120
‘‘(B) PROGRESS.—Each Head Start agen-
cy shall provide to the Secretary a report indi-
cating the number and percentage of classroom 
instructors with child development associate 
credentials and associate, baccalaureate, or ad-
vanced degrees. The Secretary shall compile all 
program reports and make them available to 
the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
of the United States House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the United States Sen-
ate. 
‘‘(C) REQUIREMENT
FOR
NEW
HEAD 
START TEACHERS.—Within 3 years after the ef-
fective date of this subparagraph, the Secretary 
shall require that all Head Start teachers na-
tionwide in center-based programs hired fol-
lowing the effective date of this subparagraph—
‘‘(i) have an associate, baccalaureate, 
or advanced degree in early childhood edu-
cation or a related field; or 
‘‘(ii) be currently enrolled in a pro-
gram of study leading to an associate de-
gree in early childhood education and
121
agree to complete degree requirements 
within 3 years from the date of hire. 
‘‘(D) SERVICE REQUIREMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall establish requirements to ensure 
that individuals who receive financial assistance 
under this subchapter in order to comply with 
the requirements under section 648A(a)(2) 
shall subsequently teach in a Head Start center 
for a period of time equivalent to the period for 
which they received assistance or repay the 
amount of the funds. 
‘‘(E) LIMITATION.—The Secretary shall 
require that any Federal funds provided directly 
or indirectly to comply with subparagraph (A) 
shall be used toward degrees awarded by an in-
stitution of higher education, as defined by sec-
tions 101 or 102 of the Higher Education Act 
(20 U.S.C. 1001–1002).’’. 
(b) CLASSROOM TEACHERS.—Section 648A of the 
Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9843a) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS.—Each 
Head Start agency and program shall create, in consulta-
tion with an employee, a professional development plan for
122
all full-time employees who provide direct services to chil-
dren.’’. 
SEC. 20. RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND EVALUATION. 
(a) 
NEW
IDEAS
AND
APPROACHES.—Section 
649(a)(1)(B) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9844(a)(1)(B)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(B) use the Head Start programs to de-
velop, test, and disseminate new ideas and ap-
proaches based on existing scientifically based 
research, for addressing the needs of low-in-
come preschool children (including children with 
disabilities and children determined to be 
abused or neglected) and their families and 
communities (including demonstrations of inno-
vative non-center based program models such as 
home-based and mobile programs), and other-
wise to further the purposes of this sub-
chapter.’’. 
(b) STUDY.—Section 649(d) of the Head Start Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9844(d) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (8) by adding ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (9) by striking the semicolon 
and inserting a period; 
(3) by striking paragraph (10); and
123
(4) by striking the last sentence. 
(c) EXPERT PANEL.—Section 649(g) of the Head 
Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9844(g)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)(A)—
(A) by striking clause (i); and 
(B) by redesignating clauses (ii) and (iii) 
as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively; and 
(2) in paragraph (7)(C)(i) is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(i) Not later than September 30, 
2007, the Secretary shall transmit to the 
committees specified in clause (ii) the final 
report.’’. 
(d) NAS STUDY.—Section 649(h) of the Head Start 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9844(h)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(h) NAS STUDY.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall use 
funds allocated in section 640(a)(2)(C)(iii) to con-
tract with the National Academy of Sciences for the 
Board on Children, Youth, and Families of the Na-
tional Research Council to establish an independent 
panel of experts to review and synthesize research, 
theory and applications in the social, behavioral and 
biological sciences and to make recommendations on
124
early childhood pedagogy with regard to each of the 
following: 
‘‘(A) Age and developmentally appropriate 
Head Start academic requirements and out-
comes, including the domains in 641A(a)(B). 
‘‘(B) Differences in the type, length, mix 
and intensity of services necessary to ensure 
that children from challenging family and social 
backgrounds including: low-income children, 
children of color, children with special needs, 
and children with limited English proficiency 
enter kindergarten ready to succeed. 
‘‘(C) Appropriate assessments of young 
children (including systematic observation as-
sessment in a child’s natural environment, and 
parent and provider interviews) for purposes of 
improving instruction, services, and program 
quality, and accommodations for children with 
disabilities and appropriate assessments for 
children with special needs (including needs re-
lated to the acquisition of the English lan-
guage). 
‘‘(D) An evaluation of the current and ap-
propriate uses of the National Reporting Sys-
tem developed by the Secretary.
125
‘‘(2) COMPOSITION.—The panel shall consist of 
multiple experts in each of the following areas: 
‘‘(A) Child development and education, in-
cluding cognitive, social, emotional, physical, 
approaches to learning, and other domains of 
child development and learning. 
‘‘(B) Professional development, including 
teacher preparation, to individuals who teach 
young children in programs. 
‘‘(C) Assessment of young children, includ-
ing screening, diagnostic and classroom-based 
instructional assessment; children with special 
needs, including children with disabilities and 
limited English proficient children. 
‘‘(3) 
TIMING.—The 
National 
Academy 
of 
Sciences and the Board shall establish the panel not 
later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
of the School Readiness Act of 2005. The panel shall 
complete its recommendations within 18 months of 
its convening. 
‘‘(4) APPLICATION
OF
PANEL
RECOMMENDA-
TIONS.—The recommendations of the panel shall be 
used as guidelines by the Secretary to develop, in-
form and revise, where appropriate, the Head Start 
education performance measures and standards and
126
the assessments utilized in the Head Start pro-
gram.’’. 
(e) STUDY OF STATUS OF LIMITED ENGLISH PRO-
FICIENT CHILDREN.—Section 649 of the Head Start Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9844) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(i) LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT CHILDREN.—
‘‘(1) STUDY.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of the School Readiness Act of 
2005, the Secretary shall conduct a study on the 
status of limited English proficient children and 
their families in Head Start programs and Early 
Head Start programs. 
‘‘(2) REPORT.—The Secretary shall prepare 
and submit to Congress, not later than September 
2008, a report containing the results of such study, 
including information on—
‘‘(A)(i) 
the 
demographics 
of 
limited 
English proficient children less than 5 years of 
age and the geographical distribution of such 
children; and 
‘‘(ii) the number of such children receiving 
Head Start services and the number of such 
children receiving Early Head Start services,
127
and the geographical distribution of such chil-
dren receiving such services; 
‘‘(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 
for assessing language needs and for making 
the transition of limited English proficient chil-
dren to kindergarten, including the extent to 
which Head Start programs meet the require-
ments of section 642A for limited English pro-
ficient children; 
‘‘(D) the qualifications and training pro-
vided to Head Start teachers and Early Head 
Start teachers who serve limited English pro-
ficient children and their families; 
‘‘(E) 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 lim-
ited English proficient children toward
128
meeting the additional educational stand-
ards described in section 641A(a)(1)(B)(ii) 
while enrolled in Head Start programs; 
‘‘(ii) the correlation between such 
progress and the type and quality of in-
struction and educational programs pro-
vided to limited English proficient children; 
and 
‘‘(iii) the correlation between such 
progress and the health and family services 
provided by Head Start programs to lim-
ited English proficient children and their 
families; and 
‘‘(F) the extent to which Head Start pro-
grams make use of funds under section 
640(a)(3) to improve the quality of Head Start 
services provided to limited English proficient 
children and their families.’’. 
(f) NATIONAL ASSESSMENET SYSTEM.—Section 649 
of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9834), as amended by 
subsection (d), is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(j) NATIONAL REPORTING SYSTEM.—The Secretary 
shall temporarily suspend the implementation of the Na-
tional Reporting System pending the completion of the
129
recommendations required by subsection (h), and shall in-
tegrate such recommendations to develop a national as-
sessment system, as appropriate, that will inform improv-
ing Head Start program success.’’. 
SEC. 21. REPORTS. 
(a) REPORT.—Section 650(a) of the Head Start Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9845(a)) is amended—
(1) by amending the first sentence to read as 
follows: ‘‘At least once during every 2-year period, 
the Secretary shall prepare and submit, to the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of the Sen-
ate, a report concerning the status of children (in-
cluding disabled, homeless, and limited English pro-
ficient children) in Head Start programs, including 
the number of children and the services being pro-
vided to such children.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (8) by inserting ‘‘, homeless-
ness’’ after ‘‘background’’. 
(b) NATIONAL REPORTING SYSTEM.—Section 650 of 
the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9845) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) NATIONAL REPORTING SYSTEM.—The Secretary 
shall submit annually to the Committee on Education and
130
the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
the Senate, a report on the status of the National Report-
ing System developed by the Secretary. Such report shall 
include—
‘‘(1) information on all contracts, grants, and 
expenses relating to the development and implemen-
tation of the National Reporting System; 
‘‘(2) 
information 
described 
in 
section 
641A(b)(3)(B); and 
‘‘(3) a description of the recommendations 
made by the Technical Working Group, including 
issues of the technical adequacy, purpose, and ad-
ministration of the System, and an explanation of 
how the Secretary plans to address these rec-
ommendations.’’. 
SEC. 22. LIMITATION ON RATE OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR 
COMPENSATION. 
Section 653 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9848) 
is amended—
(1) by striking the heading; 
(2) by striking ‘‘SEC. 653. The’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘SEC. 653. WAGES AND COMPENSATION. 
‘‘(a) COMPARABILITY OF WAGES.—The’’; and
131
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) FEDERAL RATE LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, no Federal funds shall be used 
to pay all or any part of the compensation of an individual 
employed by a Head Start agency in carrying out pro-
grams under this subchapter, either as direct or indirect 
costs or any proration thereof, at a rate in excess of the 
rate then payable for level II of the Executive Schedule 
under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code.’’. 
SEC. 23. LIMITATION ON USE OF FUNDS. 
The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) is 
amended by inserting after section 656 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 656A. LIMITATION ON CERTAIN USES OF FUNDS. 
‘‘No funds made available to carry out this sub-
chapter may be used—
‘‘(1) for publicity or propaganda purposes not 
heretofore authorized by the Congress; or 
‘‘(2) unless authorized by law in effect on the 
effective date of this section, to produce any pre-
packaged news story intended for broadcast or dis-
tribution unless such story includes a clear notifica-
tion contained within the text or audio of such story 
stating that the prepackaged news story was pre-
pared or funded by the Department of Health and 
Human Services.’’.
132
SEC. 24. CONFORMING AMENDMENT. 
Section 641A(a)(2)(A) of the Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9836a(a)(2)(A)) is amended by striking ‘‘non-
English language background’’ and inserting ‘‘limited 
English proficient’’. 
SEC. 25. EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION OF AMENDMENTS. 
(a) GENERAL EFFECTIVE DATE.—Except as pro-
vided in subsections (b) and (c), this Act and the amend-
ments made by this Act shall take effect on the date of 
the enactment of this Act. 
(b) APPLICATION OF AMENDMENTS.—The amend-
ments made by this Act shall not apply with respect to 
any fiscal year that begins before the date of the enact-
ment of this Act. 
(c) PRIORITY IN THE DESIGNATION OF HEAD START 
AGENCIES.—
(1) EFFECTIVE
DATE.—Section 641(c), as 
amended by section 7(b) of this Act, shall take effect 
exactly twelve months from the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, except for section 641(c)(5), which 
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(2) IMPLEMENTATION RULE.—For purposes of 
carrying out section 641(c) of the Head Start Act, 
as amended by section 7(b) of this Act, the Sec-
retary may only consider the performance of a Head
133
Start program in meeting the requirements de-
scribed in section 641(c) of the Head Start Act, as 
amended by section 7(b) of this Act, from the date 
of enactment of this Act, except any performance 
that constitutes a deficiency since the then most re-
cent designation. 
SEC. 26. QUALITY STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD 
START AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS. 
Section 641A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9836a) is further amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(g) In carrying out the provisions of section 641A, 
and in addition to the use of whatever other resources the 
Secretary deems appropriate, the Secretary shall—
‘‘(1) contract with an intermediary organization 
which, in the determination of the Secretary, meets 
each of the following criteria—
‘‘(A) focuses on improving the performance 
management and the use of technology for non-
profit, educational, and social service organiza-
tions; 
‘‘(B) has demonstrated experience in pro-
viding a range of assistance, including but not 
limited to—
‘‘(i) assessing performance metrics;
134
‘‘(ii) the use of technology; 
‘‘(iii) improving financial manage-
ment; and 
‘‘(iv) developing recommendations to 
improve performance and the use of tech-
nology; 
‘‘(C) has a proven methodology for sys-
temic change in the not-for-profit sector, includ-
ing governmental and nongovernmental entities; 
‘‘(D) has demonstrated results in providing 
performance management support to small-, 
mid- and large-size not-for-profit organizations 
annually on a pro bono basis; 
‘‘(E) has demonstrated the ability to iden-
tify areas for program improvement related 
to—
‘‘(i) accomplishing the goals and ob-
jectives as outlined in Head Start regula-
tions, reporting criteria and measurement 
of program outcomes; 
‘‘(ii) meeting reporting requirements; 
‘‘(iii) using technology in classrooms 
and enabling its use by administrators;
135
‘‘(F) has demonstrated the ability to de-
velop an implementation plan for recommended 
improvements by the organizations it assists; 
‘‘(G) has demonstrated the ability to assist 
with and provide on-site, hands-on guidance 
with the implementation of the recommenda-
tions; 
‘‘(H) has demonstrated the ability to tailor 
the assessment and implementation process to 
the children and communities served (where ap-
propriate); and 
‘‘(I) has demonstrated the ability to create 
an online community that allows Head Start 
administrators, teachers, service providers, par-
ents, policy makers, and other stakeholders to 
communicate and provide support during and 
following the assessment and subsequent imple-
mentation process; 
‘‘(2) utilize the intermediary organization se-
lected in paragraph (1) not later than 90 days from 
the date of enactment of this Act to—
‘‘(A) assess the performance of the Sec-
retary in overseeing the Head Start Bureau and 
ensuring the effective management of the Head
136
Start program in the areas of finance, oper-
ations, human capital, and customer service; 
‘‘(B) evaluate the Department’s organiza-
tional structure, policies, and procedures for 
managing Head Start grant recipients, make 
recommendations to improve national program 
quality and maximize the efficiency in the use 
of program dollars, and support implementation 
of the recommendations; 
‘‘(C) evaluate the Secretary’s administra-
tive resource allocations to determine if invest-
ment is properly targeted based on risk assess-
ment to address the program’s most significant 
national and local challenges, and propose ad-
justments as appropriate; 
‘‘(D) evaluate and identify best practice 
Head Start models and build process models to 
enable their replication; 
‘‘(E) develop early warning systems to 
identify Head Start programs that need inter-
vention; 
‘‘(F) evaluate processes to assist Head 
Start programs that need intervention in imple-
menting necessary program improvements;
137
‘‘(G) evaluate the effectiveness of the cur-
rent process for selecting Head Start organiza-
tions and develop and implement improvements 
to ensure that performance metrics emerge as 
a key criteria for evaluating successful Head 
Start applicants, including the creation of eval-
uation criteria that ensure the selection of qual-
ity Head Start applicants; 
‘‘(H) evaluate how the Department targets 
resources to remedy ongoing problems or defi-
ciencies in the program’s management or gov-
ernance, and propose solutions as appropriate; 
and 
‘‘(I) conduct a detailed assessment of the 
Secretary’s ability to monitor grantees.’’. 
SEC. 27. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS. 
Section 640(a)(2) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9835) is further amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new clause: 
‘‘(v) not less than $7,500,000 of the 
amount in clause (iii) appropriated for fis-
cal years 2006 and 2007 shall be made 
available to carry out activities described in 
section 641A(g).’’.
138
SEC. 28. TEACHER RETENTION REPORT. 
Not later than one year after implementation of the 
Head Start teacher qualifications and development under 
amendments made by this Act, the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services shall submit to Congress a report 
on Head Start teacher retention levels. 
SEC. 29. IMPROVING HEAD START ACCESS FOR HOMELESS 
AND FOSTER CHILDREN. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 637 of the Head Start 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9832) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(18) The term ‘family’ means all persons liv-
ing in the same household who are—
‘‘(A) supported by the income of at least 1 
parent or guardian (including any relative act-
ing in place of a parent, such as a grandparent) 
of a child enrolling or participating in the Head 
Start program; and 
‘‘(B) related to the parent or guardian by 
blood, marriage, or adoption. 
‘‘(19) The term ‘homeless child’ means a child 
described in section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento 
Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a(2)). 
‘‘(20) The term ‘homeless family’ means the 
family of a homeless child.’’.
139
(b) ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS; LIMITATIONS ON AS-
SISTANCE.—
(1) 
QUALITY
IMPROVEMENT.—Section 
640(a)(3) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9835(a)(3)) is amended—
(A) in subparagraph (B)—
(i) in clause (ii), by inserting ‘‘chil-
dren in foster care, children referred to 
Head Start programs by child welfare 
agencies, ’’ after ‘‘background’’; and 
(ii) in clause (v), by inserting ‘‘, in-
cluding collaboration to increase program 
participation by underserved populations, 
including homeless children, eligible chil-
dren in foster care, and children referred 
to Head Start programs by child welfare 
agencies’’ before the period; and 
(B) in subparagraph (C)—
(i) in clause (ii)(IV)—
(I) by inserting ‘‘homeless chil-
dren, children in foster care, children 
referred to Head Start programs by 
child welfare agencies, ’’ after ‘‘dys-
functional families’’; and
140
(II) by inserting ‘‘and families’’ 
after ‘‘communities’’; 
(ii) in clause (v)—
(I) by inserting ‘‘homeless chil-
dren, children in foster care, children 
referred to Head Start programs by 
child welfare agencies,’’ after ‘‘dys-
functional families’’; and 
(II) by inserting ‘‘and families’’ 
after ‘‘communities’’; 
(iii) by redesignating clause (vi) as 
clause (viii); and 
(iv) by inserting after clause (v) the 
following: 
‘‘(vi) To conduct outreach to homeless 
families and to increase Head Start pro-
gram participation by homeless children.’’. 
(2) 
COLLABORATION
GRANTS.—Section 
640(a)(5)(C)(iv) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9835(a)(5)(C)(iv)) is amended—
(A) by inserting ‘‘child welfare (including 
child protective services),’’ after ‘‘child care,’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘home-based services (in-
cluding home visiting services),’’ after ‘‘family 
literacy services’’; and
141
(3) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.—Section 640(g)(2) 
of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835(g)(2)) is 
amended—
(A) in subparagraph (C)—
(i) by inserting ‘‘organizations and 
agencies providing family support services, 
child abuse prevention services, protective 
services, and foster care, and’’ after ‘‘(in-
cluding’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘and public entities 
serving children with disabilities’’ and in-
serting ‘‘, public entities, and individuals 
serving children with disabilities and home-
less children (including 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)))’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (H), by inserting 
‘‘(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)))’’ after ‘‘community 
involved’’.
142
(c) RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND EVALUA-
TION.—Section 649 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9844) is amended in subsection (a)(1)(B), by striking 
‘‘disabilities)’’ and inserting ‘‘disabilities, homeless chil-
dren, children who have been abused or neglected, and 
children in foster care’’. 
(d) REPORTS.—Section 650(a) of the Head Start Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9846(a)) is amended—
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘disabled and’’ and inserting ‘‘disabled chil-
dren, homeless children, children in foster care, 
and’’; 
(2) in paragraph (8), by inserting ‘‘homeless-
ness, whether the child is in foster care or was re-
ferred by a child welfare agency,’’ after ‘‘back-
ground’’. 
SEC. 30. CHILDREN AFFECTED BY HURRICANE KATRINA. 
(a) Definitions.—For the purposes of this section, the 
following definitions apply: 
(1) CHILDREN
AFFECTED
BY
HURRICANE 
KATRINA.—The term ‘‘children affected by Hurri-
cane Katrina’’ means a child who is not older than 
5 and who resides or who resided on August 22, 
2005, in an area in which the President has declared 
that a major disaster exists.
143
(2) IMPACTED
HEAD
START
AGENCIES.—The 
term ‘‘impacted Head Start Agencies’’ means a 
Head Start agency receiving a significant number of 
children from an area in which a major disaster has 
been declared. 
(3) MAJOR DISASTER.—The term ‘‘major dis-
aster’’ means a major disaster declared by the Presi-
dent in accordance with section 401 of the Robert 
T. Stafford Disaster Relief Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 4170), related to Hurricane Katrina. 
(b) TECHICAL ASSISTANCE, GUIDANCE, AND RE-
SOURCES.—The Secretary shall provide technical assist-
ance, guidance, and resources through the Region 4 and 
Region 6 offices of the Administration for Children and 
Families (and may provide technical assistance, guidance, 
and resources, through other regional offices of the Ad-
ministration, at the request of such offices, that admin-
ister affected Head Start agencies) to Head Start agencies 
in areas in which a major disaster has been declared, and 
to affected Head Start agencies, to assist the agencies in-
volved in providing Head Start services to children af-
fected by Hurricane Katrina. 
(c) WAIVER.—For such period up to March 31, 2006, 
and to such extent as the Secretary considers appropriate, 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services—
144
(1) may waive section 640(b) of the Head Start 
Act; and 
(2) shall waive requirements of documentation 
for children affected by Hurricane Katrina who par-
ticipate in Head Start programs and Early Head 
Start programs funded under the Head Start Act. 
SEC. 31. DISCRIMINATION PROVISIONS. 
Section 654 of the Head Start Act is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 654 NONDISCRIMINATION PROVISIONS. 
‘‘(a)(1) The Secretary shall not provide financial as-
sistance for any program, project, or activity under this 
subchapter unless the grant or contract with respect there-
to specifically provides that no person with responsibilities 
in the operation thereof will discriminate with respect to 
any such program, project, or activity because of race, 
creed, color, national origin, sex, political affiliation, or be-
liefs. 
‘‘(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a recipient of 
financial assistance under this subchapter that is a reli-
gious corporation, association, educational institution, or 
society, with respect to the employment of individuals of 
a particular religion to perform work connected with the 
carrying on by such corporation, association, educational 
institution, or society of its activities. Such recipients shall
145
comply with the other requirements contained in this sub-
section. 
‘‘(b) No person in the United States shall on the 
ground of sex be excluded from participation in, be denied 
the benefits of, be subjected to discrimination under, or 
be denied employment in connection with any program or 
activity receiving assistance under this subchapter. The 
Secretary shall enforce the provisions of the preceding sen-
tence in accordance with section 602 of the Civil Rights 
Act of 1964. Section 603 of such Act shall apply with re-
spect to any action taken by the Secretary to enforce such 
sentence. This section shall not be construed as affecting 
any other legal remedy that a person may have if such 
person is excluded from participation in, denied the benefit 
of, subjected to discrimination under, or denied employ-
ment (except as provided in subsection (a)(2)), in the ad-
ministration of any program, project, or activity receiving 
assistance under this subchapter. 
‘‘(c) The Secretary shall not provide financial assist-
ance for any program, project, or activity under this sub-
chapter unless the grant or contract relating to the finan-
cial assistance specifically provides that no person with re-
sponsibilities in the operation of the program, project, or 
activity will discriminate against any individual because of 
a handicapping condition in violation of section 504 of the
146
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, except as provided in sub-
section (a)(2).’’.
Passed the House of Representatives September 22, 
2005. 
Attest:
Clerk.
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 2123
AN ACT 
To reauthorize the Head Start Act to improve the 
school readiness of disadvantaged children, and 
for other purposes.