IIB 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2210
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
JULY 25 (legislative day, JULY 21), 2003
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions 
AN ACT 
To reauthorize the Head Start Act to improve the school 
readiness of disadvantaged children, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘School Readiness Act 
of 2003’’. 
TITLE 
I—HEAD 
START 
REAU-
THORIZATION AND PROGRAM 
IMPROVEMENTS 
SEC. 101. PURPOSE. 
Section 636 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 636. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE. 
‘‘It is the purpose of this subchapter to promote 
school readiness by enhancing the development of low-in-
come children, through educational instruction in 
prereading skills, premathematics skills, and language, 
and through the provision to low-income children and their 
families of health, educational, nutritional, social and 
other services that are determined, based on family needs 
assessments, to be necessary.’’. 
SEC. 102. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 637 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9832) 
is amended as follows: 
(1) In paragraph (17) by striking ‘‘, but for fis-
cal years’’ and all that follows down to the period. 
(2) By adding the following at the end thereof: 
‘‘(18) The term ‘eligible entities’ means an in-
stitution of higher education or other agency with
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expertise in delivering training in early childhood de-
velopment, family support, and other assistance de-
signed to improve the quality of early childhood edu-
cations programs. 
‘‘(19) The term ‘homeless children’ has the 
meaning given such term in subtitle B of title VII 
of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 11431 et seq.).’’. 
SEC. 103. AUTHORIZATION. 
Section 639 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9834) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 639. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be ap-
propriated for carrying out the provisions of this sub-
chapter $6,870,000,000 for the fiscal year 2004, 
$6,988,750,000 for fiscal year 2005, $7,106,500,000 for 
fiscal year 2006, $7,245,000,000 for fiscal year 2007, and 
$7,427,000,000 for fiscal year 2008. 
‘‘(b) SPECIFIC PROGRAMS.—From the amount ap-
propriated under subsection (a), the Secretary shall make 
available not more than $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2004, 
and such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005 
through 2008 to carry out such other research, dem-
onstration, and evaluation activities, including longitu-
dinal studies, under section 649.
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‘‘(1) not more than $7,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2004 through 2008 to carry out impact 
studies under section 649(g); and 
‘‘(2) not more than $13,000,000 for fiscal year 
2004, and such sums as may be necessary for each 
of fiscal years 2005 through 2008, to carry out 
other research, demonstration, and evaluation activi-
ties, including longitudinal studies, under section 
649. 
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—There are au-
thorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2004 through 2008 to assist participating States 
with the administrative expenses associated with imple-
menting a program under section 643A.’’. 
SEC. 104. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS; LIMITATIONS ON ASSIST-
ANCE. 
Section 640 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9835) 
is amended as follows: 
(1) In subsection (a)(2): 
(A) By striking ‘‘1998’’ in subparagraph 
(A) and inserting ‘‘2003’’. 
(B) By amending subparagraph (B) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(B) payments, subject to paragraph (7) to 
Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the
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Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands of 
the United States;’’. 
(2) By striking the last sentence of paragraph 
(2) of subsection (a). 
(3)(A) By amending subsection (a)(2)(C) to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(C) training and technical assistance activities 
that are sufficient to meet the needs associated with 
program expansion and to foster program and man-
agement improvement as described in section 648 of 
this subchapter, in an amount for each fiscal year 
which is equal to one percent of the amount appro-
priated for such fiscal year, of which—
‘‘(i) not less than 50 percent shall be made 
available to local Head Start agencies to comply 
with 
the 
standards 
described 
in 
section 
641A(a)(1), of which not less than 50 percent 
shall be used to comply with the standards de-
scribed in section 641A(a)(1)(B) and for the 
uses described in clauses (iii), (iv), and (vii) of 
subsection (a)(3)(B); 
‘‘(ii) not less than 30 percent shall be 
made available to support a State system of 
early childhood education training and technical 
assistance;
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‘‘(iii) not less than 20 percent shall be 
made available to the Secretary to assist local 
programs in meeting the standards described in 
section 641A(a)(1); and 
‘‘(iv) not less than $3,000,000 of the 
amount in clause (iii) appropriated for such fis-
cal year shall be made available to carry out ac-
tivities described in section 648(c)(4);’’. 
(B) By inserting the following at the end of 
subsection (a)(2): 
‘‘Of an additional one percent of the amount appropriated 
for such fiscal year, the Secretary shall use not less than 
25 percent of such funds to fund the expansion of services 
to migrant and seasonal Head Start children. If sufficient 
migrant and seasonal eligible children are not available to 
use such funds, then enrollment priority shall be given to 
other disadvantaged populations referred to in subpara-
graph (A). Not less than 60 percent of such one percent 
amount shall be used to fund quality improvement 
activites as described in sec 640(a)(3)(B) and (C)’’. 
(4) In subsection (a)(3)(A) by inserting at the 
end thereof: 
‘‘(iii) After the reservation of amounts under para-
graph (2) and the 60 percent amount referred to in sub-
paragraph (A) of this paragraph, a portion of the remain-
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ing funds shall be made available for quality to expand 
services to underserved populations, such as children re-
ceiving services under the Early Head Start and Migrant 
and Seasonal Head Start programs.’’. 
(5) In subsection (a)(3)(A)(i)(I) by striking 
‘‘1999’’ and all that follows down to the semicolon 
and inserting ‘‘2004 through 2008’’. 
(6) By amending subsection (a)(3)(B) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(B) Funds reserved under this paragraph (referred 
to in this paragraph as ‘quality improvement funds’) shall 
be used to accomplish any or all of the following goals: 
‘‘(i) Ensuring that Head Start programs meet 
or exceed standards pursuant to section 641A(a)(1). 
‘‘(ii) Ensuring that such programs have ade-
quate numbers of qualified staff, and that such staff 
is furnished adequate training, including developing 
skills to promote the development of language skills, 
premathematic skills, and prereading in young chil-
dren and in working with children with non-English 
language background, children referred by child wel-
fare services, and children with disabilities, when ap-
propriate. 
‘‘(iii) Developing and financing the salary scales 
described under section 644(a) and section 653, in
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order to ensure that salary levels and benefits are 
adequate to attract and retain qualified staff for 
such programs. 
‘‘(iv) Using salary increases to improve staff 
qualifications, and to assist with the implementation 
of programs specifically designed to enable lead in-
structors to become more effective educators, for the 
staff of Head Start programs, and to encourage the 
staff to continually improve their skills and expertise 
by informing the staff of the availability of Federal 
and State incentive and loan forgiveness programs 
for professional development. 
‘‘(v) Improving community-wide strategic plan-
ning and needs assessments for such programs and 
collaboration efforts for such programs, including 
collaborations to increase program participation by 
underserved populations of eligible children. 
‘‘(vi) Ensuring that the physical environments 
of Head Start programs are conducive to providing 
effective program services to children and families, 
and are accessible to children with disabilities and 
their parents. 
‘‘(vii) Ensuring that such programs have quali-
fied staff that can promote language skills and lit-
eracy growth of children and that can provide chil-
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dren with a variety of skills that have been identi-
fied, through scientifically based reading research, as 
predictive of later reading achievement. 
‘‘(viii) Providing assistance to complete post-
secondary course work needed to attain bacca-
laureate degrees in early childhood education. 
‘‘(ix) Making such other improvements in the 
quality of such programs as the Secretary may des-
ignate. 
‘‘(x) To promote the regular attendance and 
stability of highly mobile children, including migrant 
and homeless children.’’. 
(7) By amending subsection (a)(3)(C) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(C) Quality improvement funds shall be used to 
carry out any or all of the following activities: 
‘‘(i)(I) Not less than one-half of the amount re-
served under this paragraph, to improve the com-
pensation (including benefits) of classroom teachers 
and other staff of Head Start agencies providing in-
structional services and thereby enhancing recruit-
ment and retention of qualified staff, including re-
cruitment and retention pursuant to achieving the 
requirements set forth in section 648A(a). The ex-
penditure of funds under this clause shall be subject
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to section 653. Salary increases, in excess of cost-of-
living allowance, provided with such funds shall be 
subject to the specific standards governing salaries 
and salary increases established pursuant to section 
644(a). 
‘‘(II) If a Head Start agency certifies to the 
Secretary for such fiscal year that part of the funds 
set aside under subclause (I) to improve wages can-
not be expended by such agency to improve wages 
because of the operation of section 653, then such 
agency may expend such part for any of the uses 
specified in this subparagraph (other than wages). 
‘‘(III) From the remainder of the amount re-
served under this paragraph (after the Secretary 
carries out subclause (I)), the Secretary shall carry 
out any or all of the activities described in clauses 
(ii) through (vii), placing the highest priority on the 
activities described in clause (ii). 
‘‘(ii) To train classroom teachers and other 
staff to meet the education standards described in 
section 641A(a)(1)(B), through activities—
‘‘(I) to promote children’s language and 
prereading growth, through techniques identi-
fied through scientifically based reading re-
search;
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‘‘(II) to promote the acquisition of the 
English language for non-English background 
children and families; 
‘‘(III) to foster children’s school readiness 
skills through activities described in section 
648A(a)(1); and 
‘‘(IV) to educate and provide training nec-
essary to improve the qualifications particularly 
with respect to such assistance to enable more 
instructors to meet the degree requirements 
under section 648A(a)(2)(A) and to support 
staff training, child counseling, and other serv-
ices necessary to address the problems of chil-
dren participating in Head Start programs, in-
cluding children from dysfunctional families, 
children who experience chronic violence in their 
communities, and children who experience sub-
stance abuse in their families. 
‘‘(iii) To employ additional Head Start staff, in-
cluding staff necessary to reduce the child-staff ratio 
lead instructors who meet the qualifications of sec-
tion 648A(a) and staff necessary to coordinate a 
Head Start program with other services available to 
children participating in such program and to their 
families.
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‘‘(iv) To pay costs incurred by Head Start 
agencies to purchase insurance (other than employee 
benefits) and thereby maintain or expand Head 
Start services. 
‘‘(v) To supplement amounts provided under 
paragraph (2)(C) to provide training necessary to 
improve the qualifications of the staff of the Head 
Start agencies, and to support staff training, child 
counseling, and other services necessary to address 
the problems of children participating in Head Start 
programs, including children from dysfunctional 
families, children who experience chronic violence in 
their communities, and children who experience sub-
stance abuse in their families. 
‘‘(vi) To conduct outreach to homeless families 
in an effort to increase the program participation of 
eligible homeless children. 
‘‘(vii) Such other activities as the Secretary 
may designate. 
‘‘(viii) To conduct outreach to migrant and sea-
sonal farm-working families and families with chil-
dren with a limited English proficiency.’’. 
(8) In subsection (a)(4) by striking ‘‘1998’’ in 
subparagraph (A) and inserting ‘‘2003’’. 
(9) In subsection (a)(5)(B)—
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(A) by striking ‘‘may’’ and inserting 
‘‘shall’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘early childhood edu-
cation’’ after ‘‘regarding’’. 
(10) By amending subsection (a)(5)(C) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(C) In order to improve results for children, a State 
that receives a grant under subparagraph (B) shall—
‘‘(i) appoint an individual to serve as the State 
Director of Collaboration between—
‘‘(I) the appropriate regional office of the 
Administration for Children and Families; 
‘‘(II) the State educational agency; 
‘‘(III) the State Department of Health and 
Human Services; 
‘‘(IV) the State agency that oversees child 
care; 
‘‘(V) the State agency that assists children 
with developmental disabilities; 
‘‘(VI) the State Head Start Association; 
‘‘(VII) the State network of child care re-
source and referral agencies; 
‘‘(VIII) local educational agencies; 
‘‘(IX) community-based and faith-based or-
ganizations;
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‘‘(X) State representatives of migrant and 
seasonal Head Start programs; 
‘‘(XI) State representatives of Indian Head 
Start programs; 
‘‘(XII) State and local providers of early 
childhood education and child care; and 
‘‘(XIII) other entities carrying out pro-
grams serving low-income children and families 
in the State; 
‘‘(ii) ensure that the State Director of Collabo-
ration holds a position with sufficient authority and 
access to ensure that the collaboration described in 
subparagraph (B) is effective and involves a range 
of State agencies; 
‘‘(iii) involve the entities described in section 
clause (i) to develop a strategic plan for the coordi-
nated outreach to identify eligible children and im-
plementation strategies based on a needs assessment 
conducted by the Office of the State Director of Col-
laboration which shall include an assessment of the 
availability of high quality prekindergarten services 
for low-income children in the State. Such assess-
ment shall be completed within one year after the 
date of enactment of the ‘School Readiness Act of 
2003’ and be updated on an annual basis and shall
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be made available to the general public within the 
State; 
‘‘(iv) ensure that the collaboration described in 
subparagraph (B) involves coordination of Head 
Start services with health care, welfare, child care, 
child protective services, education, and community 
service activities, family literacy services, activities 
relating to children with disabilities (including co-
ordination of services with those State officials who 
are responsible for administering part C and section 
619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act), and services for homeless children (including 
coordination of services with the Office of Coordi-
nator for Education of Homeless Children and 
Youth designated under section 722 (g)(1)(J)(ii) of 
the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance 
Improvements Act of 2001; 
‘‘(v) consult with the chief State school officer, 
local educational agencies, and representatives of 
local Head Start agencies and providers of early 
childhood education and care in unified planning re-
garding early care and education services at both the 
State and local levels, including collaborative efforts 
to develop school readiness standards; and
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‘‘(vi) consult with the chief State school officer, 
local educational agencies, State child care adminis-
trators, State human services administrators, rep-
resentatives of local resource and referral agencies, 
local early childhood councils, providers of early 
childhood education and care and other relevant 
State and local agencies, and representatives of the 
State Head Start Associations to plan for the provi-
sion of full-working-day, full calendar year early care 
and education services for children.’’. 
(11) By amending clause (i) of subsection 
(a)(5)(D) by inserting ‘‘and providers of services 
supporting early childhood education and child care’’ 
after ‘‘Associations’’. 
(12) By amending subsection (a)(6)(A) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(A) From amounts reserved and allotted pursuant 
to paragraphs (2) and (4), the Secretary shall use, for 
grants for programs described in section 645A(a) of this 
subchapter, a portion of the combined total of such 
amounts equal to at least 10 percent for fiscal years 2004 
through 2008, of the amount appropriated pursuant to 
section 639(a), except as provided in subparagraph (B).’’. 
(13) By inserting the following before the pe-
riod at the end of subsection (f): ‘‘, including models
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that leverage the existing capacity and capabilities of 
the delivery system of early childhood education and 
child care’’. 
(14) By inserting the following after ‘‘manner 
that will’’ in subsection (g)(2)(G): ‘‘leverage the ex-
isting delivery systems of such services and’’. 
(15) By amending subsection (g)(2)(C) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(C) the extent to which the applicant has un-
dertaken community-wide strategic planning and 
needs assessments involving other community orga-
nizations and public agencies serving children and 
families (including organizations and agencies pro-
viding family support services and protective services 
to children and families, and organizations serving 
families in whose homes English is not the language 
customarily spoken), and organizations and public 
entities serving children with disabilities and home-
less children (including the local educational agency 
liaison designated under section 722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of 
the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance 
Improvements Act of 2001);’’. 
(16) By inserting in subsection (g)(2)(H) after 
‘‘serving the community involved’’ the following: ‘‘, 
including the liaison designated under section
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722(g)(1)(J)(ii) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001,’’. 
(17) By adding the following new subsections at 
the end thereof: 
‘‘(m) ENROLLMENT OF HOMELESS CHILDREN.—The 
Secretary shall by regulation prescribe policies and proce-
dures to remove barriers to the enrollment and participa-
tion of eligible homeless children in Head Start programs. 
Such regulations shall require Head Start agencies to: 
‘‘(1) implement policies and procedures to en-
sure that eligible homeless children are identified 
and prioritized for enrollment, 
‘‘(2) allow homeless families to apply to, enroll 
in and attend Head Start programs while required 
documents, such as proof of residency, immunization 
and other medical records, birth certificates and 
other documents, are obtained within a reasonable 
time frame, and 
‘‘(3) coordinate individual Head Start centers 
and programs with efforts to implement Subtitle 
VII–B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance 
Act. 
‘‘(n) SAVINGS PROVISION.—Nothing in this Act shall 
be construed to require a State to establish a program 
of early education for children in the State, to require any
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child to participate in a program of early education, to 
attend school, or to participate in any initial screening 
prior to participation in such program, except as provided 
under 
section 
612(a)(3), 
(consistent 
with 
section 
614(a)(1)(C)), of the Individuals with Disabilities Edu-
cation Act. 
‘‘(o) MATERIALS.—All curricula and instructional 
materials funded under this subchapter shall be scientif-
ically based and age appropriate. Parents shall have the 
ability to inspect, upon request, any curricula or instruc-
tional materials.’’. 
SEC. 105. DESIGNATION OF AGENCIES. 
Section 641 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836) 
is amended as follows: 
(1) In subsection (a)—
(A) by inserting after ‘‘community’’ in the 
first place it appears ‘‘, including a community-
based or faith-based organization’’; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(a)’’; 
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and 
(2) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively; 
and 
(D) by adding the following at the end 
thereof:
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‘‘(2) In order to be designated as a Head Start agen-
cy and to receive a grant under this subchapter, a grantee 
shall establish grantee-determined goals for improving the 
school readiness of children participating in a program 
under this subchapter, which shall include goals for—
‘‘(A) educational instruction in prereading, 
premathematical, and language skills; and 
‘‘(B) the provision of health, educational, nutri-
tional, social, and other services. 
‘‘(3) In order to receive a grant subsequent to the 
initial grant provided following the date of enactment of 
this subchapter, the grantee shall demonstrate that it has 
met the goals described in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(4) Progress in meeting such goals shall not be 
measured primarily or solely by the results of assess-
ments.’’. 
(2) By amending subsection (c) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(c) In the administration of the provisions of this 
section, the Secretary shall, in consultation with the chief 
executive officer of the State involved if such State ex-
pends non-Federal funds to carry out Head Start pro-
grams, give priority in the designation of Head Start 
agencies to any local public or private nonprofit or for-
profit agency which is receiving funds under any Head
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Start program on the date of the enactment of this Act 
that fulfills the program and financial management re-
quirements, standards described in section 641A(a)(1), re-
sults-based performance measures developed by the Sec-
retary under section 641A(b), or other requirements es-
tablished by the Secretary.’’. 
(3) By amending subsection (d) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(d) If no entity in a community is entitled to the 
priority specified in subsection (c), then the Secretary may 
designate a Head Start agency from among qualified ap-
plicants in such community. In selecting from among 
qualified applicants for designation as a Head Start agen-
cy, the Secretary shall give priority to any qualified agency 
that functioned as a Head Start delegate agency in the 
community and carried out a Head Start program that 
the Secretary determines met or exceeded such perform-
ance standards and such results-based performance meas-
ures. In selecting from among qualified applicants for des-
ignation as a Head Start agency, the Secretary shall con-
sider the effectiveness of each such applicant to provide 
Head Start services, based on—
‘‘(1) any past performance of such applicant in 
providing services comparable to Head Start serv-
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ices, including how effectively such applicant pro-
vided such comparable services; 
‘‘(2) the capacity of such applicant to serve eli-
gible children with scientifically-based programs that 
promote school readiness of children participating in 
the program; 
‘‘(3) the plan of such applicant to meet stand-
ards set forth in section 641A(a)(1), with particular 
attention to the standards set forth in subpara-
graphs (A) and (B) of such section; 
‘‘(4) the plan of such applicant to provide com-
prehensive health, nutritional, educational, social, 
and other services needed to prepare children to suc-
ceed in school; 
‘‘(5) the plan of such applicant to coordinate 
the Head Start program it proposes to carry out 
with other preschool programs, including Early 
Reading First and Even Start programs under title 
I, part B, subparts 1 and 2 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965; other preschool 
programs carried out under title I of the Act; pro-
grams under part C and section 619 of the Individ-
uals with Disabilities Education Act; State pre-
kindergarten programs; and with the educational
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programs such children will enter at the age of com-
pulsory school attendance; 
‘‘(6) the plan of such applicant to coordinate 
the Head Start program it proposes to carry out 
with private entities with resources available to as-
sist the Head Start Program meet its program 
needs; 
‘‘(7) the plan of such applicant—
‘‘(A) to seek the involvement of parents of 
participating children in activities (at home and 
in the center involved where practicable) de-
signed to help such parents become full part-
ners in the education of their children; 
‘‘(B) to afford such parents the oppor-
tunity to participate in the development, con-
duct, and overall performance of the program 
at the local level; 
‘‘(C) to offer (directly or through referral 
to local entities, such as entities carrying out 
Even Start programs under part B of chapter 
1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2741 et 
seq.), public and school libraries, and family 
support programs) to such parents—
‘‘(i) family literacy services; and
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‘‘(ii) parenting skills training; 
‘‘(D) to offer to parents of participating 
children substance abuse counseling (either di-
rectly or through referral to local entities), in-
cluding information on drug-exposed infants 
and fetal alcohol syndrome; 
‘‘(E) at the option of such applicant, to 
offer (directly or through referral to local enti-
ties) to such parents—
‘‘(i) training in basic child develop-
ment; 
‘‘(ii) assistance in developing commu-
nication skills; 
‘‘(iii) opportunities for parents to 
share experiences with other parents; or 
‘‘(iv) any other activity designed to 
help such parents become full partners in 
the education of their children; 
‘‘(F) to provide, with respect to each par-
ticipating family, a family needs assessment 
that includes consultation with such parents 
about the benefits of parent involvement and 
about the activities described in subparagraphs 
(C) (D), and (E) in which such parents may 
choose to become involved (taking into consider-
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ation their specific family needs, work sched-
ules, and other responsibilities); and 
‘‘(G) to extend out reach to fathers in 
order to strengthen the role of fathers in fami-
lies by working directly with fathers and father-
figures through such activities as including fa-
thers in home visits; implementing father out-
reach efforts, providing opportunities for direct 
father-child interactions; and targeting in-
creased male participation in the program; 
‘‘(8) the ability of such applicant to carry out 
the plans described in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4); 
‘‘(9) other factors related to the requirements 
of this subchapter; 
‘‘(10) the plan of such applicant to meet the 
needs of non-English background children and their 
families, including needs related to the acquisition of 
the English language; 
‘‘(11) the plan of such applicant to meet the 
needs of children with disabilities; 
‘‘(12) the plan of such applicant who chooses to 
assist younger siblings of children who will partici-
pate in the proposed Head Start program to obtain 
health services from other sources;
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‘‘(13) the plan of such applicant to collaborate 
with other entities carrying out early childhood edu-
cation and child care programs in the community; 
and 
‘‘(14) the plan of such applicant to meet the 
needs of homeless children.’’. 
SEC. 106. QUALITY STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD 
START AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS. 
Section 641A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9836a) is amended as follows: 
(1) In subsection (a)(1)(B) by amending clause 
(ii) to read as follows: 
‘‘(ii) additional education standards to en-
sure that the children participating in the pro-
gram, at a minimum develop and dem-
onstrate—
‘‘(I) language skills; 
‘‘(II) prereading knowledge and skills, 
including interest in and appreciation of 
books, reading and writing either alone or 
with others; 
‘‘(III) premathematics knowledge and 
skills, including aspects of classification, 
seriation, number, spatial relations, and 
time;
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‘‘(IV) cognitive abilities related to aca-
demic achievement; 
‘‘(V) social and emotional development 
important for environments constructive 
for child development, early learning, and 
school success; and 
‘‘(VI) in the case of limited-English 
proficient children, progress toward acqui-
sition of the English language.’’. 
(2) By amending subsection (a)(2)(B) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(B) take into consideration—
‘‘(i) past experience with use of the 
standards in effect under this subchapter 
on October 27, 1998; 
‘‘(ii) changes over the period since Oc-
tober 27, 1998, in the circumstances and 
problems typically facing children and fam-
ilies served by Head Start agencies; 
‘‘(iii) developments concerning best 
practices with respect to early childhood 
education and development, children with 
disabilities, family services, program ad-
ministration, and financial management;
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‘‘(iv) projected needs of an expanding 
Head Start program; 
‘‘(v) guidelines and standards cur-
rently in effect or under consideration that 
promote child health services, and pro-
jected needs of expanding Head Start pro-
grams; 
‘‘(vi) changes in the population of 
children who are eligible to participate in 
Head Start programs, including the lan-
guage background and family structure of 
such children; 
‘‘(vii) the need for, and state-of-the-
art developments relating to, local policies 
and activities designed to ensure that chil-
dren participating in Head Start programs 
make a successful transition to schools; 
and 
‘‘(viii) the unique challenges faced by 
individual programs, including those that 
are seasonal or short term, and those that 
serve rural populations; and’’. 
(3) In subsection (a)(2)(C)(ii) by striking all 
that follows ‘‘in effect on’’ down to the period and 
inserting ‘‘October 27, 1998’’.
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(4) By amending subsection (b)(2) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(2) CHARACTERISTICS
OF
MEASURES.—The 
performance measures developed under this sub-
section shall—
‘‘(A) be used to assess the impact of the 
various services provided by Head Start pro-
grams and, to the extent the Secretary finds 
appropriate, administrative and financial man-
agement practices of such programs; 
‘‘(B) be adaptable for use in self-assess-
ment, peer review, and program evaluation of 
individual Head Start agencies and programs; 
‘‘(C) be developed for other program pur-
poses as determined by the Secretary; 
‘‘(D) be appropriate for the population 
served; and 
‘‘(E) be reviewed no less than every 4 
years, based on advances in the science of early 
childhood development. 
The performance measures shall include the per-
formance 
standards 
described 
in 
subsection 
(a)(1)(A) and (B).’’. 
(5) By amending subsection (b)(4) to read as 
follows:
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‘‘(4) EDUCATIONAL MEASURES.—Results based 
measures shall be designed for the purpose of pro-
moting the competencies of children participating in 
Head Start programs specified in subsection 
(a)(1)(B)(ii), with an emphasis on measuring those 
competencies that have a strong scientifically-based 
predictability of a child’s school readiness and later 
performance in school.’’. 
(6) In subsection (c)(1)(C) by striking ‘‘the 
standards’’ and inserting ‘‘one or more of the per-
formance measures developed by the Secretary under 
subsection (b)’’. 
(7) By amending subsection (c)(2) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(2) CONDUCT
OF
REVIEWS.—The Secretary 
shall ensure that reviews described in subparagraphs 
(A) through (C) of paragraph (1)—
‘‘(A) that incorporate a monitoring visit, 
do so without prior notice of the visit to the 
local agency or program; 
‘‘(B) are conducted by review teams that 
shall include individuals who are knowledgeable 
about Head Start programs and, to the max-
imum extent practicable, the diverse (including 
linguistic and cultural) needs of eligible children
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(including children with disabilities) and lim-
ited-English proficient children and their fami-
lies; 
‘‘(C) include as part of the reviews of the 
programs, a review and assessment of program 
effectiveness, as measured in accordance with 
the results-based performance measures devel-
oped by the Secretary pursuant to subsection 
(b) and with the standards established pursuant 
to subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection 
(a)(1); 
‘‘(D) seek information from the commu-
nities and the States involved about the per-
formance of the programs and the efforts of the 
Head Start agencies to collaborate with other 
entities carrying out early childhood education 
and child care programs in the community; 
‘‘(E) seek information from the commu-
nities where Head Start programs exist about 
innovative or effective collaborative efforts, bar-
riers to collaboration, and the efforts of the 
Head Start agencies and programs to collabo-
rate with the entities carrying out early child-
hood education and child care programs in the 
community;
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‘‘(F) include as part of the reviews of the 
programs, a review and assessment of whether 
a program is in conformity with the income eli-
gibility requirements, as defined in section 645 
and regulations promulgated thereunder; 
‘‘(G) include as part of the reviews of the 
programs, a review and assessment of whether 
programs have adequately addressed the popu-
lation and community needs (including popu-
lations of children with a limited English pro-
ficiency and children of migrant and seasonal 
farm-working families); and 
‘‘(H) include as part of the review the ex-
tent to which the program addresses the com-
munity needs and strategic plan identified in 
section 640(g)(2)(C).’’. 
(8) By amending so much of subsection (d)(1) 
as precedes subparagraph (A) to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) DETERMINATION.—If the Secretary deter-
mines, on the basis of a review pursuant to sub-
section (c), that a Head Start agency designated 
pursuant to section 641 fails to meet the standards 
described in subsection (a) or results-based perform-
ance measures developed by the Secretary under 
subsection (b), or fails to adequately address the
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community needs and strategic plan identified in 
640(g)(2)(C), the Secretary shall—’’
(9) By amending subsection (d)(2) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(2) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN.—
‘‘(A) AGENCY AND PROGRAM RESPONSIBIL-
ITIES.—In order to retain a designation as a 
Head Start agency under this subchapter, or in 
the case of a Head Start Program, in order to 
continue to receive funds from such agency, a 
Head Start agency, or Head Start program 
that is the subject of a determination described 
in paragraph (1) (other than an agency or pro-
gram required to correct a deficiency imme-
diately or during a 90-day period under clause 
(i) or (ii) of paragraph (1)(B)) shall—
‘‘(i) develop in a timely manner, a 
quality improvement plan which shall be 
subject to the approval of the Secretary, or 
in the case of a program, the sponsoring 
agency, and which shall specify—
‘‘(I) the deficiencies to be cor-
rected; 
‘‘(II) the actions to be taken to 
correct such deficiencies; and
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‘‘(III) the timetable for accom-
plishment of the corrective actions 
specified; and 
‘‘(ii) eliminate each deficiency identi-
fied, not later than the date for elimination 
of such deficiency specified in such plan 
(which shall not be later than 1 year after 
the date the agency or program received 
notice of the determination and of the spe-
cific deficiency to be corrected). 
‘‘(B) SECRETARIAL RESPONSIBILITY.—Not 
later than 30 days after receiving from a Head 
Start agency a proposed quality improvement 
plan pursuant to subparagraph (A), the Sec-
retary shall either approve such proposed plan 
or specify the reasons why the proposed plan 
cannot be approved. 
‘‘(C) AGENCY RESPONSIBILITY FOR PRO-
GRAM IMPROVEMENT.—Not later than 30 days 
after receiving from a Head Start program, a 
proposed quality improvement plan pursuant to 
subparagraph (A), the sponsoring agency shall 
either approve such proposed plan or specify 
the reasons why the proposed plan cannot be 
approved.’’.
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(10) In subsection (d)(3) by inserting ‘‘and pro-
grams’’ after ‘‘agencies’’. 
(11) Subsection (e) is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(e) SUMMARIES OF MONITORING OUTCOMES.—Not 
later than 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, the 
Secretary shall publish a summary report on the findings 
of reviews conducted under subsection (c) and on the out-
comes of quality improvement plans implemented under 
subsection (d), during such fiscal year. Such information 
shall be made available to all parents with students receiv-
ing assistance under this Act in a understandable and uni-
form format, and to the extent practicable, provided in a 
language that the parents can understand, and in addi-
tion, make the information widely available through public 
means such as distribution through public agencies, and 
at a minimum posting such information on the Internet 
immediately upon publication.’’. 
SEC. 107. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF HEAD START AGEN-
CIES. 
Section 642 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9837(b)) is amended as follows: 
(1) By amending subsection (b) to read as fol-
lows:
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‘‘(b) In order to be so designated, a Head Start agen-
cy shall also—
‘‘(1) establish a program with standards set 
forth in section 641A(a)(1), with particular atten-
tion to the standards set forth in subparagraphs (A) 
and (B) of such section; 
‘‘(2) demonstrate capacity to serve eligible chil-
dren with scientifically-based curricula and other 
interventions that help promote the school readiness 
of children participating in the program; 
‘‘(3) establish effective procedures by which 
parents and area residents concerned will be enabled 
to directly participate in decisions that influence the 
character of programs affecting their interests; 
‘‘(4) provide for their regular participation in 
the implementation of such programs; 
‘‘(5) provide technical and other support needed 
to enable parents and area residents to secure on 
their own behalf available assistance from public and 
private sources; 
‘‘(6) seek the involvement of parents of partici-
pating children in activities designed to help such 
parents become full partners in the education of 
their children, and to afford such parents the oppor-
tunity to participate in the development, conduct,
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and overall performance of the program at the local 
level; 
‘‘(7) conduct outreach to schools in which Head 
Start children enroll, local educational agencies, the 
local business community, community-based organi-
zations, faith-based organizations, museums, and li-
braries to generate support and leverage the re-
sources of the entire local community in order to im-
prove school readiness; 
‘‘(8) offer (directly or through referral to local 
entities, such as entities carrying out Even Start 
programs under part B of chapter 1 of title I of the 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 2741 et seq.)), to parents of partici-
pating children, family literacy services and par-
enting skills training; 
‘‘(9) offer to parents of participating children 
substance abuse counseling (either directly or 
through referral to local entities), including informa-
tion on drug-exposed infants and fetal alcohol syn-
drome; 
‘‘(10) at the option of such agency, offer (di-
rectly or through referral to local entities), to such 
parents—
‘‘(A) training in basic child development;
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‘‘(B) assistance in developing communica-
tion skills; 
‘‘(C) opportunities to share experiences 
with other parents; 
‘‘(D) regular in-home visitation; or 
‘‘(E) any other activity designed to help 
such parents become full partners in the edu-
cation of their children; 
‘‘(11) provide, with respect to each partici-
pating family, a family needs assessment that in-
cludes consultation with such parents about the ben-
efits of parent involvement and about the activities 
described in paragraphs (4) through (7) in which 
such parents may choose to be involved (taking into 
consideration their specific family needs, work sched-
ules, and other responsibilities); 
‘‘(12) consider providing services to assist 
younger siblings of children participating in its Head 
Start program to obtain health services from other 
sources; 
‘‘(13) perform community outreach to encour-
age individuals previously unaffiliated with Head 
Start programs to participate in its Head Start pro-
gram as volunteers; and
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‘‘(14)(A) inform custodial parents in single-par-
ent families that participate in programs, activities, 
or services carried out or provided under this sub-
chapter about the availability of child support serv-
ices for purposes of establishing paternity and ac-
quiring child support; and 
‘‘(B) refer eligible parents to the child support 
offices of State and local governments.’’. 
(2) Amend subsection (c) to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) The head of each Head Start agency shall co-
ordinate and collaborate with the State agency responsible 
for administering the State program carried out under the 
Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 
U.S.C. 9858 et seq.), and other early childhood education 
and development programs, including programs under 
subtitle VII–B of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431–11435), Even Start programs 
under part B of chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2741 
et seq.), and programs under Part C and section 619 of 
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 
1431–1445, 1419), and the Child Abuse Prevention and 
Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a), serving the children 
and families served by the Head Start agency to carry out 
the provisions of this subchapter.’’.
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(3) In subsection (d) by redesignating para-
graphs (2) through (4) as paragraph (3) through (5) 
and inserting the following new paragraph after 
paragraph (1): 
‘‘(2) In communities where both public prekinder-
garten programs and Head Start programs operate, a 
Head Start agency shall coordinate with the local edu-
cational agency or other public agency responsible for the 
operation of the prekindergarten program and providers 
of prekindergarten, including for outreach to identify eligi-
ble children.’’. 
(5) In paragraph (3) (as redesignated) of subsection 
(d), strike ‘‘and’’ at the end of subparagraph (A) and in-
sert the following after subparagraph (A) and redesignate 
subparagraph (B) as (C): 
‘‘(B) collaborating to increase the program 
participation of underserved populations of eli-
gible children; and’’. 
SEC. 108. HEAD START ALIGNMENT WITH K–12 EDUCATION. 
Section 642A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9837a) is amended as follows: 
(1) The heading is amended to read as follows:
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‘‘SEC. 642A. HEAD START ALIGNMENT WITH K–12 EDU-
CATION.’’. 
(2) In paragraph (2) after ‘‘social workers,’’ in-
sert the following: ‘‘McKinney-Vento liaisons as es-
tablished under section 722 (g)(1)(J)(ii) of the 
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance 
Improvements Act of 2001,’’. 
(3) Add the following new paragraph after 
paragraph (2) and redesignated paragraphs (3) 
through (7) as (4) through (8): 
‘‘(3) developing continuity of developmentally 
appropriate curricula between Head Start and local 
educational agencies to ensure an effective transition 
and appropriate shared expectations for children’s 
learning and development as they make such transi-
tion to school;’’. 
(4) Paragraph (6)(as redesignated by para-
graph (3) of this section) is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(6) developing and implementing a family out-
reach and support program in cooperation with enti-
ties carrying out parental involvement efforts under 
title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 and family outreach and support efforts 
under subtitle VII–B of the McKinney-Vento Home-
less Assistance Act;’’.
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(4) In paragraph (7)(as redesignated by para-
graph (3) of this section) by inserting ‘‘and con-
tinuity in parental involvement activities’’ after ‘‘de-
velopmental continuity’’. 
(5) Strike ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph (7)(as 
redesignated by paragraph (3) of this section) and 
strike the period at the end of paragraph (8)(as re-
designated by paragraph (3) of this section) and in-
sert a semicolon. 
(6) Add the following after paragraph (8): 
‘‘(9) helping parents to understand the impor-
tance of parental involvement in a child’s academic 
success while teaching them strategies for maintain-
ing parental involvement as their child moves from 
Head Start to elementary school; and 
‘‘(10) developing and implementing a system to 
increase program participation of underserved popu-
lations of eligible children.’’. 
SEC. 109. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS AND STAND-
ARDS. 
Section 644 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9839) 
is amended in subsection (f)(2) by redesignating subpara-
graphs (A) through (E) as (B) through (F) and inserting 
the following new subparagraph before subparagraph (B) 
(as so redesignated):
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‘‘(A) a description of the consultation conducted 
by the Head Start agency with the providers in the 
community demonstrating capacity and capability to 
provide services under this Act, and of the potential 
for collaboration with such providers and the cost ef-
fectiveness of such collaboration as opposed to the 
cost effectiveness of the purchase of a facility;’’
SEC. 110. ELIGIBILITY. 
Section 645(a) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9843) is amended as follows: 
(1) By striking ‘‘to a reasonable extent’’ in 
paragraph (1)(B)(i) and inserting ‘‘not to exceed 10 
percent of the total enrollment’’ and by striking 
‘‘benefit from such programs’’ and inserting ‘‘benefit 
from such programs, including children referred by 
child welfare services,’’. 
(2) By adding the following new paragraph at 
the end thereof: 
‘‘(3) The amount of a basic allowance provided under 
section 403 of title 37, United States Code, on behalf of 
an individual who is a member of the uniformed services 
for housing that is acquired or constructed under the au-
thority of subchapter IV of chapter 169 of title 10, United 
States Code, or any other related provision of law, shall 
not be considered to be income for purposes of deter-
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mining the eligibility of a child of the individual for pro-
grams assisted under this subchapter.’’. 
SEC. 111. EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 645A of the Head Start 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9643) is amended as follows: 
(1) By amending paragraphs (4) and (5) of 
subsection (b) to read as follows: 
‘‘(4) provide services to parents to support their 
role as parents (including parenting skills training 
and training in basic child development) and to help 
the families move toward self-sufficiency (including 
educational and employment services as appro-
priate); 
‘‘(5) coordinate services with services (including 
home-based services) provided by programs in the 
State and programs in the community (including 
programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities) 
to ensure a comprehensive array of services (such as 
health and mental health services, and family sup-
port services);’’. 
(2) By amending paragraph (8) of subsection 
(b) to read as follows: 
‘‘(8) ensure formal linkages with the agencies 
and entities described in section 644(b) of the Indi-
viduals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C.
HR 2210 RFS 
1444(b)) and providers of early intervention services 
for infants and toddlers with disabilities under the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 
U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) and the agency responsible for 
administering the section 106 of the Child Abuse 
Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. 5106a); 
and’’. 
(3) In subsection (g)(2)(B) by striking ‘‘and’’ 
at the end of clause (iii), by striking the period at 
the end of clause (iv) and inserting ‘‘; and’’ and by 
inserting the following at the end: 
‘‘(v) providing professional develop-
ment designed to increase program partici-
pation for underserved populations of eligi-
ble children.’’. 
(b) MIGRANT AND SEASONAL PROGRAMS.—Section 
645A(d)(1) of the Head Start Act (42 US.C. 9643(d)(1)) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(1) entities operating Head Start programs 
under this subpart, including migrant and seasonal 
Head Start programs; and’’. 
(c) COMMUNITY- AND
FAITH-BASED
ORGANIZA-
TIONS.—Section 645A(d)(2) of the Head Start Act (42 
US.C. 9643(d)(21)) is amended by inserting ‘‘, including
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community- and faith-based organizations’’ after ‘‘enti-
ties’’ in the second place it appears. 
SEC. 112. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING. 
Section 648 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9843) 
is amended as follows: 
(1) By inserting the following new subsection 
after subsection (a) and redesignating subsections 
(b) through (e) as subsections (c) through (f): 
‘‘(b) The Secretary shall make available to each State 
the money reserved in section 640(a)(2)(C)(ii) to support 
a State-based system delivering training and technical as-
sistance that improves the capacity of Head Start pro-
grams within a State to deliver services in accordance with 
the Head Start standards in section 641A(a)(1), with par-
ticular attention to the standards set forth in subpara-
graphs (A) and (B) of such section. The Secretary shall—
‘‘(1) ensure eligible entities within a State are 
chosen by the Secretary, in consultation with the 
State Collaboration Board described in section 
640(a)(5)(C)(i), through a competitive bid process; 
‘‘(2) ensure that existing agencies with dem-
onstrated expertise in providing high quality training 
and technical assistance to improve the delivery of 
Head Start services, including the State Head Start 
Association, State agencies, migrant and seasonal
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Head Start programs operating in the State, and 
other entities currently providing training and tech-
nical assistance in early education, be included in 
the planning and coordination of the State system of 
training and technical assistance; and 
‘‘(3) encourage States to supplement the funds 
authorized in section 640(a)(2)(C)(ii) with State, 
Federal, or local funds other than Head Start funds, 
to expand activities beyond Head Start agencies to 
include other providers of other early childhood serv-
ices within a State.’’. 
(2) In subsection (d) (as redesignated): 
(A) In paragraph (2), after ‘‘disabilities’’ 
insert ‘‘and for activities described in section 
1221(b)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965’’. 
(B) In paragraph (5) after ‘‘assessment’’ 
insert ‘‘, including the needs of homeless chil-
dren and their families’’. 
(C) By striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of para-
graph (10), by striking the period at the end of 
paragraph (11) and inserting ‘‘; and’’ and by 
inserting the following at the end:
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‘‘(12) assist Head Start agencies and programs 
in increasing program participation of eligible home-
less children.’’. 
(3) In subsection (e) (as redesignated by para-
graph (1)) by inserting ‘‘, including community- and 
faith-based organizations’’ after ‘‘entities’’. 
(4) By amending subsection (f) (as redesig-
nated by paragraph (1)) to read as follows: 
‘‘(f) The Secretary shall provide, either directly or 
through grants or other arrangements, funds from pro-
grams authorized under this subchapter to support an or-
ganization to administer a centralized child development 
and national assessment program leading to recognized 
credentials for personnel working in early childhood devel-
opment and child care programs, training for personnel 
providing services to non-English language background 
children (including services to promote the acquisition of 
the English language), training for personnel providing 
services to children determined to be abused or neglected, 
training for personnel providing services to children re-
ferred by or receiving child welfare services, training for 
personnel in helping children cope with community vio-
lence, and resource access projects for personnel working 
with disabled children.’’. 
(5) Insert at the end of the section:
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‘‘(g) HELPING PERSONNEL BETTER SERVE MI-
GRANT
AND SEASONAL FARM-WORKING COMMUNITIES 
AND HOMELESS FAMILIES.—The Secretary shall provide, 
either directly or through grants, or other arrangements, 
funds for training of Head Start personnel in addressing 
the unique needs of migrant and seasonal working fami-
lies, families with a limited English proficiency, and home-
less families. 
‘‘(h) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—The majority of 
funds expended under this section shall be used to provide 
high quality, sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused 
training and technical assistance in order to have a posi-
tive and lasting impact on classroom instruction. Funds 
shall be used to carry out activities related to any or all 
of the following: 
‘‘(1) Education and early childhood develop-
ment. 
‘‘(2) Child health, nutrition, and safety. 
‘‘(3) Family and community partnerships. 
‘‘(4) Other areas that impact the quality or 
overall effectiveness of Head Start programs. 
‘‘(i) PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS.—Funds under 
this subchapter used for training shall be used for needs 
identified annually by a grant applicant or delegate agency 
in their program improvement plan, except that funds
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shall not be used for long-distance travel expenses for 
training activities available locally or regionally or for 
training activities substantially similar to locally or region-
ally available training activities. 
‘‘(j) DEFINITION.—For purposes of this section, the 
term ‘eligible entities’ means an institution of higher edu-
cation or other entity with expertise in delivering training 
in early childhood development, family support, and other 
assistance designed to improve the delivery of Head Start 
services.’’. 
SEC. 113. STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT. 
Section 648A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9843a) is amended as follows: 
(1) By amending paragraph (2) of subsection 
(a) to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) DEGREE REQUIREMENTS.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that not later than September 30, 2008, 
at least 50 percent of all Head Start teachers 
nationwide in center-based programs have—
‘‘(i) a baccalaureate, or advanced de-
gree in early childhood education; or 
‘‘(ii) a baccalaureate, or advanced de-
gree in a field related to early childhood
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education, with experience in teaching pre-
school children. 
‘‘(B) PROGRESS.—Each Head State agen-
cy shall provide to the Secretary a report indi-
cating the number and percentage of classroom 
instructors with child development associate 
credentials and associate, baccalaureate, or ad-
vanced degrees. The Secretary shall compile all 
program reports and make them available to 
the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
of the United States House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the United States Sen-
ate. 
‘‘(C) REQUIREMENT
FOR
NEW
HEAD 
START TEACHERS.—Within 3 years after the 
date of enactment of this clause, the Secretary 
shall require that all Head Start teachers na-
tionwide in center-based programs hired fol-
lowing the date of enactment of this subpara-
graph—
‘‘(i) have an associate, baccalaureate, 
or advanced degree in early childhood edu-
cation;
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‘‘(ii) have an associate, baccalaureate, 
or advanced degree in a field related to 
early childhood education, with experience 
in teaching preschool children; or 
‘‘(iii) be currently enrolled in a pro-
gram of study leading to an associate de-
gree in early childhood education and 
agree to complete degree requirements 
within 3 years from the date of hire. 
‘‘(D) SERVICE REQUIREMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall establish requirements to ensure 
that individuals who receive financial assistance 
under this Act in order to comply with the re-
quirements under section 648A(a)(2) shall sub-
sequently teach in a Head Start center for a pe-
riod of time equivalent to the period for which 
they received assistance or repay the amount of 
the funds.’’. 
(2) By adding the following at the end thereof: 
‘‘(f) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS.—Every 
Head Start agency and program shall create, in consulta-
tion with an employee, a professional development plan for 
all full-time employees who provide direct services to chil-
dren.’’.
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SEC. 114. RESEARCH, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND EVALUA-
TION. 
Section 649 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9844) 
is amended as follows: 
(1) By amending subsection (a)(1)(B) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(B) use the Head Start programs to de-
velop, test, and disseminate new ideas and ap-
proaches for addressing the needs of low-income 
preschool children (including children with dis-
abilities and children determined to be abused 
or neglected) and their families and commu-
nities (including demonstrations of innovative 
non-center based program models such as 
home-based and mobile programs), and other-
wise to further the purposes of this sub-
chapter.’’. 
(1) By striking paragraph (9) of subsection (d) 
and inserting ‘‘(9) REPEALED.—’’. 
(2) By striking clause (i) of subsection 
(g)(1)(A) and redesignating clauses (ii) and (iii) as 
clauses (i) and (ii). 
(3) In subsection (g)(7)(C)(i) by striking 
‘‘1999’’ and inserting ‘‘2003’’, striking ‘‘2001’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2005’’, and striking ‘‘2003’’ and inserting 
‘‘2006’’.
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(4) By amending subsection (h) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(h) NAS STUDY.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall use 
funds allocated in section 640(a)(2)(C)(iii) to con-
tract with the National Academy of Sciences for the 
Board on Children, Youth, and Families of the Na-
tional Research Council to establish an independent 
panel of experts to review and synthesize research, 
theory and applications in the social, behavioral and 
biological sciences and shall make recommendations 
on early childhood pedagogy with regard to each of 
the following: 
‘‘(A) Age and developmentally appropriate 
Head Start academic requirements and out-
comes, including but not limited to the domains 
in 641A(a)(B). 
‘‘(B) Differences in the type, length, mix 
and intensity of services necessary to ensure 
that children from challenging family and social 
backgrounds including: low-income children, 
children of color, children with special needs, 
and children with limited English proficiency 
enter kindergarten ready to succeed.
HR 2210 RFS 
‘‘(C) Appropriate assessments of young 
children for the purposes of improving instruc-
tion, services, and program quality, including 
systematic observation assessment in a child’s 
natural environment, parent and provider inter-
views, and accommodations for children with 
disabilities and appropriate assessments for 
children with special needs, including English 
language learners. 
‘‘(2) COMPOSITION.—The panel shall consist of 
multiple experts in each of the following areas: 
‘‘(A) Child development and education, in-
cluding cognitive, social, emotional, physical, 
approaches to learning, and other domains of 
child development and learning. 
‘‘(B) Professional development, including 
teacher preparation, to individuals who teach 
young children in programs. 
‘‘(C) Assessment of young children, includ-
ing screening, diagnostic and classroom-based 
instructional assessment; children with special 
needs, including children with disabilities and 
limited English proficient children. 
‘‘(3) 
TIMING.—The 
National 
Academy 
of 
Sciences and the Board shall establish the panel not