I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6945 
To establish a competitive grant program assisting the development of 
innovative early learning curricula for low-income children. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018 
Mr. HIMES (for himself, Ms. ESTY of Connecticut, and Mr. LARSON of Con-
necticut) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To establish a competitive grant program assisting the devel-
opment of innovative early learning curricula for low- 
income children. 
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 ‘‘Total Learning Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds as follows: 
(1) Research conducted by the Census Bureau 
suggests that 21.8 percent of children under the age 
of 18 are living in poverty. 
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(2) Research conducted by the Bureau of the 
Census of the Department of Commerce shows that 
socioeconomic status and family background charac-
teristics are highly correlated with educational out-
comes, with a concentration of low-performing 
schools in low-income and underserved communities. 
(3) As an example of an innovative early learn-
ing curriculum producing tangible results for low-in-
come children, an independent evaluation of the 
Total Learning Curriculum developed by Action for 
Bridgeport Community Development, Inc., in co-
operation with the Dr. Edward Zigler of the Yale 
Child Study Center and implemented in Bridgeport, 
Connecticut, has demonstrated that students who re-
ceived all the elements of the Total Learning Cur-
riculum made an average 2-point gain on the Diag-
nostic Reading Assessment (DRA) compared to an 
average 1.76-point gain on such assessment by those 
students who did not participate in the Total Learn-
ing Curriculum. 
(4) Such independent evaluation also showed 
that students who received all elements of Total 
Learning Curriculum have an average score of 22.35 
points on the Concept of Print assessment, com-
pared to an average score of 20.82 points on such 
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assessment by those students who did not partici-
pate in the Total Learning Curriculum. 
(5) According to the findings of such inde-
pendent evaluation, children with low initial DRA 
scores, high-family risk levels, low parental involve-
ment, have special needs, or who are English-lan-
guage-learners or participate in extended-day pro-
grams, make significant DRA gains after receiving 
all the elements of the Total Learning Curriculum. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSE. 
It is the purpose of this Act to promote academic suc-
cess for children living in poverty by— 
(1) improving and promoting school readiness 
by enhancing the cognitive, social, and emotional de-
velopment of children from birth; 
(2) focusing such enhancements on low-income 
children who are at the greatest risk of negative 
educational outcomes; and 
(3) harnessing the most current develop-
mentally appropriate educational methods to im-
prove the public education system, including— 
(A) educational interventions beginning as 
close to birth as possible; 
(B) a child-initiated learning process with 
time for independent inquiry and play; 
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(C) access to wraparound social services, 
including support for nutrition, housing, and 
family literacy; 
(D) professional development for instruc-
tional staff, including elementary school teach-
ers, paraprofessionals, and pre-school teachers; 
(E) an extended school day and school 
year; 
(F) parent development, which includes 
providing parents with the knowledge and skills 
needed to be able to support a child’s growth 
and academic progress; 
(G) child-to-staff ratios of at least 1 early 
childhood or elementary educator for every 7 
children; and 
(H) an enhanced transition from pre-kin-
dergarten to elementary school, so that the cog-
nitive and social gains of the pre-kindergarten 
program are sustained through the remainder 
of a child’s educational career. 
SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT 
GAP. 
(a) GRANT
PROGRAM
AUTHORIZED.—From the 
amount appropriated under section 10, the Secretary shall 
award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible partner-
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ships to implement innovative early learning curricula in 
early childhood education programs and elementary 
schools in high-need communities for children from birth 
through age 9. 
(b) GRANT PERIOD.—A grant under this section shall 
be awarded for a 5-year period and may be renewed for 
an additional 5-year period upon a showing of adequate 
progress, as determined by the Secretary. 
(c) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an eligible partnership shall submit to 
the Secretary a grant application at such time and in such 
manner as the Secretary shall require, and containing the 
following information: 
(1) A description of the high-need community 
to be served by the eligible partnership, including 
the number and percent of English-language learn-
ers that will be served and other demographic and 
socioeconomic information as the Secretary may re-
quest. 
(2) An assessment of the need for such a grant 
in the high-need community, including— 
(A) the number of low-income families; and 
(B) the number of and percent of elemen-
tary school children performing below grade 
level for reading and math on State assess-
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ments described in section 1111(b)(3) of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(3)). 
(3) A detailed description of a plan to carry out 
the implementation of the innovative early learning 
curriculum in the high-need community, including— 
(A) how children and families will be se-
lected to participate, taking into account the 
need for continuity and stability for all partici-
pating children and families; 
(B) how the implementation will coordinate 
and build on, and will not supplant or dupli-
cate, professional development activities avail-
able to the staff of the innovative early learning 
curriculum in the high-need community; 
(C) how the implementation will train in-
structional staff in the innovative early learning 
curriculum to provide developmentally appro-
priate school-readiness services that are based 
on the best available child development and 
education research; 
(D) how the implementation will train in-
structional staff in the innovative early learning 
curriculum to meet the diverse educational 
needs of children in the high-need community, 
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including children who have limited English 
proficiency, children with disabilities, or chil-
dren with other special needs; and 
(E) how the implementation will train in-
structional staff in the innovative early learning 
curriculum to identify and prevent behavioral 
problems in children or working with children 
identified as or suspected to be victims of 
abuse. 
(4) A description of the plan for continuing the 
innovative early learning curriculum after the end of 
the grant period. 
(5) The proposed allocation and use of grant 
funds to implement the innovative early learning 
curriculum in the high-need community. 
(6) A description of the roles and responsibil-
ities of the eligible partnership in implementing the 
innovative early learning curriculum in the high-need 
community. 
(7) An assurance, if applicable, that the eligible 
partnership will provide appropriate professional de-
velopment to volunteers working directly with young 
children, as well as to paid staff. 
(d) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.— 
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(1) REQUIRED USES.—A grant awarded under 
this Act shall be used to cover costs associated with 
implementing the innovative early learning cur-
riculum, including— 
(A) costs for extended school hours and 
days; 
(B) costs associated with professional de-
velopment, staff compensation, and retention; 
(C) costs for all comprehensive child and 
family support services; and 
(D) for any other activities needed to fulfill 
the purpose of this Act, as the Secretary deems 
appropriate. 
(2) PERMISSIBLE USES.—Not more 5 percent 
of a grant awarded under this Act may be used to 
pay the administrative costs (including supplies, of-
fice and classroom space, supervision, mentoring, 
and transportation stipends as necessary and appro-
priate) related to the implementation of the innova-
tive early learning curriculum. 
(e) DISTRIBUTION OF GRANTS.—In awarding grants 
under this Act, the Secretary shall— 
(1) award the first 5 grants to eligible partner-
ships from 5 different States; and 
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(2) award not less than 1 grant to an applicant 
serving— 
(A) a school operated by the Bureau of In-
dian Affairs; 
(B) a tribal educational agency; or 
(C) a high-need community located in a 
rural area. 
(f) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall give priority to 
an eligible partnership that— 
(1) proposes to use the grant funds to carry out 
the innovative early learning curriculum in areas 
served by local educational agencies with a higher 
percentage of students from low-income families and 
English-language learners not meeting the proficient 
level of achievement on State assessments described 
in section 1111(b)(3) of the Elementary and Sec-
ondary 
Education 
Act 
of 
1965 
(20 
U.S.C. 
6311(b)(3)) in comparison to other grant applicants; 
and 
(2) demonstrates the availability of local infra-
structure in the high-need community to be served 
by such eligible partnership to implement the inno-
vative early learning curriculum, including the avail-
ability of— 
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(A) public elementary schools serving a 
high percentage of students from low-income 
families; and 
(B) public or non-profit social service pro-
viders, including providers of health-related 
services or early childhood education services. 
(g) REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS.—Each eligible 
partnership that receives a grant under this section shall 
submit an annual report to the Secretary on the progress 
of implementing the innovative early learning curriculum. 
Such report shall include a description of— 
(1) the actual service delivery provided through 
grant funds, including characteristics of the partici-
pating students (including descriptive information on 
the population of children and families served), and 
how the innovative early learning curriculum was 
implemented; 
(2) an estimate of the annual implementation 
costs of the program; 
(3) outcomes that are consistent with the pur-
pose of the grant program, including— 
(A) improvements in student achievement; 
(B) improvements in language skills of 
children from birth to 3 years of age; 
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(C) improvements in social-emotional out-
comes for children at the greatest risk of need-
ing behavioral or psychological intervention; and 
(D) improvements in health for children, 
including nutrition and access to stable high- 
quality health services; 
(4) the types of instruction, materials, and ac-
tivities being funded under the grant program; and 
(5) the effectiveness of any training and ongo-
ing professional development provided— 
(A) to the faculty, administration, and 
staff of early childhood and elementary edu-
cators within the eligible partnership receiving a 
grant under this Act; and 
(B) to the broader community of providers 
of social, emotional, behavioral, and related 
support to students participating in the pro-
gram and to those who train such providers. 
(h) EVALUATIONS.— 
(1) INTERIM EVALUATIONS.—From the amount 
appropriated under section 10, the Secretary may 
conduct interim evaluations to determine whether 
each eligible partnership receiving a grant under this 
Act is making adequate progress as the Secretary 
considers appropriate. The contents of the annual 
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report submitted to the Secretary under subsection 
(g) may be used by the Secretary to determine 
whether an eligible grantee receiving a grant is dem-
onstrating adequate progress. 
(2) FINAL
EVALUATION.—Not later than 4 
years, the Secretary shall report the results of a 
final evaluation of each innovative early learning 
curriculum being implemented by an eligible partner-
ship receiving a grant under this Act to— 
(A) determine the effectiveness of such in-
novative early learning curriculum; and 
(B) compare the relative effectiveness of 
each of the various activities described by sub-
section (d)(1) for which grant funds are used. 
(3) REPORT.—Not sooner than 5 years, and 
not later than 6 years, after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
a report containing the findings of the evaluation 
conducted under paragraph (2), and such rec-
ommendations as the Secretary considers appro-
priate. 
SEC. 5. TRAINING PROGRAM AUTHORIZED. 
From the amount appropriated under section 10, the 
Secretary shall award funds to a public or private non-
profit organization with demonstrated expertise in an in-
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novative early learning curriculum demonstrating the prin-
ciples outlined in section 3, for the purpose of training, 
and providing technical assistance to, eligible partnerships 
on implementing the innovative early learning curriculum. 
SEC. 6. SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT. 
Funds made available under this Act shall be used 
to supplement, not supplant, Federal, State, or local funds 
that, in the absence of such availability, would have been 
expended for the activities described in section 4(d). 
SEC. 7. FUTURE DESIGNATION STUDY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide infor-
mation about the grant program under this Act to poten-
tial grant applicants that may be eligible to receive a grant 
under this Act based on the latest available data on— 
(1) the number of residents under the age of 18 
in an area served by a local educational agency; 
(2) the percentage of residents with an income 
below the poverty line in an area served by a local 
educational agency; 
(3) the percentage of residents age 18 or older 
with high school diplomas in an area served by a 
local educational agency; 
(4) the percentage of students identified as eli-
gible for special education services in an area served 
by a local educational agency; 
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(5) the youth crime rate in an area served by 
a local educational agency; and 
(6) such other criteria as the Secretary con-
siders appropriate. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a list of high-need communities that, pursuant 
to subsection (a), received information about the grant 
program under this Act. 
SEC. 8. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to abrogate 
or alter any valid and existing collective bargaining agree-
ment. 
SEC. 9. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act: 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The terms ‘‘State edu-
cational agency’’, ‘‘local educational agency’’, ‘‘high-
ly qualified’’, and ‘‘poverty line’’ have the meanings 
given such terms in section 9101 of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
7801). 
(2) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIP.—The term ‘‘eligi-
ble partnership’’ means— 
(A) a full-service community school; or 
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(B) a partnership between a local edu-
cational agency and one of the following: 
(i) A public or non-profit social service 
provider, including a provider of health-re-
lated services or early childhood education 
services. 
(ii) A full-service community school. 
(3) EXTENDED SCHOOL DAY.—The term ‘‘ex-
tended school day’’ means a school day for children 
from birth to age 9 of not less than 9 hours, except 
in the case where an eligible partnership cannot ac-
commodate a 9-hour day. 
(4) EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR.—The term ‘‘ex-
tended school year’’ means a school year for children 
from birth to age 9 of not less than 220 calendar 
days, except in the case where an eligible partner-
ship cannot accommodate a 220-calendar-day school 
year. 
(5) FULL-SERVICE COMMUNITY SCHOOL.—The 
term ‘‘full-service community school’’ means a public 
school which coordinates educational, developmental, 
family, health, and other comprehensive services 
through community-based organizations and public 
and private partnerships, and provides access to 
such services to students enrolled in such school, 
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families of such students, and the community where 
such school is located. 
(6) HIGH-NEED COMMUNITY.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘high-need 
community’’ means— 
(i) a political subdivision of a State, 
or a portion of a political subdivision of a 
State, in which at least 50 percent of the 
children are from low-income families; or 
(ii) a political subdivision of a State 
that is among the top 10 percent of polit-
ical subdivisions of a State having the 
greatest numbers of such children. 
(B) 
DETERMINATION.—In 
determining 
which communities qualify as a high-need com-
munity under subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
shall use such data as the Secretary determines 
are most accurate and appropriate. 
(7) LOW-INCOME FAMILY.—The term ‘‘low-in-
come family’’ means a family with an income below 
the poverty line for the most recent fiscal year for 
which satisfactory data are available. 
(8) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Education. 
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(9) 
INNOVATIVE
EARLY
LEARNING
CUR-
RICULUM.—The term ‘‘innovative early learning cur-
riculum’’ means a comprehensive model of early 
childhood education, including the following prin-
ciples as articulated by Dr. Edward Zigler of the 
Yale Child Study Center, which incorporate— 
(A) educational interventions beginning as 
close to birth as possible; 
(B) a child-initiated learning process with 
time for independent inquiry and play; 
(C) access to wraparound social services, 
including support for nutrition, housing, and 
family literacy; 
(D) professional development for instruc-
tional staff, including elementary school teach-
ers, paraprofessionals, and pre-school teachers; 
(E) an extended school day and school 
year; 
(F) parent development, which includes 
providing parents with the knowledge and skills 
needed to be able to support a child’s growth 
and academic progress; 
(G) child-to-staff ratios of at least 1 early 
childhood or elementary educator for every 7 
children; and 
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(H) an enhanced transition from pre-kin-
dergarten to elementary school, so that the cog-
nitive and social gains of the pre-kindergarten 
program are sustained through the remainder 
of a child’s educational career. 
(10) WRAPAROUND
SOCIAL
SERVICES.—The 
term ‘‘wraparound social services’’ means com-
prehensive health and social services provided to a 
child and the child’s family to supplement the child’s 
educational needs. 
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated to carry out this Act $50,000,000 for each of the 
fiscal years 2019 to 2025. 
(b) RESERVATIONS.—Of the amount appropriated 
under paragraph (1) for each fiscal year, the Secretary 
shall reserve— 
(1) not more than 3 percent for evaluations 
under section 4(h); 
(2) between 2 percent and 5 percent for the 
training program under section 5; and 
(3) not more than 3 percent to carry out the 
study in section 7. 
Æ 
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