I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2945
To condition the implementation of assessment procedures in connection with 
the Head Start National Reporting System on Child Outcomes, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 25, 2003
Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island (for himself, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of Cali-
fornia, Ms. WOOLSEY, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. 
POMEROY, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Mr. HINCHEY, Mrs. JONES of 
Ohio, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mrs. 
DAVIS of California, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. KILPATRICK, Ms. LEE, Mr. 
TOWNS, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Ms. MAJETTE, Mr. DAVIS of Florida, Ms. 
LINDA T. SA´NCHEZ of California, Ms. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. STARK, 
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, and Mr. HOLT) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To condition the implementation of assessment procedures 
in connection with the Head Start National Reporting 
System on Child Outcomes, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Head Start Assess-
ment Act of 2003’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) When used appropriately, valid and reliable 
assessments can be of positive value for improving 
instruction and supporting development of young 
children. 
(2) According to the National Academy of 
Sciences report, Eager to Learn: Educating Our 
Preschoolers, assessment of children below school 
age is in ‘‘flux’’ and ‘‘all assessments, and particu-
larly assessments for accountability, must be used 
carefully and appropriately if they are to resolve, 
and not create, educational problems.’’
(3) The Eager to Learn report emphasized that 
the intended purpose and use of the data to be de-
rived from assessments should be considered in de-
termining which assessment instruments and proce-
dures are most appropriate. 
(4) The National Academy of Sciences reports 
that few early childhood educators and administra-
tors are well-trained in the selection and appropriate 
use of assessments for young children. 
(5) According to the National Academy of 
Sciences report, From Neurons to Neighborhoods, 
the emotional and social development of young chil-
dren is as critical to school readiness as language 
and cognitive development. 
(6) The Head Start Act currently requires pro-
grams to assess children in Head Start a minimum 
of three times a year against certain performance 
standards, which include all domains of the develop-
ment and learning of children. 
(7) The proposed Head Start National Report-
ing System on Child Outcomes assessment is not re-
flective of the full range of skills and competencies 
that the National Academy of Sciences reports state 
children require to succeed, and it has not been 
thoroughly debated by those groups associated with 
Head Start, including early childhood development 
and assessment experts, early childhood educators 
and administrators, family members of children par-
ticipating in Head Start, or Congress. 
SEC. 3. DELAYED IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSESSMENT PRO-
CEDURES IN CONNECTION WITH THE HEAD 
START NATIONAL REPORTING SYSTEM ON 
CHILD OUTCOMES. 
(a) SATISFACTION OF CONDITIONS.—The Secretary 
of Health and Human Services shall not proceed with the 
full-scale implementation of the Head Start National Re-
porting System on Child Outcomes, as described in the
project proposal (68 Fed. Reg. 17815; relating to Imple-
mentation of the Head Start National Reporting System 
on Child Outcomes), until the Secretary certifies to Con-
gress that the following conditions have been satisfied: 
(1) 
OVERSIGHT
HEARINGS.—Congressional 
oversight hearings have been concluded concerning 
the development and implementation of the Head 
Start National Reporting System on Child Out-
comes. 
(2) PUBLIC FORUMS.—The Secretary has con-
cluded, consistent with the requirements of sub-
section (b), public forums in different regions of the 
United States, and provided an opportunity for writ-
ten public comments, concerning early childhood as-
sessment proposals. 
(3) STUDY
ON
EARLY
CHILDHOOD
ASSESS-
MENTS.—The Secretary has submitted, consistent 
with subsection (c), to Congress a study of early 
childhood assessments focusing on improving ac-
countability, instruction, and the delivery of services. 
The Secretary shall request the National Academy of 
Sciences to prepare the study using a panel of na-
tionally recognized experts in early childhood assess-
ment, child development, and education.
(4) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Without reduc-
ing the number of students served by Head Start, 
sufficient funds are available to—
(A) develop and implement any new Head 
Start assessments; and 
(B) deliver necessary additional technical 
assistance and professional development re-
quired to successfully implement the new as-
sessments. 
(b) PUBLIC FORUM PARTICIPATION.—To satisfy the 
condition specified in subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall 
ensure that participation in the required forums in-
cludes—
(1) early childhood development and assessment 
experts; 
(2) early childhood educators and administra-
tors; and 
(3) family members of children participating in 
Head Start. 
(c) INFORMATION REQUIRED BY STUDY ON EARLY 
CHILDHOOD ASSESSMENTS.—To satisfy the condition 
specified in subsection (a)(3), the Secretary shall ensure 
that the required study contains, at a minimum, specific 
information regarding the following:
(1) Which skills and competencies are predictive 
of school readiness and future academic success. 
(2) The development, selection, and use of in-
struments, determined to be reliable and validated 
for preschoolers, including preschoolers in the Head 
Start population, to assess the development in young 
children of—
(A) literacy, language, and mathematical 
skills; 
(B) emotional and social skills; and 
(C) health and physical well-being. 
(3) The development of appropriate benchmarks 
and the proper use of early childhood assessments to 
improve Head Start program effectiveness and in-
struction. 
(4) The resources required for successful imple-
mentation of additional assessments within Head 
Start and how such additional assessments might be 
coordinated with current processes. 
(5) Whether a new assessment would provide 
information to improve program accountability or in-
struction that is not already available from existing 
assessments and reporting procedures within Head 
Start.
(6) The professional development and personnel 
needs for successful implementation of early child-
hood assessments. 
(7) The practicality of employing sampling 
techniques as part of any early childhood assess-
ment. 
(8) The practicality of employing observational 
and work-sampling assessment techniques as part of 
an early childhood assessment. 
(9) Steps needed to ensure that assessments ac-
commodate the racial, cultural, and linguistic diver-
sity of young children, including young children with 
disabilities.
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