H. R. 1429—29 
‘‘(J) include as part of the reviews of the programs, 
a review and assessment of whether the programs are 
in conformity with the eligibility requirements under sec-
tion 645(a)(1), including regulations promulgated under 
such section and whether the programs have met the 
requirements for the outreach and enrollment policies and 
procedures, and selection criteria, in such section, for the 
participation of children in programs assisted under this 
subchapter; 
‘‘(K) include as part of the reviews, a review and assess-
ment of whether agencies have adequately addressed the 
needs of children with disabilities, including whether the 
agencies involved have met the 10 percent minimum enroll-
ment requirement specified in section 640(d) and whether 
the agencies have made sufficient efforts to collaborate 
with State and local agencies providing services under sec-
tion 619 or part C of the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.); and 
‘‘(L) include as part of the reviews, a review and assess-
ment of child outcomes and performance as they relate 
to agency-determined school readiness goals described in 
subsection (g)(2), consistent with subsection (b)(5). 
‘‘(3) STANDARDS RELATING TO OBLIGATIONS TO DELEGATE 
AGENCIES.—In conducting a review described in paragraph 
(1)(A) of a Head Start agency, the Secretary shall determine 
whether the agency complies with the obligations described 
in subsection (a)(3). The Secretary shall consider such compli-
ance in determining whether to renew financial assistance to 
the Head Start agency under this subchapter. 
‘‘(4) USE OF REVIEW FINDINGS.—The findings of a review 
described in paragraph (1) of a Head Start agency shall, at 
a minimum— 
‘‘(A) be presented to the agency in a timely, trans-
parent, and uniform manner that conveys information of 
program strengths and weaknesses and assists with pro-
gram improvement; and 
‘‘(B) be used by the agency to inform the development 
and implementation of its plan for training and technical 
assistance. 
‘‘(d) EVALUATIONS
AND CORRECTIVE ACTION
FOR DELEGATE 
AGENCIES.— 
‘‘(1) PROCEDURES.—Each Head Start agency shall establish, 
subject to paragraph (4), procedures relating to its delegate 
agencies, including— 
‘‘(A) procedures for evaluating delegate agencies; 
‘‘(B) procedures for defunding delegate agencies; and 
‘‘(C) procedures for a delegate agency to appeal a 
defunding decision. 
‘‘(2) EVALUATION.—Each Head Start agency— 
‘‘(A) shall evaluate its delegate agencies using the 
procedures established under this subsection; and 
‘‘(B) shall inform the delegate agencies of the defi-
ciencies identified through the evaluation that are required 
to be corrected. 
‘‘(3) REMEDIES TO ENSURE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS.—In the 
event that the Head Start agency identifies a deficiency for
H. R. 1429—30 
a delegate agency through the evaluation, the Head Start 
agency shall take action, which may include— 
‘‘(A) initiating procedures to terminate the designation 
of the agency unless the agency corrects the deficiency; 
‘‘(B) conducting monthly monitoring visits to such dele-
gate agency until all deficiencies are corrected or the Head 
Start agency decides to defund such delegate agency; and 
‘‘(C) releasing funds to such delegate agency— 
‘‘(i) only as reimbursements except that, upon 
receiving a request from the delegate agency accom-
panied by assurances satisfactory to the Head Start 
agency that the funds will be appropriately safe-
guarded, the Head Start agency shall provide to the 
delegate agency a working capital advance in an 
amount sufficient to cover the estimated expenses 
involved during an agreed upon disbursing cycle; and 
‘‘(ii) only if there is continuity of services. 
‘‘(4) TERMINATION.—The Head Start agency may not termi-
nate a delegate agency’s contract or reduce a delegate agency’s 
service area without showing cause or demonstrating the cost- 
effectiveness of such a decision. 
‘‘(5) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this subsection 
shall be construed to limit the powers, duties, or functions 
of the Secretary with respect to Head Start agencies or delegate 
agencies that receive financial assistance under this subchapter. 
‘‘(e) CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR HEAD START AGENCIES.— 
‘‘(1) DETERMINATION.—If the Secretary determines, on the 
basis of a review pursuant to subsection (c), that a Head Start 
agency designated pursuant to this subchapter fails to meet 
the standards described in subsection (a)(1) or fails to address 
the communitywide strategic planning and needs assessment, 
the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) inform the agency of the deficiencies that shall 
be corrected and identify the assistance to be provided 
consistent with paragraph (3); 
‘‘(B) with respect to each identified deficiency, require 
the agency— 
‘‘(i) to correct the deficiency immediately, if the 
Secretary finds that the deficiency threatens the health 
or safety of staff or program participants or poses 
a threat to the integrity of Federal funds; 
‘‘(ii) to correct the deficiency not later than 90 
days after the identification of the deficiency if the 
Secretary finds, in the discretion of the Secretary, that 
such a 90-day period is reasonable, in light of the 
nature and magnitude of the deficiency; or 
‘‘(iii) in the discretion of the Secretary (taking into 
consideration the seriousness of the deficiency and the 
time reasonably required to correct the deficiency), to 
comply with the requirements of paragraph (2) con-
cerning a quality improvement plan; and 
‘‘(C) initiate proceedings to terminate the designation 
of the agency unless the agency corrects the deficiency. 
‘‘(2) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN.— 
‘‘(A) AGENCY
AND
PROGRAM
RESPONSIBILITIES.—To 
retain a designation as a Head Start agency under this 
subchapter, or in the case of a Head Start program to
H. R. 1429—31 
continue to receive funds from such agency, a Head Start 
agency that is the subject of a determination described 
in paragraph (1), or a Head Start program that is deter-
mined to have a deficiency under subsection (d)(2) 
(excluding an agency 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 improve-
ment plan that shall be subject to the approval of 
the Secretary, or in the case of a program, the spon-
soring agency, and that shall specify— 
‘‘(I) the deficiencies to be corrected; 
‘‘(II) the actions to be taken to correct such 
deficiencies; and 
‘‘(III) the timetable for accomplishment of the 
corrective actions specified; and 
‘‘(ii) correct each deficiency identified, not later 
than the date for correction of such deficiency specified 
in such plan (which shall not be later than 1 year 
after the date the agency or Head Start program that 
is determined to have a deficiency received notice of 
the determination and of the specific 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 Secretary shall either approve such proposed plan or 
specify the reasons why the proposed plan cannot be 
approved. 
‘‘(C) AGENCY RESPONSIBILITY.—Not later than 30 days 
after receiving from a Head Start program a proposed 
quality improvement plan pursuant to subparagraph (A), 
the Head Start agency involved shall either approve such 
proposed plan or specify the reasons why the proposed 
plan cannot be approved. 
‘‘(3) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
shall provide training and technical assistance to Head Start 
agencies and programs with respect to the development or 
implementation of such quality improvement plans to the extent 
the Secretary finds such provision to be feasible and appropriate 
given available funding and other statutory responsibilities. 
‘‘(f) SUMMARIES OF MONITORING OUTCOMES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—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 outcomes of quality improvement plans imple-
mented under subsection (e), during such fiscal year. 
‘‘(2) REPORT
AVAILABILITY.—Such report shall be made 
widely available to— 
‘‘(A) parents with children receiving assistance under 
this subchapter— 
‘‘(i) in an understandable and uniform format; and 
‘‘(ii) to the extent practicable, in a language that 
the parents understand; and 
‘‘(B) the public through means such as— 
‘‘(i) distribution through public agencies; and 
‘‘(ii) posting such information on the Internet.
H. R. 1429—32 
‘‘(3) REPORT
INFORMATION.—Such report shall contain 
detailed data— 
‘‘(A) on compliance with specific standards and meas-
ures; and 
‘‘(B) sufficient to allow Head Start agencies to use 
such data to improve the quality of their programs. 
‘‘(g) SELF-ASSESSMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not less frequently than once each pro-
gram year, with the consultation and participation of policy 
councils and, as applicable, policy committees and, as appro-
priate, other community members, each Head Start agency, 
and each delegate agency, that receives financial assistance 
under this subchapter shall conduct a comprehensive self- 
assessment of its effectiveness and progress in meeting program 
goals and objectives and in implementing and complying with 
standards described in subsection (a)(1). 
‘‘(2) GOALS, REPORTS, AND IMPROVEMENT PLANS.— 
‘‘(A) GOALS.—An agency conducting a self-assessment 
shall establish agency-determined program goals for 
improving the school readiness of children participating 
in a program under this subchapter, including school readi-
ness goals that are aligned with the Head Start Child 
Outcomes Framework, State early learning standards as 
appropriate, and requirements and expectations of the 
schools the children will be attending. 
‘‘(B) IMPROVEMENT PLAN.—The agency shall develop, 
and submit to the Secretary a report containing, an 
improvement plan approved by the governing body of the 
agency to strengthen any areas identified in the self-assess-
ment as weaknesses or in need of improvement. 
‘‘(3) ONGOING
MONITORING.—Each Head Start agency 
(including each Early Head Start agency) and each delegate 
agency shall establish and implement procedures for the 
ongoing monitoring of their respective programs, to ensure that 
the operations of the programs work toward meeting program 
goals and objectives and standards described in subsection 
(a)(1). 
‘‘(h) REDUCTION
OF GRANTS
AND REDISTRIBUTION
OF FUNDS 
IN CASES OF UNDERENROLLMENT.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) ACTUAL ENROLLMENT.—The term ‘actual enroll-
ment’ means, with respect to the program of a Head Start 
agency, the actual number of children enrolled in such 
program and reported by the agency (as required in para-
graph (2)) in a given month. 
‘‘(B) BASE
GRANT.—The term ‘base grant’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 640(a)(7). 
‘‘(C) FUNDED ENROLLMENT.—The term ‘funded enroll-
ment’ means, with respect to the program of a Head Start 
agency in a fiscal year, the number of children that the 
agency is funded to serve through a grant for the program 
during such fiscal year, as indicated in the grant agree-
ment. 
‘‘(2) ENROLLMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENT.—Each entity 
carrying out a Head Start program shall report on a monthly 
basis to the Secretary and the relevant Head Start agency— 
‘‘(A) the actual enrollment in such program; and