I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3628 
To expand quality programs of early childhood home visitation, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 29, 2005 
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois (for himself, Mr. PLATTS, and Mr. OSBORNE) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
the Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To expand quality programs of early childhood home 
visitation, 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 ‘‘Education Begins at 
Home Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that—
(1) the home is the first and most important 
learning environment for children, and parents are 
their children’s first and most influential teacher; 
(2) through parent education and family sup-
port, we can promote parents’ ability to enhance 
their children’s development from birth until entry 
into kindergarten thereby helping parents to prepare 
their children for success in school; 
(3) undiagnosed and unaddressed develop-
mental and health problems can impede overall child 
development and school readiness; 
(4) all parents deserve and can benefit from— 
(A) research-based information regarding 
child development; 
(B) enrichment opportunities with their 
children; and 
(C) early opportunities to become involved 
with their community and schools; and 
(5) early childhood home visitation leads to 
positive outcomes for children and families, including 
readiness for school, improved child health and de-
velopment, positive parenting practices, and reduc-
tions in child maltreatment. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are as follows:
(1) To enable States, Indian tribes, tribal orga-
nizations, territories, or possessions to deliver qual-
ity programs of early childhood home visitation to 
pregnant women and parents of children from birth 
until entry into kindergarten in order to promote 
positive outcomes for children and families including: 
readiness for school, improved child health and de-
velopment, positive parenting practices, reductions in 
child maltreatment, and enhanced parenting abilities 
to support their children’s optimal cognitive, lan-
guage, social-emotional, and physical development. 
(2) To improve Early Head Start programs car-
ried out under section 645A of the Head Start Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9840a). 
(3) To expand quality programs of early child-
hood home visitation so as to more effectively reach 
and serve families with English language learners. 
(4) To expand quality programs of early child-
hood home visitation so as to more effectively reach 
and serve families serving in the military. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ELIGIBLE
FAMILY.—The term ‘‘eligible 
family’’ means— 
(A) a woman who is pregnant; or
(B) a parent or primary caregiver of a 
child who is from birth until entry into kinder-
garten. 
(2) HOME VISITATION.—The term ‘‘home visi-
tation’’ means services provided in the permanent or 
temporary residence, or in other familiar sur-
roundings, of the individual receiving such services. 
(3) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ 
has the meaning given such term in section 4(e) of 
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assist-
ance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b). 
(4) SECRETARY.—Except as provided in section 
8, the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services. 
(5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 
(6) TERRITORIES
AND
POSSESSIONS.—The 
term ‘‘territories and possessions’’ shall include 
American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the North-
ern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States. 
Virgin Islands. 
(7) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘tribal 
organization’’ has the meaning given the term in
section 4(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and 
Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b). 
SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITA-
TION. 
(a) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary, in collabora-
tion with the Secretary of Education, shall make grants 
to States, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations to enable 
States, Indian tribes, and tribal organizations to establish 
or expand quality programs of early childhood home visita-
tion as specified under subsection (f). Each grant shall 
consist of the allotment determined under subsection (b). 
(b) DETERMINATION OF RESERVATIONS; AMOUNT OF 
ALLOTMENTS; AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) RESERVATIONS
FROM
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
From the total amount made available to carry out 
this section for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall re-
serve— 
(A) not more than 2 percent of the funds 
appropriated for any fiscal year for payments to 
Indian tribes or tribal organizations with an ap-
proved application under this section; 
(B) not more than 1⁄2 of 1 percent of the 
funds appropriated for any fiscal year for pay-
ments to territories and possessions with an ap-
proved application under this section; and
(C) 2 percent for training and technical as-
sistance for States. 
(2) STATE
ALLOTMENTS
FOR
EARLY
CHILD-
HOOD HOME VISITATION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—In accordance with 
subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall allot 
among each of eligible the States the total 
amount made available to carry out this section 
for any fiscal year and not reserved under para-
graph (1), to carry out early childhood home 
visitation in accordance with this section. 
(B) DETERMINATION
OF
STATE
ALLOT-
MENTS.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to clause 
(ii), the Secretary shall allot the amount 
made available under subparagraph (A) for 
a fiscal year among the eligible States in 
proportion to the number of children, aged 
from birth to 5 years, who reside within 
the State, compared to the number of such 
individuals who reside in all such States 
for that fiscal year. 
(ii) EXCEPTION.—No State receiving 
an allotment under clause (i) may receive 
more than $20,000,000.
(3) PAYMENTS TO TRIBES AND TERRITORIES.— 
(A) Out of the funds reserved under para-
graph (1)(A), the Secretary shall provide funds 
to each Indian tribe or tribal organization with 
an approved application under this section in 
accordance with the respective needs described 
in that application. 
(B) Out of the funds reserved under para-
graph (1)(B), the Secretary shall provide funds 
to each territory or possession with an approved 
application under this section in accordance 
with the respective needs described in that ap-
plication. 
(4) APPLICATIONS OF INDIAN TRIBES, TRIBAL 
ORGANIZATIONS, TERRITORIES, OR POSSESSIONS.— 
(A) Subject to subparagraph (B) the Sec-
retary shall approve an application of an Indian 
tribe, tribal organization, territory, or posses-
sion based on the quality of the application. 
(B) The Secretary may exempt an applica-
tion submitted by an Indian tribe, tribal organi-
zation, territory, or possession from any re-
quirement of this section that the secretary de-
termines would be inappropriate to apply taking 
into account the resources, needs, and other cir-
cumstances of the indian tribe, tribal organiza-
tion territory, or possession with the exception 
of the provision of quality early childhood home 
visitation as outlined in section (5)(f)(1), re-
porting requirements detailed in paragraphs (1) 
and (3) of section 5(h), and participation in the 
independent evaluation outlined in section 9. 
(5) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this section $400,000,000 for the period of fiscal 
years 2006 through 2008. 
(c) GRANT APPLICATIONS.—A State, Indian tribe, 
tribal organization, territory, or possession that desires to 
receive a grant under this section shall submit an applica-
tion to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary may require. 
The application shall contain the following information: 
(1) An assurance that the Governor of the 
State has designated a lead State agency, such as 
the State educational agency or the State health and 
human services agency, to carry out the activities 
under this section. 
(2) An assurance that the State will reserve 3 
percent of such grant for evaluation and will partici-
pate in the independent evaluation under section 9.
(3) An assurance that the State will reserve 10 
percent of the grant funds for training and technical 
assistance of staff of programs of early childhood 
home visitation. 
(4) An assurance that the State will authorize 
child care resource and referral agencies to refer 
parents seeking home visitation services. 
(5) The results of a statewide needs assessment 
that describes— 
(A) the quality and capacity of existing 
programs of early childhood home visitation in 
the State; 
(B) the number and types of eligible fami-
lies who are receiving services under such pro-
grams; and 
(C) the gaps in early childhood home visi-
tation in the State. 
(6) A State plan containing the following: 
(A) A description of the State’s strategy to 
establish or expand quality programs of early 
childhood home visitation to serve all eligible 
families in the State. 
(B) A description of the quality programs 
of early childhood home visitation that will be 
supported by a grant under this section.
(C) A description of how the proposed pro-
gram of early childhood home visitation will 
promote positive parenting skills and children’s 
early learning and development. 
(D) A description of how the proposed pro-
gram of early childhood home visitation will in-
corporate the authorized activities described in 
subsection (f). 
(E) How the lead State agency will build 
on and promote coordination among existing 
programs of early childhood home visitation in 
an effort to promote an array of home visitation 
that ensures more eligible families are being 
served and are getting the most appropriate 
services to meet their needs. 
(F) How the lead State agency will pro-
mote channels of communication between staff 
of programs of early childhood home visitation 
and staff of other early childhood education 
programs, such as Head Start programs carried 
out under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 
et seq.) and Early Head Start programs carried 
out under section 645A of such Act, the Ameri-
cans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et 
seq.), preschool programs, and child care pro-
grams, to facilitate the coordination of services 
for eligible families. 
(G) How the lead State agency will provide 
training and technical assistance to staff of pro-
grams of early childhood home visitation in-
volved in activities under this section to more 
effectively meet the needs of the eligible families 
served, with sensitivity to cultural variations in 
parenting norms and attitudes toward formal 
support services. 
(H) How the lead State agency will evalu-
ate the activities supported under this section in 
order to assess outcomes related to the en-
hancement of— 
(i) parental practices; 
(ii) child health and development indi-
cators; 
(iii) child maltreatment indicators; 
(iv) school readiness indicators; and 
(v) links to community services. 
(I) Such other information as the Sec-
retary may require. 
(d) APPROVAL OF APPLICATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall approve 
an application under this section based on the rec-