I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2411 
To support early learning. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 19, 2015 
Mr. HANNA (for himself and Mr. SCOTT of Virginia) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To support early learning. 
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 ‘‘Strong Start for Amer-
ica’s Children Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
The table of contents for this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title. 
Sec. 2. Table of contents. 
TITLE I—PREKINDERGARTEN ACCESS 
Subtitle A—Access to Voluntary Prekindergarten for Low- and Moderate- 
Income Families 
Sec. 101. Purposes. 
Sec. 102. Definitions. 
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Sec. 103. Program authorization. 
Sec. 104. Allotments and reservations of funds. 
Sec. 105. State eligibility criteria. 
Sec. 106. State applications. 
Sec. 107. State use of funds. 
Sec. 108. Additional prekindergarten services. 
Sec. 109. Performance measures and targets. 
Sec. 110. Matching requirements. 
Sec. 111. Eligible local entity applications. 
Sec. 112. Required subgrant activities. 
Sec. 113. Report and evaluation. 
Sec. 114. Prohibition of required participation or use of funds for assessments. 
Sec. 115. Coordination with Head Start programs. 
Sec. 116. Technical assistance in program administration. 
Sec. 117. Authorization of appropriations. 
Subtitle B—Prekindergarten Development Grants 
Sec. 121. Prekindergarten development grants. 
TITLE II—EARLY LEARNING QUALITY PARTNERSHIPS 
Sec. 201. Purposes. 
Sec. 202. Early learning quality partnerships. 
TITLE III—AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE 
EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES 
Sec. 301. Preschool grants. 
Sec. 302. Infants and toddlers with disabilities. 
TITLE IV—MATERNAL, INFANT, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME 
VISITING PROGRAM 
Sec. 401. Sense of the House of Representatives. 
TITLE I—PREKINDERGARTEN 
ACCESS 
Subtitle A—Access to Voluntary 
Prekindergarten for Low- and 
Moderate-Income Families 
SEC. 101. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this subtitle are to— 
(1) establish a Federal-State partnership to 
provide access to high-quality public prekindergarten 
programs for all children from low-income and mod-
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erate-income families to ensure that they enter kin-
dergarten prepared for success; 
(2) broaden participation in such programs to 
include children from additional middle-class fami-
lies; 
(3) promote access to high-quality kindergarten, 
and high-quality early childhood education programs 
and settings for children; and 
(4) increase access to appropriate supports so 
children with disabilities and other special popu-
lations can fully participate in high-quality early 
education programs. 
SEC. 102. DEFINITIONS. 
In this subtitle: 
(1) CHILD
WITH
A
DISABILITY.—The term 
‘‘child with a disability’’ has the meaning given the 
term in section 602 of the Individuals with Disabil-
ities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1401). 
(2) COMPREHENSIVE EARLY LEARNING ASSESS-
MENT
SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘comprehensive early 
learning assessment system’’— 
(A) means a coordinated and comprehen-
sive system of multiple assessments, each of 
which is valid and reliable for its specified pur-
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pose and for the population with which it will 
be used, that— 
(i) organizes information about the 
process and context of young children’s 
learning and development to help early 
childhood educators make informed in-
structional and programmatic decisions; 
and 
(ii) conforms to the recommendations 
of the National Research Council reports 
on early childhood; and 
(B) includes, at a minimum— 
(i) child screening measures to iden-
tify children who may need follow-up serv-
ices to address developmental, learning, or 
health needs in, at a minimum, areas of 
physical health, behavioral health, oral 
health, child development, vision, and hear-
ing; 
(ii) child formative assessments; 
(iii) measures of environmental qual-
ity; and 
(iv) measures of the quality of adult- 
child interactions. 
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(3) DUAL
LANGUAGE
LEARNER.—The term 
‘‘dual language learner’’ means an individual who is 
limited English proficient. 
(4) 
EARLY
CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION
PRO-
GRAM.—The term ‘‘early childhood education pro-
gram’’ has the meaning given the term under section 
103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1003). 
(5) ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘elemen-
tary school’’ has the meaning given the term in sec-
tion 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(6) ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION DATE.—The 
term ‘‘eligibility determination date’’ means the date 
used to determine eligibility for public elementary 
school in the community in which the eligible local 
entity involved is located. 
(7) ELIGIBLE LOCAL ENTITY.—The term ‘‘eligi-
ble local entity’’ means— 
(A) a local educational agency, including a 
charter school or a charter management organi-
zation that acts as a local educational agency, 
or an educational service agency in partnership 
with a local educational agency; 
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(B) Requires high qualifications for staff, 
including that teachers meet the requirements 
of 1 of the following clauses: 
(i) The teacher has a bachelor’s de-
gree in early childhood education or a re-
lated field with coursework that dem-
onstrates competence in early childhood 
education. 
(ii) The teacher— 
(I) has a bachelor’s degree in any 
field; 
(II) has demonstrated knowledge 
of early childhood education by pass-
ing a State-approved assessment in 
early childhood education; 
(III) while employed as a teacher 
in the prekindergarten program, is en-
gaged in on-going professional devel-
opment in early childhood education 
for not less than 2 years; and 
(IV) not more than 4 years after 
starting employment as a teacher in 
the prekindergarten program, enrolls 
in and completes a State-approved ed-
ucator preparation program in which 
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the teacher receives training and sup-
port in early childhood education. 
(iii) The teacher has bachelor’s degree 
with a credential, license, or endorsement 
that demonstrates competence in early 
childhood education. 
(C) Maintains an evidence-based maximum 
class size. 
(D) Maintains an evidence-based child to 
instructional staff ratio. 
(E) Offers a full-day program. 
(F) Provides developmentally appropriate 
learning environments and evidence-based cur-
ricula that are aligned with the State’s early 
learning and development standards described 
in section 115(1). 
(G) Offers instructional staff salaries com-
parable to kindergarten through grade 12 
teaching staff. 
(H) Provides for ongoing monitoring and 
program evaluation to ensure continuous im-
provement. 
(I) Offers accessible comprehensive services 
for children that include, at a minimum— 
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(i) screenings for vision, hearing, den-
tal, health (including mental health), and 
development (including early literacy and 
math skill development) and referrals, and 
assistance obtaining services, when appro-
priate; 
(ii) family engagement opportunities 
that take into account home language, 
such as parent conferences (including par-
ent input about their child’s development) 
and support services, such as parent edu-
cation, home visiting, and family literacy 
services; 
(iii) nutrition services, including nutri-
tious meals and snack options aligned with 
requirements set by the most recent Child 
and Adult Care Food Program guidelines 
promulgated by the Department of Agri-
culture as well as regular, age-appropriate, 
nutrition education for children and their 
families; 
(iv) programs in coordination with 
local educational agencies and entities pro-
viding services and supports authorized 
under part B, section 619, and part C of 
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the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1419 and 1431 et seq.) to 
ensure the full participation of children 
with disabilities; 
(v) physical activity programs aligned 
with evidence-based guidelines, such as 
those recommended by the Institute of 
Medicine, and which take into account and 
accommodate children with disabilities; 
(vi) additional support services, as ap-
propriate, based on the findings of the 
needs analysis as described in section 110; 
and 
(vii) on-site coordination, to the max-
imum extent feasible. 
(J) Provides high-quality professional de-
velopment for all staff, including regular in- 
classroom observation for teachers and teacher 
assistants by individuals trained in such obser-
vation and which may include evidence-based 
coaching. 
(K) Meets the education performance 
standards in effect under section 641A(a)(1)(B) 
of 
the 
Head 
Start 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 
9836a(a)(1)(B)). 
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(L) Maintains evidence-based health and 
safety standards. 
(M) Maintains disciplinary policies that do 
not include expulsion or suspension of partici-
pating children, except only as a last resort in 
extraordinary circumstances where there is a 
determination of a serious safety threat and 
where there are policies to provide appropriate 
alternative early educational services to these 
children while they are out of school. 
(10) GOVERNOR.—The term ‘‘Governor’’ means 
the chief executive officer of a State. 
(11) HOMELESS CHILD.—The term ‘‘homeless 
child’’ means a child or youth described in section 
725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a(2)). 
(12) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.— 
The term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 102 of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002). 
(13) INDIAN TRIBE; TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.— 
The terms ‘‘Indian tribe’’ and ‘‘tribal organization’’ 
have the meanings given the terms in 658P of the 
Child Care and Development Block Grant of 1990 
(42 U.S.C. 9858n). 
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(14) LIMITED
ENGLISH
PROFICIENT.—The 
term ‘‘limited English proficient’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 637 of the Head Start Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9832). 
(15) LOCAL
EDUCATIONAL
AGENCY; STATE 
EDUCATIONAL
AGENCY; 
EDUCATIONAL
SERVICE 
AGENCY.—The terms ‘‘local educational agency’’, 
‘‘State educational agency’’, and ‘‘educational service 
agency’’ have the meanings given the terms in sec-
tion 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(16) MIGRATORY CHILD.—The term ‘‘migratory 
child’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6399). 
(17) OUTLYING
AREA.—The term ‘‘outlying 
area’’ means each of the United States Virgin Is-
lands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Republic 
of Palau. 
(18) POVERTY LINE.—The term ‘‘poverty line’’ 
means the official poverty line (as defined by the Of-
fice of Management and Budget)— 
(A) adjusted to reflect the percentage 
change in the Consumer Price Index for All 
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Urban Consumers published by the Bureau of 
Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor 
for the most recent 12-month period or other 
interval for which the data are available; and 
(B) applicable to a family of the size in-
volved. 
(19) SECONDARY
SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘sec-
ondary school’’ has the meaning given the term in 
section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
(20) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘‘Secretary’’ 
means the Secretary of Education. 
(21) STATE.—Except as otherwise provided in 
this subtitle, the term ‘‘State’’ means each of the 50 
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth 
of Puerto Rico, and each of the outlying areas. 
(22) STATE
ADVISORY
COUNCIL
ON
EARLY 
CHILDHOOD
EDUCATION
AND
CARE.—The term 
‘‘State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Edu-
cation and Care’’ means the State Advisory Council 
on Early Childhood Education and Care established 
under section 642B(b) of the Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9837b(b)). 
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SEC. 103. PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION. 
From amounts made available to carry out this sub-
title, the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, shall award grants to States 
to implement high-quality prekindergarten programs, con-
sistent with the purposes of this subtitle described in sec-
tion 101. For each fiscal year, the funds provided under 
a grant by a State shall equal the allotment determined 
for the State under section 114. 
SEC. 104. ALLOTMENTS AND RESERVATIONS OF FUNDS. 
(a) RESERVATION.—From the amount made avail-
able each fiscal year to carry out this subtitle, the Sec-
retary shall— 
(1) reserve not less than 1 percent and not 
more than 2 percent for payments to Indian tribes 
and tribal organizations; 
(2) reserve 1⁄2 of 1 percent for the outlying 
areas to be distributed among the outlying areas on 
the basis of their relative need, as determined by the 
Secretary in accordance with the purposes of this 
subtitle; 
(3) reserve 1⁄2 of 1 percent for eligible local en-
tities that serve children in families who are engaged 
in migrant or seasonal agricultural labor; and 
(4) reserve not more than 1 percent or 
$30,000,000, whichever amount is less, for national 
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activities, including administration, technical assist-
ance, and evaluation. 
(b) ALLOTMENTS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—From the amount made 
available each fiscal year to carry out this subtitle 
and not reserved under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall make allotments to States in accordance with 
paragraph (2) that have submitted an approved ap-
plication. 
(2) ALLOTMENT AMOUNT.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), the Secretary shall allot the amount 
made available under paragraph (1) for a fiscal 
year among the States in proportion to the 
number of children who are age 4 who reside 
within the State and are from families with in-
comes at or below 200 percent of the poverty 
line for the most recent year for which satisfac-
tory data are available, compared to the num-
ber of such children who reside in all such 
States for that fiscal year. 
(B) MINIMUM ALLOTMENT AMOUNT.—No 
State receiving an allotment under subpara-
graph (A) may receive less than 1⁄2 of 1 percent 
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of the total amount allotted under such sub-
paragraph. 
(3) REALLOTMENT AND CARRY OVER.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—If one or more States 
do not receive an allotment under this sub-
section for any fiscal year, the Secretary may 
use the amount of the allotment for that State 
or States, in such amounts as the Secretary de-
termines appropriate, for either or both of the 
following: 
(i) To increase the allotments of 
States with approved applications for the 
fiscal year, consistent with subparagraph 
(B). 
(ii) To carry over the funds to the 
next fiscal year. 
(B) REALLOTMENT.—In increasing allot-
ments under subparagraph (A)(i), the Secretary 
shall allot to each State with an approved appli-
cation an amount that bears the same relation-
ship to the total amount to be allotted under 
subparagraph (A)(i), as the amount the State 
received under paragraph (2) for that fiscal 
year bears to the amount that all States re-
ceived under paragraph (2) for that fiscal year. 
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(4) STATE.—For purposes of this subsection, 
the term ‘‘State’’ means each of the 50 States, the 
District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico. 
(c) FLEXIBILITY.—The Secretary may make minimal 
adjustments to allotments under this subsection, which 
shall neither lead to a significant increase or decrease in 
a State’s allotment determined under subsection (b), based 
on a set of factors, such as the level of program participa-
tion and the estimated cost of the activities specified in 
the State plan under section 116(a)(2). 
SEC. 105. STATE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. 
A State is eligible to receive a grant under this sub-
title if the State demonstrates to the Secretary that the 
State— 
(1) has established or will establish early learn-
ing and development standards that describe what 
children from birth to kindergarten entry should 
know and be able to do, are universally designed and 
developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appro-
priate, are aligned with the State’s challenging aca-
demic content standards and challenging student 
academic achievement standards, as adopted under 
section 1111(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(1)), and 
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cover all of the essential domains of school readi-
ness, which address— 
(A) physical well-being and motor develop-
ment; 
(B) social and emotional development; 
(C) approaches to learning, including cre-
ative arts expression; 
(D) developmentally appropriate oral and 
written language and literacy development; and 
(E) cognition and general knowledge, in-
cluding early mathematics and early scientific 
development; 
(2) has the ability or will develop the ability to 
link prekindergarten data with its elementary school 
and secondary school data for the purpose of col-
lecting longitudinal information for all children par-
ticipating in the State’s high-quality prekindergarten 
program and any other federally funded early child-
hood program that will remain with the child 
through the child’s public education through grade 
12; 
(3) offers State-funded kindergarten for chil-
dren who are eligible children for that service in the 
State; and 
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(4) has established a State Advisory Council on 
Early Childhood Education and Care. 
SEC. 106. STATE APPLICATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To receive a grant under this sub-
title, the Governor of a State, in consultation with the In-
dian tribes and tribal organizations in the State, if any, 
shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, 
in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may reasonably require. At a minimum, each 
such application shall include— 
(1) an assurance that the State— 
(A) will coordinate with and continue to 
participate in the programs authorized under 
section 619 and part C of the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419 and 
1431 et seq.), the Child Care and Development 
Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et 
seq.), and the maternal, infant, and early child-
hood home visiting programs funded under sec-
tion 511 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
711) for the duration of the grant; 
(B) will designate a State-level entity (such 
as an agency or joint interagency office), se-
lected by the Governor, for the administration 
of the grant, which shall coordinate and consult 
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with the State educational agency if the entity 
is not the State educational agency; and 
(C) will establish, or certify the existence 
of, program standards for all State prekinder-
garten programs consistent with the definition 
of a high-quality prekindergarten program 
under section 102; 
(2) a description of the State’s plan to— 
(A) use funds received under this subtitle 
and the State’s matching funds to provide high- 
quality prekindergarten programs, in accord-
ance with section 117(d), with open enrollment 
for all children in the State who— 
(i) are described in section 102(9)(A); 
and 
(ii) are from families with incomes at 
or below 200 percent of the poverty line; 
(B) develop or enhance a system for moni-
toring eligible local entities that are receiving 
funds under this subtitle for compliance with 
quality standards developed by the State and to 
provide program improvement support, which 
may be accomplished through the use of a 
State-developed system for quality rating and 
improvement; 
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(C) if applicable, expand participation in 
the State’s high-quality prekindergarten pro-
grams to children from families with incomes 
above 200 percent of the poverty line; 
(D) carry out the State’s comprehensive 
early learning assessment system, or how the 
State plans to develop such a system, ensuring 
that any assessments are culturally, develop-
mentally, and age-appropriate and consistent 
with the recommendations from the study on 
Developmental Outcomes and Assessments for 
Young Children by the National Academy of 
Sciences, consistent with section 649(j) of the 
Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9844); 
(E) develop, implement, and make publicly 
available the performance measures and targets 
described in section 109; 
(F) increase the number of teachers with 
bachelor’s degrees in early childhood education, 
or with bachelor’s degrees in another closely re-
lated field and specialized training and dem-
onstrated competency in early childhood edu-
cation, including how institutions of higher edu-
cation will support increasing the number of 
teachers with such degrees and training, includ-
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ing through the use of assessments of prior 
learning, knowledge, and skills to facilitate and 
expedite attainment of such degrees; 
(G) coordinate and integrate the activities 
funded under this subtitle with Federal, State, 
and local services and programs that support 
early childhood education and care, including 
programs supported under this subtitle, the El-
ementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et 
seq.), the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et 
seq.), the Community Services Block Grant Act 
(42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.), the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), the temporary assistance 
for needy families program under part A of title 
IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601 et 
seq.), the State incentive grant program under 
section 14006 of the American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–5), 
federally funded early literacy programs, the 
maternal, infant, and early childhood home vis-
iting programs funded under section 511 of the 
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 711), health im-
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provements to child care funded under title 
XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 
et seq.), the program under subtitle B of title 
VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431 et seq.), the Invest-
ing In Innovation program under section 14007 
of the American Recovery and Reinvestment 
Act of 2009 (Public Law 111–5), programs au-
thorized under part E of title IV of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 670 et seq.), the Fos-
tering Connections to Success and Increasing 
Adoptions Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–351), 
grants for infant and toddler care through 
Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships 
funded under the heading ‘‘Children and Fami-
lies Services Programs—Administration for 
Children and Families’’ in the Department of 
Health and Human Services Appropriations 
Act, 2014 (title II of division H of Public Law 
113–76; 128 Stat. 363), the preschool develop-
ment grants program funded under the heading 
‘‘Innovation and Improvement’’ in the Depart-
ment of Education Appropriations Act, 2015 
(title III of division G of Public Law 113–235; 
128 Stat. 2492), and any other Federal, State, 
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or local early childhood education programs 
used in the State; 
(H) award subgrants to eligible local enti-
ties, and in awarding such subgrants, facilitate 
a delivery system of high-quality prekinder-
garten programs that includes diverse pro-
viders, such as providers in community-based, 
public school, and private settings, and consider 
the system’s impact on options for families; 
(I) in the case of a State that does not 
have a funding mechanism for subgranting 
funds to implement high-quality prekinder-
garten, use objective criteria in awarding sub-
grants to eligible local entities that will imple-
ment high-quality prekindergarten programs, 
including actions the State will take to ensure 
that eligible local entities will coordinate with 
local educational agencies or other early learn-
ing providers, as appropriate, to carry out ac-
tivities to provide children served under this 
subtitle with a successful transition from pre-
school into kindergarten, which activities shall 
include— 
(i) aligning curricular objectives and 
instruction; 
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(ii) providing staff professional devel-
opment, including opportunities for joint- 
professional development on early learning 
and kindergarten through grade 3 stand-
ards, assessments, and curricula; 
(iii) coordinating family engagement 
and support services; and 
(iv) encouraging the shared use of fa-
cilities and transportation, as appropriate; 
(J) use the State early learning and devel-
opment standards described in section 105(1) 
to address the needs of dual language learners, 
including by incorporating benchmarks related 
to English language development; 
(K) identify barriers, and propose solutions 
to overcome such barriers, which may include 
seeking assistance under section 116, in the 
State to effectively use and integrate Federal, 
State, and local public funds and private funds 
for early childhood education that are available 
to the State on the date on which the applica-
tion is submitted; 
(L) support articulation agreements (as 
defined in section 486A of the Higher Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1093a)) between 
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public 2-year and public 4-year institutions of 
higher education and other credit-bearing pro-
fessional development in the State for early 
childhood teacher preparation programs and 
closely related fields; 
(M) ensure that the higher education pro-
grams in the State have the capacity to prepare 
a workforce to provide high-quality prekinder-
garten programs; 
(N) support workforce development, in-
cluding State and local policies that support 
prekindergarten instructional staff’s ability to 
earn a degree, certification, or other specializa-
tions or qualifications, including policies on 
leave, substitutes, and child care services, in-
cluding non-traditional hour child care; 
(O) hold eligible local entities accountable 
for use of funds; 
(P) ensure that the State’s early learning 
and development standards are integrated into 
the instructional and programmatic practices of 
high-quality prekindergarten programs and re-
lated programs and services, such as those pro-
vided to children under section 619 and part C 
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of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1419 and 1431 et seq.); 
(Q) increase the number of children in the 
State who are enrolled in high-quality kinder-
garten programs and carry out a strategy to 
implement such a plan; 
(R) coordinate the State’s activities sup-
ported by grants under this subtitle with activi-
ties in State plans required under the Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), the Individuals with Dis-
abilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et 
seq.), the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et 
seq.), the Child Care and Development Block 
Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), 
and the Adult Education and Family Literacy 
Act (20 U.S.C. 9201 et seq.); 
(S) encourage eligible local entities to co-
ordinate with community-based learning re-
sources, such as libraries, arts and arts edu-
cation programs, appropriate media programs, 
family literacy programs, public parks and 
recreation programs, museums, nutrition edu-
cation programs, and programs supported by 
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the Corporation for National and Community 
Service; 
(T) work with eligible local entities, in con-
sultation with elementary school principals, to 
ensure that high-quality prekindergarten pro-
grams have sufficient and appropriate facilities 
to meet the needs of children eligible for pre-
kindergarten; 
(U) support local early childhood coordi-
nating entities, such as local early childhood 
councils, if applicable, and help such entities to 
coordinate early childhood education programs 
with high-quality prekindergarten programs to 
ensure effective and efficient delivery of early 
childhood education program services; 
(V) support shared services administering 
entities, if applicable; 
(W) ensure that the provision of high-qual-
ity prekindergarten programs will not lead to a 
diminution in the quality or supply of services 
for infants and toddlers or disrupt the care of 
infants and toddlers in the geographic area 
served by the eligible local entity, which may in-
clude demonstrating that the State will direct 
funds to provide high-quality early childhood 
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education and care to infants and toddlers in 
accordance with section 117(d); 
(X) encourage or promote socioeconomic, 
racial, and ethnic diversity in the classrooms of 
high-quality prekindergarten programs, as ap-
plicable; and 
(Y) ensure that all high-quality prekinder-
garten programs the State supports under this 
Act will conduct criminal history background 
checks that meet the requirements of subsection 
(b) on employees and applicants for employ-
ment with unsupervised access to children; and 
(3) an inventory of the State’s higher education 
programs that prepare individuals for work in a 
high-quality prekindergarten program, including— 
(A) certification programs; 
(B) associate degree programs; 
(C) baccalaureate degree programs; 
(D) masters degree programs; and 
(E) other programs that lead to a speciali-
zation in early childhood education, or a related 
field. 
(b) CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECKS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The criminal history back-
ground checks required under subsection (a)(2)(Y) 
shall include— 
(A) a search of the State criminal registry 
or repository in the State in which the employee 
resides and previously resided; 
(B) a search of the State-based child abuse 
and neglect registries and databases in the 
State in which the employee resides and pre-
viously resided; 
(C) a Federal Bureau of Investigation fin-
gerprint check using the Integrated Automated 
Fingerprint Identification System; and 
(D) a search of the National Sex Offender 
Registry established under section 119 of the 
Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 
2006 (42 U.S.C. 16919). 
(2) PROHIBITION OF EMPLOYMENT.—To be eli-
gible to receive a grant under this subtitle, a State 
shall prohibit an individual with unsupervised access 
to children from employment with a program sup-
ported with grant funds under this subtitle if the in-
dividual has been convicted of a violent felony or any 
violent or sexual crime against a minor, as defined 
by the State. 
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(3) UPDATED CHECKS.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a grant under this subtitle, each criminal his-
tory background check conducted on an employee as 
required under subsection (a)(2)(Y) shall be periodi-
cally repeated or updated one time at least every five 
years. 
(4) SUBMISSION
OF
REQUESTS
FOR
BACK-
GROUND CHECKS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—A high-quality pre-
kindergarten program shall submit a request, to 
the appropriate State agency designated by a 
State, for a criminal background check de-
scribed in subsection (b)(1), for each individual 
employee with unsupervised access to children. 
(B) PROSPECTIVE
EMPLOYEES.—In the 
case of an individual who is a prospective em-
ployee with unsupervised access to children on 
or after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the provider shall submit such a request— 
(i) prior to the date the individual be-
comes an employee; and 
(ii) not less than once during each 5- 
year period following the first submission 
date under this paragraph for that staff 
member. 
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(5) BACKGROUND CHECK RESULTS.— 
(A) BACKGROUND CHECK RESULTS.—The 
State shall carry out the request of a high-qual-
ity prekindergarten program for a criminal 
background check as expeditiously as possible, 
but not to exceed 45 days after the date on 
which such request was submitted, and shall 
provide the results of the criminal background 
check to such program and to the employee 
staff member. 
(B) PRIVACY.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—The State shall 
provide the results of the criminal back-
ground check to the high-quality pre-
kindergarten program in a statement that 
indicates whether an employee is eligible or 
ineligible for employment without revealing 
any disqualifying crime or other related in-
formation regarding the individual. 
(ii) INELIGIBLE
EMPLOYEE.—If the 
employee is ineligible for such employment 
due to the background check, the State 
will, when providing the results of the 
background check, include information re-
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lated to each disqualifying crime, in a re-
port to the employee. 
(iii) PUBLIC RELEASE OF RESULTS.— 
No State shall publicly release or share the 
results of individual background checks, 
except States may release aggregated data 
by crime from background check results, 
as long as such data does not contain per-
sonally identifiable information. 
(6) APPEALS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The State shall provide 
for a process by which an employee may appeal 
the results of a criminal background check con-
ducted under this section to challenge the accu-
racy or completeness of the information con-
tained in such employee’s criminal background 
report. 
(B) APPEALS PROCESS.—The State shall 
ensure that— 
(i) each employee shall be given notice 
of the opportunity to appeal; 
(ii) an employee will receive instruc-
tions about how to complete the appeals 
process if the employee wishes to challenge 
the accuracy or completeness of the infor-
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mation contained in such employee’s crimi-
nal background report; and 
(iii) the appeals process is completed 
in a timely manner for each employee not 
to exceed 45 days. 
(C) COSTS.—An employee who has suc-
cessfully challenged the findings contained in 
such employee’s criminal background check re-
port in the appeals process under this para-
graph shall be allowed to seek compensation for 
any reasonable costs incurred from such appeal. 
(7) REVIEW.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The State shall estab-
lish a timely review process not to exceed 45 
days through which the State may determine 
that an employee identified in paragraph (2) is 
eligible for employment with the high-quality 
prekindergarten program. 
(B) FACTORS.—The review process shall 
be an individualized assessment consistent with 
title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 
U.S.C. 2000e et seq.) and the U.S. Equal Em-
ployment Opportunity Commission Enforcement 
Guidance on the Consideration of Arrest and 
Conviction Records in Employment Decisions, 
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and may include consideration of the following 
factors— 
(i) nature and seriousness of the of-
fense; 
(ii) circumstances under which the of-
fense was committed; 
(iii) lapse of time since the offense 
was committed or the individual was re-
leased from prison; 
(iv) individual’s age at the time of the 
offense; 
(v) social conditions which may have 
fostered the offense; 
(vi) relationship of the nature of the 
offense to the position sought; 
(vii) number of criminal convictions; 
(viii) honesty and transparency of the 
candidate in admitting the conviction 
record; 
(ix) individual’s work history, includ-
ing evidence that the individual performed 
the same or similar work, post-conviction, 
with the same or different employer, with 
no known incidents of criminal conduct; 
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(x) evidence of rehabilitation as dem-
onstrated by the individual’s good conduct 
while in correctional custody and/or the 
community; counseling or psychiatric treat-
ment received; acquisition of additional 
academic or vocational schooling; success-
ful participation in correctional work-re-
lease programs and the recommendations 
of persons who have or have had the appli-
cant under their supervision; 
(xi) whether the individual is bonded 
under Federal, State, or local bonding pro-
gram; and 
(xii) any other factor that may lead to 
the conclusion that the individual does not 
pose a risk to children. 
(C) LIMITATION.—This paragraph shall 
not apply to an employee who has been con-
victed of a serious violent or sexual felony 
against a child, as determined by the State. 
(8) NO PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.—Nothing 
in this section shall be construed to create a private 
right of action if a high-quality prekindergarten pro-
gram has acted in accordance with this section. 
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(9) FEES
FOR
BACKGROUND
CHECKS.—Fees 
that a State may charge for the costs of processing 
applications and administering a criminal back-
ground check as required by this section shall not 
exceed the actual costs to the State for the proc-
essing and administration. 
(10) CONSTRUCTION.— 
(A) 
DISQUALIFICATION
FOR
OTHER 
CRIMES.—Nothing in this section shall be con-
strued to prevent a State from disqualifying in-
dividuals as an employee based on their convic-
tion for crimes not specifically listed in this sec-
tion that bear upon the fitness of an individual 
to provide care for and have responsibility for 
the safety and well-being of children. 
(B) RIGHTS AND REMEDIES.—Nothing in 
this section shall be construed to alter or other-
wise affect the rights and remedies provided for 
an employee residing in a State that disqualifies 
individuals as an employee for crimes not spe-
cifically provided for under this section. 
(11) REPORTING.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Education shall report to Congress on— 
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(A) any information available about num-
bers of individuals restricted or disqualified 
from being an employee on the basis of a crimi-
nal record identified in the background check, 
pursuant to this section in total, and for each 
type of conviction, disaggregated by race, gen-
der, national origin, and ethnicity; 
(B) the identity of each State’s agency 
with jurisdiction over the background check re-
sults and appeals process described in para-
graph (6); 
(C) the identity of each State’s agency 
with jurisdiction over the individualized assess-
ment, as described in paragraph (7); 
(D) the numbers of individuals approved 
for consideration as an employee by the individ-
ualized assessment, as described in paragraph 
(7) in total, and for each type of conviction, 
disaggregated by race, gender, national origin, 
and ethnicity; and 
(E) the numbers of successful and unsuc-
cessful appeals to the accuracy and complete-
ness of records or information, in total, by 
State, and by type of conviction, disaggregated 
by race, gender, national origin, and ethnicity. 
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SEC. 107. STATE USE OF FUNDS. 
(a) RESERVATION FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AC-
TIVITIES.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—A State that receives a 
grant under this subtitle may reserve for, not more 
than the first 4 years such State receives such a 
grant, not more than 20 percent of the grant funds 
for quality improvement activities that support the 
elements of high-quality prekindergarten programs. 
Such quality improvement activities may include 
supporting teachers, center directors, and principals 
in a State’s high-quality prekindergarten program, 
licensed or regulated child care, or Head Start pro-
grams to enable such teachers or directors to earn 
a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education, 
or closely related field, through activities which may 
include— 
(A) expanding or establishing scholarships, 
counseling, and compensation initiatives to 
cover the cost of tuition, fees, materials, trans-
portation, and release time for such teachers; 
(B) providing ongoing professional develop-
ment opportunities, including regular in-class-
room observation by individuals trained in such 
observation, for such teachers, directors, prin-
cipals, and teachers assistants to enable such 
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teachers, directors, principals, and teachers as-
sistants to carry out the elements of high-qual-
ity prekindergarten programs, which may in-
clude activities that address— 
(i) promoting children’s development 
across all of the essential domains of early 
learning and development; 
(ii) developmentally appropriate cur-
ricula and teacher-child interaction; 
(iii) effective family engagement; 
(iv) providing culturally competent in-
struction; 
(v) working with a diversity of chil-
dren and families, including children with 
special needs and dual language learners; 
(vi) childhood nutrition and physical 
education programs; 
(vii) supporting the implementation of 
evidence-based curricula; 
(viii) social and emotional develop-
ment; and 
(ix) 
incorporating 
age-appropriate 
strategies of positive behavioral interven-
tions and supports; and 
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(C) providing families with increased op-
portunities to learn how best to support their 
children’s physical, cognitive, social, and emo-
tional development during the first five years of 
life. 
(2) NOT SUBJECT TO MATCHING.—The amount 
reserved under paragraph (1) shall not be subject to 
the matching requirements under section 110. 
(3) COORDINATION.—A State that reserves an 
amount under paragraph (1) shall coordinate the 
use of such amount with activities funded under sec-
tion 658G of the Child Care and Development Block 
Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858e) and the Head 
Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.). 
(4) CONSTRUCTION.—A State may not use 
funds reserved under this subsection to meet the re-
quirement described in section 102(9)(G). 
(b) SUBGRANTS
FOR HIGH-QUALITY PREKINDER-
GARTEN PROGRAMS.—A State that receives a grant under 
this subtitle shall award subgrants of sufficient size to eli-
gible local entities to enable such eligible local entities to 
implement high-quality prekindergarten programs for chil-
dren who— 
(1) are described in section 102(9)(A); 
(2) reside within the State; and 
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(3) are from families with incomes at or below 
200 percent of the poverty line. 
(c) ADMINISTRATION.—A State that receives a grant 
under this subtitle may reserve not more than 1 percent 
of the grant funds for administration of the grant, and 
may use part of that reservation for the maintenance of 
the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education 
and Care. 
(d) EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE PRO-
GRAMS FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS.— 
(1) USE
OF
ALLOTMENT
FOR
INFANTS
AND 
TODDLERS.—An eligible State may apply to use, and 
the appropriate Secretary may grant permission for 
the State to use, not more than 15 percent of the 
funds made available through a grant received under 
this subtitle to award subgrants to early childhood 
education programs to provide, consistent with the 
State’s early learning and development guidelines for 
infants and toddlers, high-quality early childhood 
education and care to infants and toddlers who re-
side within the State and are from families with in-
comes at or below 200 percent of the poverty line. 
(2) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to use the 
grant funds as described in paragraph (1), the State 
shall submit an application to the appropriate Sec-
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retary at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Secretary may require. Such 
application shall, at a minimum, include a descrip-
tion of how the State will— 
(A) designate a lead agency which shall ad-
minister such funds; 
(B) ensure that such lead agency, in co-
ordination with the State’s Advisory Council on 
Early Childhood Education and Care, will col-
laborate with other agencies in administering 
programs supported under this subsection for 
infants and toddlers in order to obtain input 
about the appropriate use of such funds and en-
sure coordination with programs for infants and 
toddlers funded under the Child Care and De-
velopment Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
9858 et seq.), the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9831 et seq.) (including any Early Learning 
Quality Partnerships established in the State 
under section 645B of the Head Start Act, as 
added by section 202), the Race to the Top and 
Early Learning Challenge program under sec-
tion 14006 of Public Law 111–5 (123 Stat. 
283), the maternal, infant, and early childhood 
home visiting programs funded under section 
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511 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 711), 
part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Edu-
cation Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.), and grants 
for infant and toddler care through Early Head 
Start-Child Care Partnerships funded under the 
heading ‘‘Children and Families Services Pro-
grams—Administration for Children and Fami-
lies’’ in the Department of Health and Human 
Services Appropriations Act, 2014 (title II of 
division H of Public Law 113–76; 128 Stat. 
363); 
(C) ensure that infants and toddlers who 
benefit from amounts made available under this 
subsection will transition to and have the oppor-
tunity to participate in a high-quality pre-
kindergarten program supported under this 
subtitle; 
(D) in awarding subgrants, give preference 
to early childhood education programs that 
have a written formal plan with baseline data, 
benchmarks, and timetables to increase access 
to and full participation in high-quality pre-
kindergarten programs for children with special 
needs, including children with developmental 
delays or disabilities, children who are dual lan-
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guage learners, homeless children, children who 
are in foster care, children of migrant families, 
children eligible for free or reduced-price lunch 
under the Richard B. Russell National School 
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), or children 
in the child welfare system; and 
(E) give priority to activities carried out 
under this subsection that will increase access 
to high-quality early childhood education pro-
grams for infants and toddlers in local areas 
with significant concentrations of low-income 
families that do not currently benefit from such 
programs. 
(3) ELIGIBLE PROVIDERS.—A State may use 
the grant funds as described in paragraph (1) to 
serve infants and toddlers only by working with 
early childhood education program providers that— 
(A) offer full-day, full-year care, or other-
wise meet the needs of working families; and 
(B) meet high-quality standards, such as— 
(i) Early Head Start program per-
formance standards under the Head Start 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.); or 
(ii) high-quality, demonstrated, valid, 
and reliable program standards that have 
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been established through a national entity 
that accredits early childhood education 
programs. 
(4) FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Edu-
cation shall bear responsibility for obligating 
and disbursing funds to support activities under 
this subsection and ensuring compliance with 
applicable laws and administrative require-
ments, subject to paragraph (3). 
(B) INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT.—The Sec-
retary of Education and the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services shall jointly ad-
minister activities supported under this sub-
section on such terms as such Secretaries shall 
set forth in an interagency agreement. The Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services shall be 
responsible for any final approval of a State’s 
application under this subsection that addresses 
the use of funds designated for services to in-
fants and toddlers. 
(C) APPROPRIATE
SECRETARY.—In this 
subsection, the term ‘‘appropriate Secretary’’ 
used with respect to a function, means the Sec-
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retary designated for that function under the 
interagency agreement. 
SEC. 108. ADDITIONAL PREKINDERGARTEN SERVICES. 
(a) PREKINDERGARTEN FOR 3-YEAR-OLDS.—Each 
State that certifies to the Secretary that the State pro-
vides universally available, voluntary, high-quality pre-
kindergarten programs for 4-year-old children who reside 
within the State and are from families with incomes at 
or below 200 percent of the poverty line may use the 
State’s allocation under section 104(b) to provide high- 
quality prekindergarten programs for 3-year-old children 
who reside within the State and are from families with 
incomes at or below 200 percent of the poverty line. 
(b) SUBGRANTS.—In each State that has a city, 
county, or local educational agency that provides univer-
sally available high-quality prekindergarten programs for 
4-year-old children who reside within the State and are 
from families with incomes at or below 200 percent of the 
poverty line the State may use amounts from the State’s 
allocation under section 104(b) to award subgrants to eli-
gible local entities to enable such eligible local entities to 
provide high-quality prekindergarten programs for 3-year- 
old children who are from families with incomes at or 
below 200 percent of the poverty line and who reside in 
such city, county or local educational agency. 
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SEC. 109. PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND TARGETS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—A State that receives a grant 
under this subtitle shall develop, implement, and make 
publicly available the performance measures and targets 
for the activities carried out with grant funds. Such meas-
ures shall, at a minimum, track the State’s progress in— 
(1) increasing school readiness across all do-
mains for all categories of children, as described in 
section 113(b)(7), including children with disabilities 
and dual language learners; 
(2) narrowing school readiness gaps between 
minority and nonminority children, and low-income 
children and more advantaged children, in prepara-
tion for kindergarten entry; 
(3) decreasing placement for children in ele-
mentary school in special education programs and 
services as described in part B of the Individuals 
with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1411 et 
seq.); 
(4) increasing the number of programs meeting 
the criteria for high-quality prekindergarten pro-
grams across all types of local eligible entities, as de-
fined by the State and in accordance with section 
102; 
(5) decreasing the need for grade-to-grade re-
tention in elementary school; 
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(6) if applicable, ensuring that high-quality pre-
kindergarten programs do not experience instances 
of chronic absence among the children who partici-
pate in such programs; 
(7) increasing the number and percentage of 
low-income children in high-quality early childhood 
education programs that receive financial support 
through funds provided under this subtitle; and 
(8) providing high-quality nutrition services, 
nutrition education, physical activity, and obesity 
prevention programs. 
(b) PROHIBITION OF MISDIAGNOSIS PRACTICES.—A 
State shall not, in order to meet the performance meas-
ures and targets described in subsection (a), engage in 
practices or policies that will lead to the misdiagnosis or 
under-diagnosis of disabilities or developmental delays 
among children who are served through programs sup-
ported under this subtitle. 
SEC. 110. MATCHING REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) MATCHING FUNDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), a State that receives a grant under this 
subtitle shall provide matching funds from non-Fed-
eral sources, as described in subsection (c), in an 
amount equal to— 
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(A) 10 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the first year of grant 
administration; 
(B) 10 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the second year of 
grant administration; 
(C) 20 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the third year of grant 
administration; 
(D) 30 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the fourth year of 
grant administration; 
(E) 40 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the fifth year of grant 
administration; 
(F) 50 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the sixth year of grant 
administration; 
(G) 75 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the seventh year of 
grant administration; and 
(H) 100 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the eighth and fol-
lowing years of grant administration. 
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(2) REDUCED
MATCH
RATE.—A State that 
meets the requirements under subsection (b) may 
provide matching funds from non-Federal sources at 
a reduced rate. The full reduced matching funds 
rate shall be in an amount equal to— 
(A) 5 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the first year of grant 
administration; 
(B) 5 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the second year of 
grant administration; 
(C) 10 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the third year of grant 
administration; 
(D) 20 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the fourth year of 
grant administration; 
(E) 30 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the fifth year of grant 
administration; 
(F) 40 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the sixth year of grant 
administration; 
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(G) 50 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the seventh year of 
grant administration; 
(H) 75 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the eighth year of 
grant administration; and 
(I) 100 percent of the Federal funds pro-
vided under the grant in the ninth and fol-
lowing years of the grant administration. 
(b) REDUCED MATCH RATE ELIGIBILITY.—A State 
that receives a grant under this subtitle may provide 
matching funds from non-Federal sources at the full re-
duced rate under subsection (a)(2) if the State— 
(1)(A) offers enrollment in high-quality pre-
kindergarten programs to not less than half of chil-
dren in the State who are— 
(i) age 4 on the eligibility determination 
date; and 
(ii) from families with incomes at or below 
200 percent of the poverty line; and 
(B) has a plan for continuing to expand access 
to high-quality prekindergarten programs for such 
children in the State; and 
(2) has a plan to expand access to high-quality 
prekindergarten programs to children from moderate 
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income families whose income exceeds 200 percent of 
the poverty line. 
(c) NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES.— 
(1) IN CASH.—A State shall provide the match-
ing funds under this section in cash with non-Fed-
eral resources which may include State funding, 
local funding, or contributions from philanthropy or 
other private sources, or a combination thereof. 
(2) FUNDS TO BE CONSIDERED AS MATCHING 
FUNDS.—A State may include, as part of the State’s 
matching funds under this section, not more than 10 
percent of the amount of State funds designated for 
State prekindergarten programs or to supplement 
Head Start programs under the Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) as of the date of enactment of 
this Act, but may not include any funds that are at-
tributed as matching funds, as part of a non-Federal 
share, or as a maintenance of effort requirement, for 
any other Federal program. 
(d) MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—If a State reduces its com-
bined fiscal effort per student or the aggregate ex-
penditures within the State to support early child-
hood education programs for any fiscal year that a 
State receives a grant authorized under this subtitle 
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relative to the previous fiscal year, the Secretary 
shall reduce support for such State under this sub-
title by the same amount as the decline in State and 
local effort for such fiscal year. 
(2) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive the re-
quirements of paragraph (1) if— 
(A) the Secretary determines that a waiver 
would be appropriate due to a precipitous de-
cline in the financial resources of a State as a 
result of unforeseen economic hardship or a 
natural disaster that has necessitated across- 
the-board reductions in State services, including 
early childhood education programs; or 
(B) due to the circumstances of a State re-
quiring reductions in specific programs, includ-
ing early childhood education, if the State pre-
sents to the Secretary a justification and dem-
onstration why other programs could not be re-
duced and how early childhood programs in the 
State will not be disproportionately harmed by 
such State action. 
(e) SUPPLEMENT NOT SUPPLANT.—Grant funds re-
ceived under this subtitle shall be used to supplement and 
not supplant other Federal, State, and local public funds 
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expended on public prekindergarten programs in the 
State. 
SEC. 111. ELIGIBLE LOCAL ENTITY APPLICATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—An eligible local entity desiring to 
receive a subgrant under section 107(b) shall submit an 
application to the State, at such time, in such manner, 
and containing such information as the State may reason-
ably require. 
(b) CONTENTS.—Each application submitted under 
subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT.—A de-
scription of how the eligible local entity plans to en-
gage the parents and families of the children such 
entity serves and ensure that parents and families of 
eligible children, as described in clauses (i) and (ii) 
of section 106(a)(2)(A), are aware of the services 
provided by the eligible local entity, which shall in-
clude a plan to— 
(A) carry out meaningful parent and fam-
ily engagement, through the implementation 
and replication of evidence-based or promising 
practices and strategies, which shall be coordi-
nated with parent and family engagement strat-
egies supported under the Individuals with Dis-
abilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) 
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and part A of title I and title V of the Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 6311 et seq.; 7201 et seq.) and strate-
gies in the Head Start Parent, Family, and 
Community Engagement Framework, if appli-
cable, to— 
(i) provide parents and family mem-
bers with the skills and opportunities nec-
essary to become engaged and effective 
partners in their children’s education, par-
ticularly the families of dual language 
learners and children with disabilities, 
which may include access to family literacy 
services; 
(ii) improve child development; and 
(iii) strengthen relationships among 
prekindergarten staff and parents and 
family members; and 
(B) participate in community outreach to 
encourage families with eligible children to par-
ticipate in the eligible local entity’s high-quality 
prekindergarten program, including— 
(i) homeless children; 
(ii) dual language learners; 
(iii) children in foster care; 
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(iv) children with disabilities; and 
(v) migrant children. 
(2) COORDINATION
AND
ALIGNMENT.—A de-
scription of how the eligible local entity will— 
(A) coordinate, if applicable, the eligible 
local entity’s activities with— 
(i) Head Start agencies (consistent 
with section 642(e)(5) of the Head Start 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9837(e)(5))), if the local 
entity is not a Head Start agency; 
(ii) local educational agencies, if the 
eligible local entity is not a local edu-
cational agency; 
(iii) providers of services under part C 
of the Individuals with Disabilities Edu-
cation Act (20 U.S.C. 1431 et seq.); 
(iv) programs carried out under sec-
tion 619 of the Individuals with Disabil-
ities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419); and 
(v) if feasible, other entities carrying 
out early childhood education programs 
and services within the area served by the 
local educational agency; 
(B) develop a process to promote con-
tinuity of developmentally appropriate instruc-
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tional programs and shared expectations with 
local elementary schools for children’s learning 
and development as children transition to kin-
dergarten; 
(C) organize, if feasible, and participate in 
joint training, when available, including transi-
tion-related training for school staff and early 
childhood education program staff; 
(D) establish comprehensive transition 
policies and procedures, with applicable elemen-
tary schools and principals, for the children 
served by the eligible local entity that support 
the school readiness of children transitioning to 
kindergarten, including the transfer of early 
childhood education program records, with pa-
rental consent; 
(E) conduct outreach to parents, families, 
and elementary school teachers and principals 
to discuss the educational, developmental, and 
other needs of children entering kindergarten; 
(F) help parents, including parents of chil-
dren who are dual language learners, under-
stand and engage with the instructional and 
other services provided by the kindergarten in 
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which such child will enroll after participation 
in a high-quality prekindergarten program; and 
(G) develop and implement a system to in-
crease program participation of underserved 
populations of eligible children, especially home-
less children, children eligible for a free or re-
duced-price lunch under the Richard B. Russell 
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et 
seq.), parents of children who are dual language 
learners, and parents of children with disabil-
ities. 
(3) FULL PARTICIPATION OF CHILDREN FROM 
SPECIAL POPULATIONS.—A description of how the 
eligible local entity will meet the diverse needs of 
children in the community to be served, including 
children with disabilities, children whose native lan-
guage is not English, children with other special 
needs, children in the State foster care system, and 
homeless children. Such description shall dem-
onstrate, at a minimum, how the entity plans to— 
(A) ensure the eligible local entity’s high- 
quality prekindergarten program is accessible 
and appropriate for children with disabilities 
and dual language learners; 
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(B) establish effective procedures for en-
suring use of evidence-based practices in assess-
ment and instruction, including use of data for 
progress monitoring of child performance and 
provision of technical assistance support for 
staff to ensure fidelity with evidence-based 
practices; 
(C) establish effective procedures for time-
ly referral of children with disabilities to the 
State or local agency described in subparagraph 
(B); 
(D) ensure that the eligible local entity’s 
high-quality prekindergarten program works 
with appropriate entities to address the elimi-
nation of barriers to immediate and continuous 
enrollment for homeless children; and 
(E) ensure access to and continuity of en-
rollment in high-quality prekindergarten pro-
grams for migratory children, if applicable, and 
homeless children, including through policies 
and procedures that require— 
(i) outreach to identify migratory chil-
dren and homeless children; 
(ii) immediate enrollment, including 
enrollment during the period of time when 
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documents typically required for enroll-
ment, including health and immunization 
records, proof of eligibility, and other docu-
ments, are obtained; 
(iii) continuous enrollment and par-
ticipation in the same high-quality pre-
kindergarten program for a child, even if 
the child moves out of the program’s serv-
ice area, if that enrollment and participa-
tion are in the child’s best interest, includ-
ing by providing transportation when nec-
essary; 
(iv) professional development for high- 
quality prekindergarten program staff re-
garding migratory children and homeless-
ness among families with young children; 
and 
(v) in serving homeless children, col-
laboration with local educational agency li-
aisons 
designated 
under 
section 
722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento 
Homeless 
Assistance 
Act 
(42 
U.S.C. 
11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)), and local homeless 
service providers. 
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(4) ACCESSIBLE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES.— 
A description of how the eligible local entity plans to 
provide accessible comprehensive services, described 
in section 102(9)(I), to the children the eligible local 
entity serves. Such description shall provide informa-
tion on how the entity will— 
(A) conduct a data-driven community as-
sessment in coordination with members of the 
community, including parents and community 
organizations, or use a recently conducted data- 
driven assessment, which— 
(i) may involve an external partner 
with expertise in conducting such needs 
analysis, to determine the most appro-
priate social or other support services to 
offer through the eligible local entity’s on- 
site comprehensive services to children who 
participate in high-quality prekindergarten 
programs; and 
(ii) shall consider the resources avail-
able at the school, local educational agen-
cy, and community levels to address the 
needs of the community and improve child 
outcomes; and 
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(B) have a coordinated system to facilitate 
the screening, referral, and provision of services 
related to health, nutrition, mental health, dis-
ability, and family support for children served 
by the eligible local entity. 
(5) WORKFORCE.—A description of how the eli-
gible local entity plans to support the instructional 
staff of such entity’s high-quality prekindergarten 
program, which shall, at a minimum, include a plan 
to provide high-quality professional development, or 
facilitate the provision of high-quality professional 
development through an external partner with exper-
tise and a demonstrated track record of success, 
based on scientifically valid research, that will im-
prove the knowledge and skills of high-quality pre-
kindergarten teachers and staff through activities, 
which may include— 
(A) acquiring content knowledge and learn-
ing teaching strategies needed to provide effec-
tive instruction that addresses the State’s early 
learning and development standards described 
under section 105(1), including professional 
training to support the social and emotional de-
velopment of children; 
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(B) enabling high-quality prekindergarten 
teachers and staff to pursue specialized training 
in early childhood development; 
(C) enabling high-quality prekindergarten 
teachers and staff to acquire the knowledge and 
skills to provide instruction and appropriate 
language and support services to increase the 
English language skills of dual language learn-
ers; 
(D) enabling high-quality prekindergarten 
teachers and staff to acquire the knowledge and 
skills to provide developmentally appropriate in-
struction for children with disabilities; 
(E) promoting classroom management; 
(F) providing high-quality induction and 
support for incoming high-quality prekinder-
garten teachers and staff in high-quality pre-
kindergarten programs, including through the 
use of mentoring programs and coaching that 
have a demonstrated track record of success; 
(G) promoting the acquisition of relevant 
credentials, including in ways that support ca-
reer advancement through career ladders; and 
(H) enabling high-quality prekindergarten 
teachers and staff to acquire the knowledge and 
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skills to provide culturally competent instruc-
tion for children from diverse backgrounds. 
SEC. 112. REQUIRED SUBGRANT ACTIVITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—An eligible local entity that re-
ceives a subgrant under section 107(b) shall use subgrant 
funds to implement the elements of a high-quality pre-
kindergarten program for the children described in section 
107(b). 
(b) COORDINATION.— 
(1) LOCAL
EDUCATIONAL
AGENCY
PARTNER-
SHIPS WITH LOCAL EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION 
PROGRAMS.—A local educational agency that re-
ceives a subgrant under this subtitle shall provide an 
assurance that the local educational agency will 
enter into strong partnerships with local early child-
hood education programs, including programs sup-
ported through the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 
et seq.). 
(2) ELIGIBLE LOCAL ENTITIES THAT ARE NOT 
LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES.—An eligible local 
entity that is not a local educational agency that re-
ceives a subgrant under this subtitle shall provide an 
assurance that such entity will enter into strong 
partnerships with local educational agencies. 
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SEC. 113. REPORT AND EVALUATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Each State that receives a grant 
under this subtitle shall prepare an annual report, in such 
manner and containing such information as the Secretary 
may reasonably require. 
(b) CONTENTS.—A report prepared under subsection 
(a) shall contain, at a minimum— 
(1) a description of the manner in which the 
State has used the funds made available through the 
grant and a report of the expenditures made with 
the funds; 
(2) a summary of the State’s progress toward 
providing access to high-quality prekindergarten pro-
grams for children eligible for such services, as de-
termined by the State, from families with incomes at 
or below 200 percent of the poverty line, including 
the percentage of funds spent on children from fami-
lies with incomes— 
(A) at or below 100 percent of the poverty 
line; 
(B) at or below between 101 and 150 per-
cent of the poverty line; and 
(C) at or below between 151 and 200 per-
cent of the poverty line; 
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(3) an evaluation of the State’s progress toward 
achieving the State’s performance targets, described 
in section 109; 
(4) data on the number of high-quality pre-
kindergarten program teachers and staff in the 
State (including teacher turnover rates and teacher 
compensation levels compared to teachers in elemen-
tary schools and secondary schools), according to the 
setting in which such teachers and staff work (which 
settings shall include, at a minimum, Head Start 
programs, public prekindergarten, and child care 
programs) who received training or education during 
the period of the grant and remained in the early 
childhood education program field; 
(5) data on the kindergarten readiness of chil-
dren in the State; 
(6) a description of the State’s progress in ef-
fectively using Federal, State, and local public funds 
and private funds, for early childhood education; 
(7) the number and percentage of children in 
the State participating in high-quality prekinder-
garten programs, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, 
family income, child age, disability, whether the chil-
dren are homeless children, and whether the children 
are dual language learners; 
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(8) data on the availability, affordability, and 
quality of infant and toddler care in the State; 
(9) the number of operational minutes per week 
and per year for each eligible local entity that re-
ceives a subgrant; 
(10) the local educational agency and zip code 
in which each eligible local entity that receives a 
subgrant operates; 
(11) information, for each of the local edu-
cational agencies described in paragraph (10), on 
the percentage of the costs of the public early child-
hood education programs that is funded from Fed-
eral, from State, and from local sources, including 
the percentages from specific funding programs; 
(12) data on the number and percentage of 
children in the State participating in public kinder-
garten programs, disaggregated by race, family in-
come, child age, disability, whether the children are 
homeless children, and whether the children are dual 
language learners, with information on whether such 
programs are offered— 
(A) for a full day; and 
(B) at no cost to families; 
(13) data on the number of individuals in the 
State who are supported with scholarships, if appli-
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cable, to meet the baccalaureate degree requirement 
for high-quality prekindergarten programs, as de-
fined in section 102; and 
(14) information on— 
(A) the rates of expulsion, suspension, and 
similar disciplinary action, of children in the 
State participating in high-quality prekinder-
garten programs, disaggregated by race, eth-
nicity, family income, child age, and disability; 
(B) the State’s progress in establishing 
policies on effective behavior management strat-
egies and training that promote positive social 
and emotional development to eliminate expul-
sions and suspensions of children participating 
in high-quality prekindergarten programs; and 
(C) the State’s policies on providing early 
learning services to children in the State par-
ticipating in high-quality prekindergarten pro-
grams who have been suspended. 
(c) SUBMISSION.—A State shall submit the annual 
report prepared under subsection (a), at the end of each 
fiscal year, to the Secretary, the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, and the State Advisory Council on Early 
Childhood Education and Care. 
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(d) COOPERATION.—An eligible local entity that re-
ceives a subgrant under this subtitle shall cooperate with 
all Federal and State efforts to evaluate the effectiveness 
of the program the entity implements with subgrant funds. 
(e) NATIONAL REPORT.—The Secretary shall compile 
and summarize the annual State reports described under 
subsection (c) and shall prepare and submit an annual re-
port to Congress that includes a summary of such State 
reports. 
SEC. 114. PROHIBITION OF REQUIRED PARTICIPATION OR 
USE OF FUNDS FOR ASSESSMENTS. 
(a) PROHIBITION ON REQUIRED PARTICIPATION.—A 
State receiving a grant under this subtitle shall not re-
quire any child to participate in any Federal, State, local, 
or private early childhood education program, including a 
high-quality prekindergarten program. 
(b) PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS FOR ASSESS-
MENT.—A State receiving a grant under this subtitle and 
an eligible local entity receiving a subgrant under this sub-
title shall not use any grant or subgrant funds to carry 
out any of the following activities: 
(1) An assessment that provides rewards or 
sanctions for individual children, teachers, or prin-
cipals. 
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(2) An assessment that is used as the primary 
or sole method for assessing program effectiveness. 
(3) Evaluating children, other than for the pur-
poses of— 
(A) improving instruction or the classroom 
environment; 
(B) targeting professional development; 
(C) determining the need for health, men-
tal health, disability, or family support services; 
(D) program evaluation for the purposes of 
program improvement and parent information; 
and 
(E) improving parent and family engage-
ment. 
SEC. 115. COORDINATION WITH HEAD START PROGRAMS. 
(a) INCREASED ACCESS FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN.— 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services shall develop a process— 
(1) for use in the event that Head Start pro-
grams funded under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9831 et seq.) operate in States or regions that have 
achieved sustained universal, voluntary access to 4- 
year-old children who reside within the State and 
who are from families with incomes at or below 200 
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percent of the poverty line to high-quality prekinder-
garten programs; and 
(2) for how such Head Start programs will 
begin converting slots for children who are age 4 on 
the eligibility determination date to children who are 
age 3 on the eligibility determination date, or, when 
appropriate, converting Head Start programs into 
Early Head Start programs to serve infants and tod-
dlers. 
(b) COMMUNITY NEED AND RESOURCES.—The proc-
ess described in subsection (a) shall— 
(1) be carried out on a case-by-case basis and 
shall ensure that sufficient resources and time are 
allocated for the development of such a process so 
that no child or cohort is excluded from currently 
available services; and 
(2) ensure that any conversion shall be based 
on community need and not on the aggregate num-
ber of children served in a State or region that has 
achieved sustained, universal, voluntary access to 
high-quality prekindergarten programs. 
(c) PUBLIC COMMENT AND NOTICE.—Not fewer than 
90 days after the development of the proposed process de-
scribed in subsection (a), the Secretary and the Secretary 
of Health and Human Services shall publish a notice de-
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scribing such proposed process for conversion in the Fed-
eral Register providing at least 90 days for public com-
ment. The Secretaries shall review and consider public 
comments prior to finalizing the process for conversion of 
Head Start slots and programs. 
(d) REPORTS
TO CONGRESS.—Concurrently with 
publishing a notice in the Federal Register as described 
in subsection (c), the Secretaries shall provide a report 
to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate that pro-
vides a detailed description of the proposed process de-
scribed in subsection (a), including a description of the 
degree to which Head Start programs are providing State- 
funded high-quality prekindergarten programs as a result 
of the grant opportunity provided under this subtitle in 
States where Head Start programs are eligible for conver-
sion described in subsection (a). 
SEC. 116. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN PROGRAM ADMINIS-
TRATION. 
In providing technical assistance to carry out activi-
ties under this subtitle, the Secretary shall coordinate that 
technical assistance, in appropriate cases, with technical 
assistance provided by the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services to carry out the programs authorized 
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under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.), the 
Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), and the maternal, infant and early 
childhood home visiting programs assisted under section 
511 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 711). 
SEC. 117. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subtitle— 
(1) $1,300,000,000 for fiscal year 2016; 
(2) $3,250,000,000 for fiscal year 2017; 
(3) $5,780,000,000 for fiscal year 2018; 
(4) $7,580,000,000 for fiscal year 2019; 
(5) $8,960,000,000 for fiscal year 2020; and 
(6) such sums as may be necessary for each of 
fiscal years 2021 through 2025. 
Subtitle B—Prekindergarten 
Development Grants 
SEC. 121. PREKINDERGARTEN DEVELOPMENT GRANTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, shall award competitive grants to States, local 
educational agencies, or other local government entities 
that wish to increase their capacity and build the infra-
structure within the State to offer high-quality prekinder-
garten programs. 
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(b) ELIGIBILITY OF STATES.—A State that is not re-
ceiving funds under section 105 may compete for grant 
funds under this subtitle if the State provides an assur-
ance that the State will, through the support of grant 
funds awarded under this subtitle, meet the eligibility re-
quirements of section 105 not later than 3 years after the 
date the State first receives grant funds under this sub-
title. 
(c) GRANT DURATION.—The Secretary shall award 
grants under this subtitle for a period of not more than 
3 years. Such grants shall not be renewed. 
(d) APPLICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A Governor, or chief execu-
tive officer of a State, a local educational agency, or 
another local government entity that desires to re-
ceive a grant under this subtitle shall submit an ap-
plication to the Secretary of Education at such time, 
in such manner, and accompanied by such informa-
tion as the Secretary may reasonably require, includ-
ing, if applicable, a description of how the State 
plans to become eligible for grants under section 105 
by not later than 3 years after the date the State 
first receives grant funds under this subtitle. 
(2) DEVELOPMENT OF STATE APPLICATION.— 
In developing an application for a grant under this 
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subtitle, a State shall consult with the State Advi-
sory Council on Early Childhood Education and 
Care and incorporate their recommendations, where 
applicable. 
(e) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a 
grant under this subtitle, a State, local educational 
agency, or other local government entity shall con-
tribute for the activities for which the grant was 
awarded non-Federal matching funds in an amount 
equal to not less than 20 percent of the amount of 
the grant. 
(2) NON-FEDERAL FUNDS.—To satisfy the re-
quirement of paragraph (1), a State, local edu-
cational agency, or other local government entity 
may use— 
(A) non-Federal resources in the form of 
State funding, local funding, or contributions 
from philanthropy or other private sources, or 
a combination of such resources; or 
(B) in-kind contributions. 
(3) FINANCIAL HARDSHIP WAIVER.—The Sec-
retary may waive paragraph (1) or reduce the 
amount of matching funds required under that para-
graph for a State, local educational agency, or other 
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local government entity that has submitted an appli-
cation for a grant under this subsection if the State, 
local educational agency, or other local government 
entity demonstrates, in the application, a need for 
such a waiver or reduction due to extreme financial 
hardship, as determined by the Secretary. 
(f) SUBGRANTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A State, local educational 
agency, or other local government entity awarded a 
grant under this subtitle may use the grant funds to 
award subgrants to eligible local entities, as defined 
in section 102, to carry out the activities under the 
grant. 
(2) SUBGRANTEES.—An eligible local entity 
awarded a subgrant under paragraph (1) shall com-
ply with the requirements of this subtitle relating to 
grantees, as appropriate. 
(g) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this sec-
tion— 
(1) $750,000,000 for fiscal year 2016; and 
(2) such sums as may be necessary for each of 
fiscal years 2017 through 2025. 
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TITLE II—EARLY LEARNING 
QUALITY PARTNERSHIPS 
SEC. 201. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this title are to— 
(1) increase the availability of, and access to, 
high-quality early childhood education and care pro-
gramming for infants and toddlers; 
(2) support a higher quality of, and increase ca-
pacity for, that programming in both child care cen-
ters and family child care homes; 
(3) encourage the provision of comprehensive, 
coordinated full-day services and supports for in-
fants and toddlers; and 
(4) increase access to appropriate supports so 
children with disabilities and other special popu-
lations can fully participate in high-quality early 
education programs. 
SEC. 202. EARLY LEARNING QUALITY PARTNERSHIPS. 
The Head Start Act is amended— 
(1) by amending section 645A(e) (42 U.S.C. 
9840a(e)) to read as follows: 
‘‘(e) SELECTION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall award grants under this section on a competi-
tive basis to applicants meeting the criteria in subsection 
(d) (giving priority to entities with a record of providing 
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early, continuous, and comprehensive childhood develop-
ment and family services and entities that agree to partner 
with a center-based or family child care provider to carry 
out the activities described in section 645B).’’; and 
(2) by inserting after section 645A (42 U.S.C. 
9840a) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 645B. EARLY LEARNING QUALITY PARTNERSHIPS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make grants 
to Early Head Start agencies to partner with center-based 
or family child care providers, particularly those that re-
ceive support under the Child Care and Development 
Block Grant of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), that agree 
to meet program performance standards that are de-
scribed in section 641A(a)(1) and Early Head Start 
standards described in 645A are applicable to the ages of 
children served with funding and technical assistance from 
the Early Head Start agency. 
‘‘(b) SELECTION OF GRANT RECIPIENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graphs (2) and (3), the Secretary shall award grants 
under this section in a manner consistent with sec-
tion 645A(e). 
‘‘(2) COMPETITIVE
PRIORITY.—In awarding 
grants under this section, the Secretary shall give 
priority to applicants— 
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‘‘(A) that propose to create strong align-
ment of programs with maternal, infant and 
early childhood home visiting programs assisted 
under section 511 of the Social Security Act 
(42 U.S.C. 711), State-funded prekindergarten 
programs, programs carried out under the 
Child Care and Development Block Grant Act 
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), and other 
programs supported under this Act, to create a 
strong continuum of high-quality services for 
children from birth to school entry; and 
‘‘(B) that seek to work with child care pro-
viders across settings, including center-based 
and home-based programs. 
‘‘(3) ALLOCATION.— 
‘‘(A) RESERVATION.—From funds appro-
priated to carry out this section, the Secretary 
shall reserve— 
‘‘(i) not less than 3 percent of such 
funds for Indian Head Start programs 
that serve young children; 
‘‘(ii) not less than 4.5 percent for mi-
grant and seasonal Head Start programs 
that serve young children; and 
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‘‘(iii) not less than .2 percent for pro-
grams funded under clause (iv) or (v) of 
section 640(a)(2)(B). 
‘‘(B) ALLOCATION
AMONG
STATES.—The 
Secretary shall allocate funds appropriated to 
carry out this section and not reserved under 
subparagraph (A) among the States proportion-
ally based on the number of young children 
from families whose income is below the poverty 
line residing in such States. 
‘‘(c) ELIGIBILITY OF CHILDREN.— 
‘‘(1) Partnerships formed through assistance 
provided under this section may serve children 
through age 3; and 
‘‘(2) the standards applied to children in sub-
section (a) shall be consistent with those applied to 
3-year-old children under this subchapter. 
‘‘(d) PARTNERSHIPS.—An Early Head Start agency 
that receives a grant under this section shall— 
‘‘(1) enter into a contractual relationship with 
a center-based or family child care provider to raise 
the quality of such provider’s programs so that the 
provider meets the program performance standards 
described in subsection (a) through activities that 
may include— 
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‘‘(A) expanding the center-based or family 
child care provider’s programs through financial 
support; 
‘‘(B) providing training, technical assist-
ance, and support to the provider in order to 
help the provider meet the program perform-
ance standards, which may include supporting 
program and partner staff in earning a child 
development associate credential, associate’s de-
gree, or baccalaureate degree in early childhood 
education or a closely related field for working 
with infants and toddlers; and 
‘‘(C) blending funds received under the 
Child Care and Development Block Grant of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) and the Early 
Head Start program carried out under section 
645A in order to provide high-quality child 
care, for a full day, that meets the program 
performance standards; 
‘‘(2) develop and implement a proposal to re-
cruit and enter into the contract with a center-based 
or family child care provider, particularly a provider 
that serves children who receive assistance under the 
Child Care and Development Block Grant of 1990 
(42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.); 
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