I 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6302 
To provide professional development for elementary school principals in early 
childhood education and development. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 
Mr. ALTMIRE (for himself and Mr. HIMES) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
A BILL 
To provide professional development for elementary school 
principals in early childhood education and development. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Early Learning Align-
ment Act’’. 
SEC. 2. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ELEMENTARY 
SCHOOL PRINCIPALS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD 
EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part A of title II of the Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
18:41 Oct 12, 2010
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6302.IH
H6302
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
6601 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘Subpart 6—Professional Development for Elemen-
tary School Principals in Early Childhood Edu-
cation and Development 
‘‘SEC. 2161. PURPOSE. 
‘‘The purpose of this subpart is to improve the knowl-
edge of elementary school principals in areas related to 
early childhood education and development in order to— 
‘‘(1) create high quality early learning environ-
ments; 
‘‘(2) provide a continuum of learning through 
the third grade with developmentally effective and 
appropriate curricula and teaching practices; and 
‘‘(3) establish partnerships and collaboration 
with community-based early childhood education 
providers and families to better support— 
‘‘(A) learning at each stage; 
‘‘(B) effective transition among settings; 
and 
‘‘(C) continuous family engagement. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
18:41 Oct 12, 2010
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6302.IH
H6302
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
‘‘SEC. 2162. DEFINITION OF PRINCIPAL COMPETENCIES IN 
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND DEVEL-
OPMENT. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In this section, the term ‘prin-
cipal competencies in early childhood education and devel-
opment’ means the skills that— 
‘‘(1) elementary school principals must know 
and be able to do; and 
‘‘(2) are acquired through high quality profes-
sional development in early childhood education and 
developmentally appropriate practice. 
‘‘(b) INCLUSIONS.—The principal competencies in 
early childhood education and development include— 
‘‘(1) supporting an expanded continuum of 
learning through the third grade to ensure an effec-
tive transition from early learning or home settings 
to the primary school years; 
‘‘(2) engaging the school community to partner 
with early learning programs, and working with fam-
ilies to set a shared vision for understanding early 
childhood development; 
‘‘(3) supporting teachers through strong in-
structional leadership; 
‘‘(4) providing safe and supportive early learn-
ing environments that focus on the needs of the 
whole child, including the intellectual, social, emo-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
18:41 Oct 12, 2010
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6302.IH
H6302
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
tional, physical, and nutritional well-being of chil-
dren; and 
‘‘(5) utilizing multiple measures of develop-
mentally appropriate assessment and acquiring the 
ability to manage and use data effectively to make 
instructional decisions. 
‘‘SEC. 2163. GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED. 
‘‘(a) GRANTS TO PARTNERSHIPS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary is authorized 
to award grants, on a competitive basis, to partner-
ships described in paragraph (2) to enable the part-
nerships to carry out the authorized activities de-
scribed in subsection (b). 
‘‘(2) PARTNERSHIPS.—A partnership referred 
to in paragraph (1) shall consist of— 
‘‘(A) a public or private entity with a dem-
onstrated capacity to provide professional devel-
opment for elementary school principals; 
‘‘(B) one or more public agencies, includ-
ing— 
‘‘(i) a local educational agency; 
‘‘(ii) a State educational agency; 
‘‘(iii) a State human services agency; 
‘‘(iv) a State lead agency admin-
istering a program under the Child Care 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
18:41 Oct 12, 2010
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6302.IH
H6302
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 
(42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.); 
‘‘(v) a public agency administering a 
State funded prekindergarten program; or 
‘‘(vi) a Head Start agency, including 
an Early Head Start agency; and 
‘‘(C) one or more early childhood education 
organizations that provide professional develop-
ment to early childhood education providers. 
‘‘(3) DURATION.—The Secretary shall award a 
grant under this subsection for a period of not less 
than 3 years. 
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIRED
USES.—Each partnership re-
ceiving a grant under this subpart shall use the 
grant funds— 
‘‘(A) to carry out professional development 
to help elementary school principals acquire the 
principal competencies in early childhood edu-
cation and development; 
‘‘(B) to gain a knowledge base and capac-
ity to provide high quality early childhood edu-
cation; and 
‘‘(C) to work collaboratively with early 
childhood education providers, services pro-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
18:41 Oct 12, 2010
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6302.IH
H6302
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS
viders, and families in creating a continuum of 
high quality development and learning for chil-
dren in the community and school settings. 
‘‘(2) ALLOWABLE
ACTIVITIES.—The activities 
described in paragraph (1) may include providing 
professional development programs for elementary 
school principals, including mentoring programs and 
other means of professional learning, in— 
‘‘(A) early childhood education and devel-
opment in all domains (including language arts 
and literacy, mathematics, emotional develop-
ment, social development, approaches to learn-
ing, physical development, science, and creative 
arts), and the continuity of standards and high 
quality curriculum and teaching practices from 
prekindergarten through the third grade, with 
emphasis on meeting the needs of children with 
disabilities and English language learners; 
‘‘(B) safe and supportive early learning en-
vironments that focus on the social, emotional, 
and cognitive needs of children; 
‘‘(C) collaborating with early childhood 
education providers and other community based 
organizations to provide multiple educational 
and social service programs to meet the needs 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
18:41 Oct 12, 2010
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6302.IH
H6302
emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with BILLS