I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3006
To establish a program to help States expand the existing education system
to include at least 1 year of early education preceding the year a
child enters kindergarten.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 4, 1999
Ms. ESHOO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To establish a program to help States expand the existing
education system to include at least 1 year of early
education preceding the year a child enters kindergarten.
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 ‘‘Early Education Act
of 1999’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) In 1989 the Nation’s Governors established
a goal that all children would have access to high-
quality early education programs by the year 2000.
(2) Less than half of all 3- to 5-year-olds who
are not in kindergarten are enrolled in an early edu-
cation program, with only 36 percent of children
from families with annual incomes below $15,000
enrolled in an early education program.
(3) Research suggests that a child’s early years
are critical in the development of the brain. Early
brain development is an important component of
educational and intellectual achievement.
(4) The National Research Council reported
that early education opportunities are necessary if
children are going to develop the language and lit-
eracy skills necessary to learn to read.
(5) Evaluations of early education programs
demonstrate that compared to children with similar
backgrounds who have not participated in early edu-
cation programs, children who participate in such
programs—
(A) perform better on reading and mathe-
matics achievement tests;
(B) are more likely to stay academically
near their grade level and make normal aca-
demic progress throughout elementary school;
(C) are less likely to be held back a grade
or require special education services in elemen-
tary school;
(D) show greater learning retention, initia-
tive, creativity, and social competency; and
(E) are more enthusiastic about school and
are more likely to have good attendance
records.
(6) Studies have estimated that for every dollar
invested in quality early education, about 7 dollars
are saved in later costs.
SEC. 3. EARLY EDUCATION.
Title X of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8001 et seq.) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following:
‘‘PART L—EARLY EDUCATION
‘‘SEC. 10995. EARLY EDUCATION.
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF EARLY EDUCATION.—In this
part the term ‘early education’ means not less than a half
day of schooling each weekday during the academic year
preceding the academic year a child enters kindergarten.
‘‘(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to es-
tablish a program to develop the foundation of early lit-
eracy and numerical training among young children by
helping State educational agencies expand the existing
education system to include early education for all chil-
dren.
‘‘(c) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized
to award grants to not less than 10 State edu-
cational agencies to enable the State educational
agencies to expand the existing education system
with programs that provide early education.
‘‘(2) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—The amount
provided to a State educational agency under para-
graph (1) shall not exceed 50 percent of the cost of
the program described in the application submitted
pursuant to subsection (d).
‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS.—Each program assisted
under this section—
‘‘(A) shall be carried out by 1 or more
local educational agencies, as selected by the
State educational agency;
‘‘(B) shall be carried out—
‘‘(i) in a public school building; or
‘‘(ii) in another facility by, or through
a contract or agreement with, a local edu-
cational agency;
‘‘(C) shall be available to all children
served by a local educational agency carrying
out the program; and
‘‘(D) shall only involve instructors who are
licensed or certified in accordance with applica-
ble State law.
‘‘(d) APPLICATION.—Each State educational agency
desiring a grant under this section shall submit an appli-
cation to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and
accompanied by such information as the Secretary may
require. Each application shall—
‘‘(1) include a description of—
‘‘(A) the program to be assisted under this
section; and
‘‘(B) how the program will meet the pur-
pose of this section;
‘‘(2) contain a statement of the total cost of the
program and the source of the matching funds for
the program; and
‘‘(3) demonstrate how the program will be co-
ordinated with other federally funded programs that
provide early educational opportunities, such as
‘‘(1) shall establish a system for the monitoring
and evaluation of, and shall annually report to Con-
gress regarding, the programs funded under this
section; and
‘‘(2) may establish any other policies, proce-
dures, or requirements, with respect to the pro-
grams.
‘‘(g) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Funds made
available under this section shall be used to supplement,
not supplant, other Federal, State, or local funds.
‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
$300,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2000 through
2004.’’.
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