities described in subsection (c). (f) Supplement not supplant Grant funds received under this Act shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal early childhood education funds in the State. (g) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2016 through 2020. (h) Definitions In this Act: (1) ESEA terms The terms elementary school parent poverty line secondary school State 20 U.S.C. 9101 (2) Public school The term public school (3) Secretary The term Secretary

Summary: Expanded Access to Real Learning for our Young Act or the EARLY Act This bill authorizes the Department of Education to award competitive grants to states to carry out full-day prekindergarten programs. The programs must: be located at public schools, if practicable, or otherwise carried out by private or other community providers; permit parents, regardless of income, to voluntary enroll their four-year old children in the programs and do so at no cost if their combined income does not exceed 400% of the poverty line; be full-day programs that run the length of the regular school year; maintain a maximum class size of 20 children, with at least 1 prekindergarten teacher per classroom; ensure that the ratio of children to prekindergarten teachers and teacher aides does not exceed 10 to 1; be taught by teachers who are paid a salary comparable to kindergarten through grade 12 teachers at the state's public schools; and meet a minimum level of parental engagement set by the state. Grant priority shall be given to states that carry out the programs at public schools. The federal share of a grant may not exceed 75% of the prekindergarten program's costs.