collaboration efforts for such programs, including col-
laborations to increase program participation by un-
derserved populations of eligible children. 
‘‘(vi) Ensuring that the physical environments of 
Head Start programs are conducive to providing ef-
fective 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-
dren with a variety of skills that have been identified, 
through scientifically based reading research, as pre-
dictive of later reading achievement. 
‘‘(viii) Providing assistance to complete postsec-
ondary course work including scholarships or other fi-
nancial incentives, such as differential and merit 
pay, to enable Head Start teachers to improve com-
petencies and the resulting child outcomes. 
‘‘(ix) Upgrading the qualifications and skills of 
educational personnel to meet the professional stand-
ards established under section 648A(a)(1), including 
certification and licensure as bilingual education 
teachers and other educational personnel who serve 
limited English proficient children.
‘‘(x) Promoting the regular attendance and sta-
bility of all children participating in Head Start pro-
grams, with particular attention to highly mobile 
children, including children from migrant and sea-
sonal farm worker families (if appropriate), homeless 
children, and children in foster care. 
‘‘(xi) Making such other improvements in the 
quality of such programs as the Secretary may des-
ignate.’’; and 
(C) by amending subparagraph (C) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(C) Quality improvement funds shall be used to carry 
out the activities in any or all of the following clauses: 
‘‘(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 re-
quirements set forth in section 648A(a). The expendi-
ture of funds under this clause shall be subject to sec-
tion 653. Salary increases, in excess of cost-of-living 
allowance, provided with such funds shall be subject
to the specific standards governing salaries and sal-
ary increases established pursuant to section 644(a). 
‘‘(II) If a Head Start agency certifies to the Sec-
retary for such fiscal year that part of the funds set 
aside under subclause (I) to improve wages cannot 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 car-
ries out subclause (I)), the Secretary may carry out 
the activities described in clauses (ii) through (vii). 
‘‘(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 identified 
through scientifically based reading research; 
‘‘(II) to promote the acquisition of the 
English language for limited English proficient 
children and families, while ensuring that chil-
dren are making meaningful progress in attain-
ing the knowledge, skills, abilities, and develop-
ment described in section 641A(a)(1)(B);
‘‘(III) to foster children’s school readiness 
through 
activities 
described 
in 
section 
648A(a)(1); and 
‘‘(IV) to provide education and training 
necessary to improve the qualifications of Head 
Start staff, particularly assistance to enable 
more instructors to be fully competent and to 
meet the degree requirements under section 
648A(a)(2)(A), and to support staff training, 
child counseling, and other services necessary to 
address the challenges of children participating 
in Head Start programs, including children 
from immigrant, refugee, and asylee families, 
children from families in crisis, children who ex-
perience chronic violence in their communities, 
children who experience substance abuse in their 
families, and children with emotional and behav-
ioral problems. 
‘‘(iii) To employ additional Head Start staff, in-
cluding staff necessary to reduce the child-staff ratio, 
lead instructors who meet the qualifications of section 
648A(a) and staff necessary to coordinate a Head 
Start program with other services available to chil-
dren participating in such program and to their fam-
ilies.