IB 
Union Calendar No. 92
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2210
[Report No. 108–184] 
To reauthorize the Head Start Act to improve the school readiness of 
disadvantaged children, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 22, 2003
Mr. CASTLE (for himself, Mr. BOEHNER, Mr. REGULA, Mr. WILSON of South 
Carolina, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. MCKEON, 
and Mr. BROWN of South Carolina) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
JUNE 26, 2003
Additional sponsors: Mr. OSBORNE and Mr. BALLENGER
JUNE 26, 2003
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 22, 2003] 
A BILL 
To reauthorize the Head Start Act to improve the school 
readiness of disadvantaged children, 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 ‘‘School Readiness Act 
of 2003’’. 
TITLE 
I—HEAD 
START 
REAU-
THORIZATION AND PROGRAM 
IMPROVEMENTS 
SEC. 101. 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 school 
readiness by enhancing the development of low-income chil-
dren, through educational instruction in prereading skills, 
premathematics skills, and language, and through the pro-
vision 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 nec-
essary.’’. 
SEC. 102. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 637 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9832) 
is amended as follows: 
(1) In paragraph (17) by striking ‘‘, but for fis-
cal years’’ and all that follows down to the period. 
(2) By adding the following at the end thereof: 
‘‘(18) The term ‘eligible entities’ means an insti-
tution of higher education or other agency with exper-
tise in delivering training in early childhood develop-
ment, family support, and other assistance designed 
to improve the quality of early childhood educations 
programs. 
‘‘(19) The term ‘homeless children’ has the mean-
ing given such term in subtitle B of title VII of the 
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
11431 et seq.).’’. 
SEC. 103. AUTHORIZATION. 
Section 639 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9834) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 639. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated for carrying out the provisions of this subchapter 
$6,870,000,000 for the fiscal year 2004 and such sums as 
may be necessary for fiscal years 2005 through 2008. 
‘‘(b) SPECIFIC PROGRAMS.—From the amount appro-
priated under subsection (a), the Secretary shall make 
available not more than $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 
2005 through 2008, to carry out such other research, dem-
onstration, and evaluation activities, including longitu-
dinal studies, under section 649.
‘‘(1) not more than $7,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2004 through 2008 to carry out impact studies 
under section 649(g); and 
‘‘(2) not more than $13,000,000 for fiscal year 
2004, and such sums as may be necessary for each of 
fiscal years 2005 through 2008, to carry out other re-
search, demonstration, and evaluation activities, in-
cluding longitudinal studies, under section 649. 
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—There are author-
ized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2004 through 2008 to assist participating States with the 
administrative expenses associated with implementing a 
program under section 643A.’’. 
SEC. 104. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS; LIMITATIONS ON ASSIST-
ANCE. 
Section 640 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835) 
is amended as follows: 
(1) In subsection (a)(2): 
(A) By striking ‘‘1998’’ in subparagraph 
(A) and inserting ‘‘2003’’. 
(B) By amending subparagraph (B) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(B) payments, subject to paragraph (7) to 
Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands of 
the United States;’’. 
(2) By striking the last sentence of paragraph 
(2) of subsection (a). 
(3)(A) By amending subsection (a)(2)(C) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(C) training and technical assistance activities 
that are sufficient to meet the needs associated with 
program expansion and to foster program and man-
agement improvement as described in section 648 of 
this subchapter, in an amount for each fiscal year 
which is not less than one percent, and shall not ex-
ceed 2 percent, of the amount appropriated for such 
fiscal year, of which—
‘‘(i) not less than 50 percent shall be made 
available to local Head Start agencies to comply 
with 
the 
standards 
described 
in 
section 
641A(a)(1), of which not less than 50 percent 
shall be used to comply with the standards de-
scribed in section 641A(a)(1)(B) and for the uses 
described in clauses (iii), (iv), and (vii) of sub-
section (a)(3)(B); 
‘‘(ii) not less than 30 percent shall be made 
available to support a State system of early
childhood education training and technical as-
sistance; 
‘‘(iii) not less than 20 percent shall be made 
available to the Secretary to assist local pro-
grams in meeting the standards described in sec-
tion 641A(a)(1); and 
‘‘(iv) not less than $3,000,000 of the amount 
in clause (iii) appropriated for such fiscal year 
shall be made available to carry out activities 
described in section 648(c)(4);’’. 
(B) By inserting the following at the end of sub-
section (a)(2): 
‘‘If less than 2 percent of the amount appropriated for such 
fiscal year is made available for the activities authorized 
in subparagraph (C), then the Secretary is authorized to 
use at least 25 percent of such funds to fund migrant and 
seasonal Head Start programs for expansion of services. If 
sufficient migrant and seasonal eligible children are not 
available to use such funds, then enrollment priority shall 
be given to other disadvantaged populations referred to in 
subparagraph (A).’’. 
(4) In subsection (a)(3)(A) by inserting at the 
end thereof: 
‘‘(iii) After the reservation of amounts under para-
graph (2)(including the 2 percent amount referred to in
paragraph (2)(C)) and the 60 percent amount referred to 
in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, a portion of the 
remaining funds shall be made available to expand services 
to underserved populations, such as children receiving serv-
ices under the Early Head Start and Migrant and Seasonal 
Head Start programs.’’. 
(5) In subsection (a)(3)(A)(i)(I) by striking 
‘‘1999’’ and all that follows down to the semicolon 
and inserting ‘‘2004 through 2008’’. 
(6) By amending subsection (a)(3)(B) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(B) Funds reserved under this paragraph (referred to 
in this paragraph as ‘quality improvement funds’) shall be 
used to accomplish any or all of the following goals: 
‘‘(i) Ensuring that Head Start programs meet or 
exceed standards pursuant to section 641A(a)(1). 
‘‘(ii) Ensuring that such programs have ade-
quate numbers of qualified staff, and that such staff 
is furnished adequate training, including developing 
skills to promote the development of language skills, 
premathematic skills, and prereading in young chil-
dren and in working with children with non-English 
language background, children referred by child wel-
fare services, and children with disabilities, when ap-
propriate.
‘‘(iii) Developing and financing the salary scales 
described under section 644(a) and section 653, in 
order to ensure that salary levels and benefits are ade-
quate to attract and retain qualified staff for such 
programs. 
‘‘(iv) Using salary increases to improve staff 
qualifications, and to assist with the implementation 
of programs specifically designed to enable lead in-
structors to become more effective educators, for the 
staff of Head Start programs, and to encourage the 
staff to continually improve their skills and expertise 
by informing the staff of the availability of Federal 
and State incentive and loan forgiveness programs for 
professional development. 
‘‘(v) Improving community-wide strategic plan-
ning and needs assessments for such programs and 
collaboration efforts for such programs, including col-
laborations to increase program participation by un-
derserved populations of eligible children. 
‘‘(vi) Ensuring that the physical environments of 
Head Start programs are conducive to providing ef-
fective program services to children and families, and 
are accessible to children with disabilities and their 
parents.
‘‘(vii) Ensuring that such programs have quali-
fied staff that can promote language skills and lit-
eracy growth of children and that can provide chil-
dren with a variety of skills that have been identified, 
through scientifically based reading research, as pre-
dictive of later reading achievement. 
‘‘(viii) Providing assistance to complete post-sec-
ondary course work needed to attain baccalaureate de-
grees in early childhood education. 
‘‘(ix) Making such other improvements in the 
quality of such programs as the Secretary may des-
ignate. 
‘‘(x) To promote the regular attendance and sta-
bility of highly mobile children, including migrant 
and homeless children.’’. 
(7) By amending subsection (a)(3)(C) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(C) Quality improvement funds shall be used to carry 
out any or all of the following activities: 
‘‘(i)(I) Not less than one-half of the amount re-
served under this paragraph, to improve the com-
pensation (including benefits) of classroom teachers 
and other staff of Head Start agencies providing in-
structional services and thereby enhancing recruit-
ment and retention of qualified staff, including re-
cruitment and retention pursuant to achieving the re-
quirements set forth in section 648A(a). The expendi-
ture of funds under this clause shall be subject to sec-
tion 653. Salary increases, in excess of cost-of-living 
allowance, provided with such funds shall be subject 
to the specific standards governing salaries and sal-
ary increases established pursuant to section 644(a). 
‘‘(II) If a Head Start agency certifies to the Sec-
retary for such fiscal year that part of the funds set 
aside under subclause (I) to improve wages cannot be 
expended by such agency to improve wages because of 
the operation of section 653, then such agency may 
expend such part for any of the uses specified in this 
subparagraph (other than wages). 
‘‘(III) From the remainder of the amount re-
served under this paragraph (after the Secretary car-
ries out subclause (I)), the Secretary shall carry out 
any or all of the activities described in clauses (ii) 
through (vii), placing the highest priority on the ac-
tivities described in clause (ii). 
‘‘(ii) To train classroom teachers and other staff 
to meet the education standards described in section 
641A(a)(1)(B), through activities—
‘‘(I) to promote children’s language and 
prereading growth, through techniques identified 
through scientifically based reading research; 
‘‘(II) to promote the acquisition of the 
English language for non-English background 
children and families; 
‘‘(III) to foster children’s school readiness 
skills through activities described in section 
648A(a)(1); and 
‘‘(IV) to educate and provide training nec-
essary to improve the qualifications particularly 
with respect to such assistance to enable more in-
structors to meet the degree requirements under 
section 648A(a)(2)(A) and to support staff train-
ing, child counseling, and other services nec-
essary to address the problems of children par-
ticipating in Head Start programs, including 
children from dysfunctional families, children 
who experience chronic violence in their commu-
nities, and children who experience substance 
abuse in their families. 
‘‘(iii) To employ additional Head Start staff, in-
cluding staff necessary to reduce the child-staff ratio 
lead instructors who meet the qualifications of section 
648A(a) and staff necessary to coordinate a Head
Start program with other services available to chil-
dren participating in such program and to their fam-
ilies. 
‘‘(iv) To pay costs incurred by Head Start agen-
cies to purchase insurance (other than employee bene-
fits) and thereby maintain or expand Head Start 
services. 
‘‘(v) To supplement amounts provided under 
paragraph (2)(C) to provide training necessary to 
improve the qualifications of the staff of the Head 
Start agencies, and to support staff training, child 
counseling, and other services necessary to address the 
problems of children participating in Head Start pro-
grams, including children from dysfunctional fami-
lies, children who experience chronic violence in their 
communities, and children who experience substance 
abuse in their families. 
‘‘(vi) To conduct outreach to homeless families in 
an effort to increase the program participation of eli-
gible homeless children. 
‘‘(vii) Such other activities as the Secretary may 
designate. 
‘‘(viii) To conduct outreach to migrant and sea-
sonal farm-working families and families with chil-
dren with a limited English proficiency.’’.
(8) In subsection (a)(4) by striking ‘‘1998’’ in 
subparagraph (A) and inserting ‘‘2003’’. 
(9) In subsection (a)(5)(B)—
(A) by striking ‘‘may’’ and inserting 
‘‘shall’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘early childhood edu-
cation’’ after ‘‘regarding’’. 
(10) By amending subsection (a)(5)(C) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(C) In order to improve results for children, a State 
that receives a grant under subparagraph (B) shall—
‘‘(i) appoint an individual to serve as the State 
Director of Collaboration between—
‘‘(I) the appropriate regional office of the 
Administration for Children and Families; 
‘‘(II) the State educational agency; 
‘‘(III) the State Department of Health and 
Human Services; 
‘‘(IV) the State agency that oversees child 
care; 
‘‘(V) the State agency that assists children 
with developmental disabilities; 
‘‘(VI) the State Head Start Association; 
‘‘(VII) the State network of child care re-
source and referral agencies;
‘‘(VIII) local educational agencies; 
‘‘(IX) community-based and faith-based or-
ganizations; 
‘‘(X) State representatives of migrant and 
seasonal Head Start programs; 
‘‘(XI) State representatives of Indian Head 
Start programs; 
‘‘(XII) State and local providers of early 
childhood education and child care; and 
‘‘(XIII) other entities carrying out pro-
grams serving low-income children and families 
in the State; 
‘‘(ii) ensure that the State Director of Collabora-
tion holds a position with sufficient authority and ac-
cess to ensure that the collaboration described in sub-
paragraph (B) is effective and involves a range of 
State agencies; 
‘‘(iii) involve the entities described in section 
clause (i) to develop a strategic plan for the coordi-
nated outreach to identify eligible children and imple-
mentation strategies based on a needs assessment con-
ducted by the Office of the State Director of Collabo-
ration which shall include an assessment of the avail-
ability of high quality prekindergarten services for 
low-income children in the State. Such assessment
shall be completed within one year after the date of 
enactment of the ‘School Readiness Act of 2003’ and 
be updated on an annual basis and shall be made 
available to the general public within the State; 
‘‘(iv) ensure that the collaboration described in 
subparagraph (B) involves coordination of Head 
Start services with health care, welfare, child care, 
child protective services, education, and community 
service activities, family literacy services, activities 
relating to children with disabilities (including co-
ordination of services with those State officials who 
are responsible for administering part C and section 
619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act), and services for homeless children (including co-
ordination of services with the Office of Coordinator 
for Education of Homeless Children and Youth des-
ignated under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKin-
ney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improve-
ments Act of 2001; 
‘‘(v) consult with the chief State school officer, 
local educational agencies, and representatives of local 
Head Start agencies and providers of early childhood 
education and care in unified planning regarding 
early care and education services at both the State
and local levels, including collaborative efforts to de-
velop school readiness standards; and 
‘‘(vi) consult with the chief State school office4r, 
local educational agencies, State child care adminis-
trators, State human services administrators, rep-
resentatives of local resource and referral agencies, 
local early childhood councils, providers of early 
childhood education and care and other relevant State 
and local agencies, and representatives of the State 
Head Start Associations to plan for the provision of 
full-working-day, full calendar year early care and 
education services for children.’’. 
(11) By amending clause (i) of subsection 
(a)(5)(D) by inserting ‘‘and providers of services sup-
porting early childhood education and child care’’ 
after ‘‘Associations’’. 
(12) By amending subsection (a)(6)(A) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(A) From amounts reserved and allotted pursuant to 
paragraphs (2) and (4), the Secretary shall use, for grants 
for programs described in section 645A(a) of this sub-
chapter, a portion of the combined total of such amounts 
equal to at least 10 percent for fiscal years 2004 through 
2008, of the amount appropriated pursuant to section 
639(a), except as provided in subparagraph (B).’’
(13) By inserting the following before the period 
at the end of subsection (f): ‘‘, including models that 
leverage the existing capacity and capabilities of the 
delivery system of early childhood education and child 
care’’. 
(14) By inserting the following after ‘‘manner 
that will’’ in subsection (g)(2)(G): ‘‘leverage the exist-
ing delivery systems of such services and’’. 
(15) By amending subsection (g)(2)(C) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(C) the extent to which the applicant has un-
dertaken community-wide strategic planning and 
needs assessments involving other community organi-
zations and public agencies serving children and fam-
ilies (including organizations and agencies providing 
family support services and protective services to chil-
dren and families, and organizations serving families 
in whose homes English is not the language custom-
arily spoken), and organizations and public entities 
serving children with disabilities and homeless chil-
dren (including the local educational agency liaison 
designated under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the 
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Im-
provements Act of 2001);’’.
(16) By inserting in subsection (g)(2)(H) after 
‘‘serving the community involved’’ the following: ‘‘, 
including the liaison designated under section 
722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001,’’. 
(17) By adding the following new subsections at 
the end thereof: 
‘‘(m) ENROLLMENT OF HOMELESS CHILDREN.—The 
Secretary shall by regulation prescribe policies and proce-
dures to remove barriers to the enrollment and participa-
tion of eligible homeless children in Head Start programs. 
Such regulations shall require Head Start agencies to: 
‘‘(1) implement policies and procedures to ensure 
that eligible homeless children are identified and 
prioritized for enrollment, 
‘‘(2) allow homeless families 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) coordinate individual Head Start centers 
and programs with efforts to implement subtitle VII–
B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
‘‘(n) SAVINGS PROVISION.—Nothing in this Act shall 
be construed to require a State to establish a program of 
early education for children in the State, to require any 
child to participate in a program of early education, to at-
tend school, or to participate in any initial screening prior 
to participation in such program, except as provided under 
section 612(a)(3), (consistent with section 614(a)(1)(C)), of 
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. 
‘‘(o) MATERIALS.—All curricula and instructional 
materials funded under this subchapter shall be scientif-
ically based and age appropriate. Parents shall have the 
ability to inspect, upon request, any curricula or instruc-
tional materials.’’. 
SEC. 105. DESIGNATION OF AGENCIES. 
Section 641 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836) 
is amended as follows: 
(1) In subsection (a)—
(A) by inserting after ‘‘community’’ in the 
first place it appears ‘‘, including a community-
based or faith-based organization’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(a)’’; 
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and 
(2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; 
and
(D) by adding the following at the end 
thereof: 
‘‘(2) In order to be designated as a Head Start agency 
and to receive a grant under this subchapter, a grantee shall 
establish grantee-determined goals for improving the school 
readiness of children participating in a program under this 
subchapter, which shall include goals for—
‘‘(A) educational instruction in prereading, 
premathematical, and language skills; and 
‘‘(B) the provision of health, educational, nutri-
tional, social, and other services. 
‘‘(3) In order to receive a grant subsequent to the ini-
tial grant provided following the date of enactment of this 
subchapter, the grantee shall demonstrate that it has met 
the goals described in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(4) Progress in meeting such goals shall not be meas-
ured primarily or solely by the results of assessments.’’
(2) By amending subsection (c) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(c) In the administration of the provisions of this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall, in consultation with the chief exec-
utive officer of the State involved if such State expends non-
Federal funds to carry out Head Start programs, give pri-
ority in the designation of Head Start agencies to any local 
public or private nonprofit or for-profit agency which is
receiving funds under any Head Start program on the date 
of the enactment of this Act that fulfills the program and 
financial management requirements, standards described in 
section 641A(a)(1), results-based performance measures de-
veloped by the Secretary under section 641A(b), or other 
requirements established by the Secretary.’’. 
(3) By amending subsection (d) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(d) If no entity in a community is entitled to the 
priority specified in subsection (c), then the Secretary may 
designate a Head Start agency from among qualified appli-
cants in such community. In selecting from among quali-
fied applicants for designation as a Head Start agency, the 
Secretary shall give priority to any qualified agency that 
functioned as a Head Start delegate agency in the commu-
nity and carried out a Head Start program that the Sec-
retary determines met or exceeded such performance stand-
ards and such results-based performance measures. In se-
lecting from among qualified applicants for designation as 
a Head Start agency, the Secretary shall consider the effec-
tiveness of each such applicant to provide Head Start serv-
ices, based on—
‘‘(1) any past performance of such applicant in 
providing services comparable to Head Start services,
including how effectively such applicant provided 
such comparable services; 
‘‘(2) the capacity of such applicant to serve eligi-
ble children with scientifically-based programs that 
promote school readiness of children participating in 
the program; 
‘‘(3) the plan of such applicant to meet stand-
ards set forth in section 641A(a)(1), with particular 
attention to the standards set forth in subparagraphs 
(A) and (B) of such section; 
‘‘(4) the plan of such applicant to provide com-
prehensive health, nutritional, educational, social, 
and other services needed to prepare children to suc-
ceed in school; 
‘‘(5) the plan of such applicant to coordinate the 
Head Start program it proposes to carry out with 
other preschool programs, including Early Reading 
First and Even Start programs under title I, part B, 
subparts 1 and 2 of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965; other preschool programs car-
ried out under title I of the Act; programs under part 
C and section 619 of the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act; State prekindergarten programs; and 
with the educational programs such children will 
enter at the age of compulsory school attendance;
‘‘(6) the plan of such applicant to coordinate the 
Head Start program it proposes to carry out with 
private entities with resources available to assist the 
Head Start Program meet its program needs; 
‘‘(7) the plan of such applicant—
‘‘(A) to seek the involvement of parents of 
participating children in activities (at home and 
in the center involved where practicable) de-
signed to help such parents become full partners 
in the education of their children; 
‘‘(B) to afford such parents the opportunity 
to participate in the development, conduct, and 
overall performance of the program at the local 
level; 
‘‘(C) to offer (directly or through referral to 
local entities, such as entities carrying out Even 
Start programs under part B of chapter 1 of 
title I of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2741 et seq.), pub-
lic and school libraries, and family support pro-
grams) to such parents—
‘‘(i) family literacy services; and 
‘‘(ii) parenting skills training; 
‘‘(D) to offer to parents of participating 
children substance abuse counseling (either di-
rectly or through referral to local entities), in-
cluding information on drug-exposed infants and 
fetal alcohol syndrome; 
‘‘(E) at the option of such applicant, to 
offer (directly or through referral to local enti-
ties) to such parents—
‘‘(i) training in basic child develop-
ment; 
‘‘(ii) assistance in developing commu-
nication skills; 
‘‘(iii) opportunities for parents to 
share experiences with other parents; or 
‘‘(iv) any other activity designed to 
help such parents become full partners in 
the education of their children; 
‘‘(F) to provide, with respect to each par-
ticipating family, a family needs assessment that 
includes consultation with such parents about 
the benefits of parent involvement and about the 
activities described in subparagraphs (C), (D), 
and (E) in which such parents may choose to be-
come involved (taking into consideration their 
specific family needs, work schedules, and other 
responsibilities); and
‘‘(G) to extend outreach to fathers in order 
to strengthen the role of fathers in families by 
working directly with fathers and father-figures 
through such activities as including fathers in 
home visits; implementing father outreach efforts, 
providing opportunities for direct father-child 
interactions; and targeting increased male par-
ticipation in the program; 
‘‘(8) the ability of such applicant to carry out 
the plans described in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4); 
‘‘(9) other factors related to the requirements of 
this subchapter; 
‘‘(10) the plan of such applicant to meet the 
needs of non-English background children and their 
families, including needs related to the acquisition of 
the English language; 
‘‘(11) the plan of such applicant to meet the 
needs of children with disabilities; 
‘‘(12) the plan of such applicant who chooses to 
assist younger siblings of children who will partici-
pate in the proposed Head Start program to obtain 
health services from other sources; 
‘‘(13) the plan of such applicant to collaborate 
with other entities carrying out early childhood edu-
cation and child care programs in the community; 
and 
‘‘(14) the plan of such applicant to meet the 
needs of homeless children.’’. 
SEC. 106. QUALITY STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD 
START AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS. 
Section 641A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836a) 
is amended as follows: 
(1) In subsection (a)(1)(B) by amending clause 
(ii) to read as follows: 
‘‘(ii) additional education standards to en-
sure that the children participating in the pro-
gram, at a minimum develop and demonstrate—
‘‘(I) language skills; 
‘‘(II) prereading knowledge and skills, 
including interest in and appreciation of 
books, reading and writing either alone or 
with others; 
‘‘(III) premathematics knowledge and 
skills, including aspects of classification, se-
riation, number, spatial relations, and 
time; 
‘‘(IV) cognitive abilities related to aca-
demic achievement;
‘‘(V) social and emotional development 
important for environments constructive for 
child development, early learning, and 
school success; and 
‘‘(VI) in the case of limited-English 
proficient children, progress toward acquisi-
tion of the English language.’’. 
(2) By amending subsection (a)(2)(B) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(B) take into consideration—
‘‘(i) past experience with use of the 
standards in effect under this subchapter on 
October 27, 1998; 
‘‘(ii) changes over the period since Oc-
tober 27, 1998, in the circumstances and 
problems typically facing children and fam-
ilies served by Head Start agencies; 
‘‘(iii) developments concerning best 
practices with respect to early childhood 
education and development, children with 
disabilities, family services, program ad-
ministration, and financial management; 
‘‘(iv) projected needs of an expanding 
Head Start program;