suant to this section, including subpara-
graph (A); and 
‘‘(ii) shall inform the delegate agen-
cies of the deficiencies identified through 
the evaluation that shall be corrected. 
‘‘(C) REMEDIES TO ENSURE CORRECTIVE 
ACTIONS.—If the Head Start agency identifies 
a deficiency for a delegate agency through the 
evaluation, the Head Start agency may—
‘‘(i) initiate procedures to terminate 
the designation of the agency unless the 
agency corrects the deficiency; 
‘‘(ii) conduct monthly monitoring vis-
its to such delegate agency until all defi-
ciencies are corrected or the Head Start 
agency decides to defund such delegate 
agency; and 
‘‘(iii) release funds to such delegate 
agency only as reimbursements until all de-
ficiencies are corrected or the Head Start 
agency decides to defund such delegate 
agency. 
‘‘(D) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing 
in this paragraph shall be construed to impact 
or obviate the responsibilities of the Secretary
with respect to Head Start agencies or delegate 
agencies receiving funding under this sub-
chapter.’’. 
(b) RESULTS-BASED PERFORMANCE MEASURES.—
Section 641A(b) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9836a(b)) is amended—
(1) by amending paragraph (2) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(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 subparagraphs (A) 
and (B) of subsection (a)(1).’’; 
(2) by amending paragraph (3) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(3) USE OF MEASURES.—
‘‘(A) The Secretary shall use the perform-
ance measures pursuant to this subsection to 
identify—
‘‘(i) strengths and weaknesses in the 
operation of Head Start programs nation-
ally, regionally, and locally as appropriate; 
and 
‘‘(ii) program areas that may require 
additional training and technical assistance 
resources. 
‘‘(B) The Secretary shall provide a detailed 
justification to the Congress regarding the 
planned uses of the data collected by the Na-
tional Reporting System developed by the Sec-
retary and shall demonstrate its scientific valid-
ity and reliability for such purposes, including
its scientific validity and reliability with chil-
dren with limited English proficiency for such 
purposes; 
‘‘(C) The Secretary shall not use the Na-
tional Reporting System assessment results ei-
ther as the primary method for assessing pro-
gram effectiveness or as the primary method for 
making grantee funding determinations. 
‘‘(D) The Secretary shall develop a process 
to ensure that the National Reporting System 
shall not be used to exclude children from Head 
Start programs.’’; and 
(3) by amending paragraph (4) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(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.’’. 
(c) MONITORING OF LOCAL AGENCIES AND PRO-
GRAMS.—Section 641A(c) of the Head Start Act (42 
U.S.C. 9836a(c)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)—
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A) by inserting ‘‘develop and utilize a risk-
based assessment system to’’ after ‘‘shall’’; 
(B) by amending subparagraph (C) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(C) Followup reviews, including unan-
nounced reviews as appropriate, of programs 
with 1 or more findings of deficiencies not later 
than 6 months after the date of such finding.’’; 
and 
(C) by amending subparagraph (D) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(D) Unannounced site inspections of 
Head Start centers and other reviews, as appro-
priate.’’; 
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(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, 
may be done without prior notice of the visit to 
the local agency or program;
‘‘(B) are conducted by review teams com-
posed of individuals who are knowledgeable 
about the program areas they are reviewing 
and, to the maximum extent practicable, the di-
verse (including linguistic and cultural) needs of 
eligible children (including children with disabil-
ities) and limited-English proficient children 
and their families; 
‘‘(C) include as part of the reviews of the 
programs, a review and assessment of program 
effectiveness, including strengths and areas for 
improvement, 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; 
‘‘(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); 
‘‘(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); and 
‘‘(I) are conducted in a manner that evalu-
ates program performance, quality, and overall 
operations with consistency and objectivity, and
based on a transparent and reliable system of 
review.’’. 
(d) CORRECTIVE ACTION; TERMINATION.—Section 
641A(d) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9836a(d)) is 
amended—
(1) in paragraph (1) by amending the matter 
preceding 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 
community needs and strategic plan identified in 
640(g)(2)(C), the Secretary shall—’’; 
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(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 that 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 
‘‘(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.’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (3) by inserting ‘‘and pro-
grams’’ after ‘‘agencies’’; 
(4) by amending subsection (e) 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 children receiv-
ing assistance under this subchapter in an understandable 
and uniform format, and to the extent practicable, pro-
vided in a language that the parents can understand, and 
in addition, make the information widely available through 
public means such as distribution through public agencies, 
and at a minimum posting such information on the Inter-
net immediately upon publication.’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) REDUCTION OF GRANTS AND REDISTRIBUTION 
OF FUNDS IN CASES OF UNDER-ENROLLMENT.—
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) ACTUAL
ENROLLMENT.—The term 
‘actual enrollment’ means, with respect to a 
Head Start program, the actual number of chil-
dren enrolled in such program in a given 
month. 
‘‘(B) BASE GRANT.—The term ‘base grant’ 
means, with respect to a Head Start agency for 
a fiscal year, that portion of the grant de-
rived—
‘‘(i) from amounts reserved for use in 
accordance with section 640(a)(2)(A), for a 
Head Start agency administering an In-
dian Head Start program or migrant and 
seasonal Head Start program; 
‘‘(ii) from amounts reserved for pay-
ments under section 640(a)(2)(B); or 
‘‘(iii) from amounts available under 
section 640(a)(2)(D) or allotted among 
States under section 640(a)(4). 
‘‘(C) FUNDED
ENROLLMENT.—The term 
‘funded enrollment’ 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 pro-
gram during such fiscal year, as indicated in 
the grant agreement. 
‘‘(2) ENROLLMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENT 
FOR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR.—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 pro-
gram; and 
‘‘(B) if such actual enrollment is less than 
the funded enrollment, any apparent reason for 
such enrollment shortfall.
‘‘(3) SECRETARIAL
REVIEW
AND
PLAN.—The 
Secretary shall—
‘‘(A) on a semiannual basis, determine 
which Head Start agencies are operating with 
an actual enrollment that is less than the fund-
ed enrollment based on not less than the aver-
age of 4 consecutive months of data; 
‘‘(B) for each such Head Start agency op-
erating a program with an actual enrollment 
that is less than 95 percent of its funded enroll-
ment, as determined under subparagraph (A), 
develop, in collaboration with such agency, a 
plan and timetable for reducing or eliminating 
under-enrollment taking into consideration—
‘‘(i) the quality and extent of the out-
reach, recruitment, and community needs 
assessment conducted by such agency; 
‘‘(ii) changing demographics, mobility 
of populations, and the identification of 
new underserved low-income populations; 
‘‘(iii) facilities-related issues that may 
impact enrollment; 
‘‘(iv) the ability to provide full-day 
programs, where needed, through Head 
Start funds or through collaboration with
entities carrying out other preschool or 
child care programs, or programs with 
other funding sources (where available); 
‘‘(v) the availability and use by fami-
lies of other preschool and child care op-
tions (including parental care) in the local 
catchment area; and 
‘‘(vi) agency management procedures 
that may impact enrollment; and 
‘‘(C) provide timely and ongoing technical 
assistance to each agency described in subpara-
graph (B) for the purpose of implementing the 
plan described in such subparagraph. 
‘‘(4) IMPLEMENTATION.—Upon receipt of the 
technical assistance described in paragraph (3)(C), a 
Head Start agency shall immediately implement the 
plan described in paragraph (3)(B). 
‘‘(5) SECRETARIAL
ACTION
FOR
CONVERSION 
TO
SERVE
YOUNGER
CHILDREN.—If, after imple-
menting the plan described in paragraph (3)(B), the 
grantee continues to operate a program at less than 
full enrollment, the grantee may, upon approval by 
the Secretary, be permitted to use a portion of the 
base grant equal to the percentage difference be-
tween funded enrollment and actual enrollment for
the most then recent year, to serve persons described 
in section 645A(c) if such agency currently operates 
a grant described in section 645A and submits an 
application containing—
‘‘(A) evidence of community need for such 
services; 
‘‘(B) a description of how the needs of 
pregnant women, infants, and toddlers will be 
addressed in accordance with section 645A(b) 
and with regulations prescribed by the Sec-
retary pursuant to section 641A in areas in-
cluding—
‘‘(i) the approach to childhood devel-
opment and health services; and 
‘‘(ii) the approach to family and com-
munity partnerships; and approach to pro-
gram design and management; 
‘‘(C) assurances that the agency will par-
ticipate in technical assistance activities for 
newly funded and existing grantees under sec-
tion 654A; and 
‘‘(D) evidence that the agency meets the 
eligibility criteria as grantees under section 
645A.
Any grantee permitted to serve children under this 
paragraph shall be subject to the rules, regulations, 
and conditions under section 645A. 
‘‘(6) SECRETARIAL
ACTION
FOR
CONTINUED 
UNDER-ENROLLMENT.—If, 1 year after the date of 
implementation of the plan described in paragraph 
(3)(B), the Head Start agency continues to operate 
a program at less than full enrollment, the Secretary 
shall, where determined appropriate, continue to 
provide technical assistance to such agency. 
‘‘(7) SECRETARIAL REVIEW AND ADJUSTMENT 
FOR CHRONIC UNDER-ENROLLMENT.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—If, after receiving 
technical assistance and developing and imple-
menting a plan to the extent described in para-
graphs (3), (4), (5), and (6) for 6 months, a 
Head Start agency is still operating a program 
with an actual enrollment that is less than 95 
percent of its funded enrollment, the Secretary 
may—
‘‘(i) designate such agency as chron-
ically under-enrolled; and 
‘‘(ii) recapture, withhold, or reduce 
the base grant for the program by a per-
centage equal to the percentage difference
between funded enrollment and actual en-
rollment for the program for the most re-
cent year in which the agency is deter-
mined to be under-enrolled under para-
graph (2)(B). 
‘‘(B) WAIVER OR LIMITATION OF REDUC-
TIONS.—If the Secretary, after the implementa-
tion of the plan described in paragraph (3)(B), 
finds that—
‘‘(i) the shortfall can reasonably be 
expected to be temporary; or 
‘‘(ii) the number of slots allotted to 
the agency is small enough that under-en-
rollment does not constitute a significant 
shortfall, 
the Secretary may, as appropriate, waive or re-
duce the percentage recapturing, withholding, 
or reduction otherwise required by subpara-
graph (A). 
‘‘(C) PROCEDURAL
REQUIREMENTS; EF-
FECTIVE DATE.—The actions taken by the Sec-
retary under this paragraph with respect to a 
Head Start agency shall take effect 1 day after 
the date on which—
‘‘(i) the time allowed for appeal under 
section 646(a) expires without an appeal 
by the agency; or 
‘‘(ii) the action is upheld in an admin-
istrative hearing under section 646. 
‘‘(8) REDISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Funds held by the 
Secretary as a result of recapturing, with-
holding, or reducing a base grant in accordance 
with paragraph (7) in a fiscal year shall be re-
distributed in such fiscal year as follows: 
‘‘(i) If such funds are attributable to 
the portion of a base grant derived from 
amounts specified in paragraph (1)(B)(i) 
payable, but for the operation of this para-
graph, to carry out an Indian Head Start 
program, then such funds shall be redis-
tributed to increase enrollment in such fis-
cal year in 1 or more Indian Head Start 
programs. 
‘‘(ii) If such funds are attributable to 
the portion of a base grant derived from 
amounts specified in paragraph (1)(B)(i) 
payable, but for the operation of this para-
graph, to carry out a migrant and seasonal
Head Start program, then such funds shall 
be redistributed to increase enrollment in 
such fiscal year in 1 or more migrant and 
seasonal Head Start programs. 
‘‘(iii) If such funds are attributable to 
the portion of a base grant derived from 
amounts specified in clause (ii) or (iii) of 
paragraph (1)(B) payable, but for the op-
eration of this paragraph, to carry out a 
Head Start program (excluding Indian 
Head Start programs, and migrant and 
seasonal Head Start programs) in a State, 
then such funds shall be redistributed to 
increase enrollment in such fiscal year in 1 
or more—
‘‘(I) other Head Start programs 
(excluding Indian Head Start pro-
grams and migrant and seasonal 
Head Start programs) that are car-
ried out in such State; or 
‘‘(II) if the Secretary determines 
that children eligible under section 
641 are being adequately served with-
in such State, 1 or more Early Head 
Start programs (excluding Indian
Head Start programs and migrant 
and seasonal Head Start programs) or 
1 or more Head Start programs for 
the purpose of becoming a grantee 
pursuant to section 645A. 
‘‘(B) ADJUSTMENT TO FUNDED ENROLL-
MENT.—The Secretary shall adjust as necessary 
the requirements relating to funded enrollment 
indicated in the grant agreement of a Head 
Start agency receiving funds redistributed 
under this paragraph.’’. 
SEC. 9. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF HEAD START AGEN-
CIES. 
(a) QUALIFICATIONS
FOR DESIGNATION.—Section 
642(b) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837(b)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) In order to be so designated, a Head Start agen-
cy shall do all of the following: 
‘‘(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) Establish an independent board of direc-
tors selected from among eligible individuals who 
shall serve on the board (or may designate an exist-
ing entity whose members are eligible individuals, 
that shall be such board) for a period not to exceed 
5 years, except that board members who oversee a 
public entity and who are selected by election (or 
members of a board of a local educational agency or 
a local council, appointed by an elected official or an 
official of a general purpose local government), may 
serve for such period as may be determined by the 
electing or appointing authority, as the case may be. 
An individual who has a conflict of interest is ineli-
gible to serve as a member of the board. Members 
of the board of all nonpublic entities shall include 
representatives of the local community (including at 
least 1 member with significant financial manage-
ment or accounting experience and the chair of (or 
the designee of the chair, approved by) the council
described in section 642(b)(4)(B)(ii)). Additional 
members shall be selected for their expertise in edu-
cation, business administration, community affairs, 
government, legal affairs, and such other areas of 
expertise as may contribute to effective governance 
of the Head Start agency. All members of the board 
shall receive training in the management responsibil-
ities and obligations, ethics, and financial literacy 
and management, and shall adopt practices that as-
sure active, independent and informed governance of 
the Head Start agency, including independent over-
sight of the financial and management practices of 
such agency. The board shall provide direction to the 
executive director of the Head Start agency and 
shall operate as an entity independent of staff em-
ployed by the Head start agency, entity, or applicant 
and have the following duties and responsibilities: 
‘‘(A) To provide independent oversight to 
ensure that the Head Start agency under the 
direction of the executive director is delivering 
high quality services to children and families in 
compliance with all applicable standards in ef-
fect under this subchapter and with the applica-
ble performance measures established by the 
Secretary under section 644.
‘‘(B) To establish 2 or more standing com-
mittees to facilitate governance of the Head 
Start agency which shall include both of the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(i) An audit and finance committee 
whose primary responsibility shall be—
‘‘(I) to approve annually the op-
erating budget of the Head Start 
agency; 
‘‘(II) to review and recommend 
to the board the selection of inde-
pendent auditors who shall report all 
critical accounting policies and prac-
tices to the finance and audit com-
mittee except when the auditor is as-
signed by the State under State law; 
‘‘(III) to review and recommend 
to the board the termination or exten-
sion of the existing audit firm at least 
once every 5 years; 
‘‘(IV) to review and advise the 
board of the audit management letter 
provided pursuant to the chapter 75 
of title 31 of the United States Code, 
and of any audit findings; and
‘‘(V) to monitor agency actions to 
correct any such audit findings or 
other actions necessary to comply with 
applicable laws (including regulations) 
governing financial statements and ac-
counting practices. 
‘‘(ii) A policy council, a majority of 
whose representatives shall be parents of 
children participating in a Head Start pro-
gram or in an Early Head Start program, 
or of children who participated in a Head 
Start program or in an Early Head Start 
program in the then most recent 5-year pe-
riod preceding the selection of the par-
ticular representative involved, and whose 
primary responsibility shall be to serve as 
a link between parents and the board of di-
rectors and to make and submit rec-
ommendations on the following activities to 
the Board: 
‘‘(I) The strategic direction of 
the program, including long and 
short-term planning goals and objec-
tives.
‘‘(II) Program operation policies, 
including standards of conduct for 
program staff and volunteers. 
‘‘(III) Activities to support the 
active involvement of parents in sup-
porting program operations. 
‘‘(IV) Classroom activities and 
staffing. 
‘‘(V) Program responsiveness to 
community and parent needs. 
‘‘(VI) Other areas the committee 
identifies as necessary to improve pro-
gram operations. 
‘‘(C) To approve the selection and dis-
missal of the Head Start director, and to review 
annually the human resources available to en-
sure the effective operation of the Head Start 
agency. 
‘‘(D) To consult, on a regular basis, with 
the policy council and to take actions on rec-
ommendations submitted by such council. 
‘‘(E) To review and approve the major 
operational policies of the Head Start agency, 
including policies addressing accounting, finan-
cial management, procurement, record confiden-
tiality, and personnel (including specific stand-
ards governing salaries, salary adjustments, 
travel and per diem allowances, and other em-
ployee benefits). 
‘‘(F) To ensure that the Head Start agen-
cy is operated in compliance with applicable 
Federal, State, and local laws (including regula-
tions), and to monitor agency implementation of 
any corrective action necessary to comply with 
applicable laws (including regulations); 
‘‘(G) To oversee the program planning of 
the Head Start agency, including adoption of 
the Head Start agency philosophy and mission 
statement, adoption of policies for determining 
community needs, setting long- and short-range 
goals and objectives, establishment of criteria 
for selecting families in Head Start programs 
or Early Head Start programs, and to oversee 
and approve the agency’s applications to receive 
funds made available under this subchapter; 
and 
‘‘(H) To establish, to adopt, and to peri-
odically update written standards of conduct 
that establish standards and formal procedures 
for disclosing, addressing, and resolving—
‘‘(i) any conflict of interest, and any 
appearance of a conflict of interest, by 
board members, officers, employees, con-
sultants, and agents who provide services 
or furnish goods to the Head Start agency; 
and 
‘‘(ii) complaints, including investiga-
tions, when appropriate. 
‘‘(5) To seek the involvement of parents, area 
residents, and local business in the design and im-
plementation of the program. 
‘‘(6) To provide technical and other support 
needed to enable parents and area residents to se-
cure on their own behalf available assistance from 
public and private sources. 
‘‘(7) To establish effective procedures to facili-
tate the involvement of parents of participating chil-
dren in activities designed to help such parents be-
come full partners in the education of their children, 
and to afford such parents the opportunity to par-
ticipate in the development and overall conduct of 
the program at the local level, including a process 
through which parents of children currently partici-
pating in a Head Start program or an Early Head
Start program select the parent representatives to 
serve on the council under section 642(b)(4)(B)(ii). 
‘‘(8) To conduct outreach to schools in which 
children participating in Head Start programs en-
roll, local educational agencies, the local business 
community, community-based organizations, faith-
based organizations, museums, and libraries to gen-
erate support and leverage the resources of the en-
tire local community in order to improve school 
readiness. 
‘‘(9) To offer (directly or through referral to 
local entities, such as entities carrying out Even 
Start programs under subpart 3 of part B of title 
I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 2741 et seq.)), to parents of 
participating children, family literacy services and 
parenting skills training. 
‘‘(10) To offer to parents of participating chil-
dren substance abuse counseling (either directly or 
through referral to local entities), including informa-
tion on drug-exposed infants and fetal alcohol syn-
drome. 
‘‘(11) At the option of such agency, to offer (di-
rectly or through referral to local entities), to such 
parents—
‘‘(A) training in basic child development 
(including cognitive development); 
‘‘(B) assistance in developing literacy and 
communication skills; 
‘‘(C) opportunities to share experiences 
with other parents (including parent-mentor re-
lationships); 
‘‘(D) mental and behavioral health serv-
ices; 
‘‘(E) regular in-home visitation; or 
‘‘(F) any other activity designed to help 
such parents become full partners in the edu-
cation of their children. 
‘‘(12) To 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 (5) through (8) in which 
such parents may choose to be involved (taking into 
consideration their specific family needs, work sched-
ules, and other responsibilities). 
‘‘(13) To consider providing services to assist 
younger siblings of children participating in its Head 
Start program to obtain health services from other 
sources.
‘‘(14) To perform community outreach to en-
courage individuals previously unaffiliated with Head 
Start programs to participate in its Head Start pro-
gram as volunteers. 
‘‘(15)(A) To inform custodial parents in single-
parent families that participate in programs, activi-
ties, or services carried out or provided under this 
subchapter about the availability of child support 
services for purposes of establishing paternity and 
acquiring child support; and 
‘‘(B) To refer eligible parents to the child sup-
port offices of State and local governments. 
‘‘(16) To provide parents of limited English 
proficient children outreach and services under this 
subchapter, in an understandable and uniform for-
mat and, to the extent practicable, in a language 
that such parents can understand.’’. 
(b) COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION.—Section 
642(c) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837(c)) is 
amended 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 B of title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431–11435), Even Start pro-
grams under subpart 3 of part B of title I of the Elemen-
tary 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 Preven-
tion 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.’’. 
(c) OTHER COORDINATION.—Section 642(d) of the 
Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837(d)) is amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through 
(4) as paragraph (5) through (7), respectively; 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) COORDINATION.—
‘‘(A) LOCAL
EDUCATIONAL
AGENCY.—In 
communities where both public prekindergarten 
programs and Head Start programs operate, a 
Head Start agency shall collaborate and coordi-
nate activities with the local educational agency 
or other public agency responsible for the oper-
ation of the prekindergarten program and pro-
viders of prekindergarten, including outreach 
activities to identify eligible children. 
‘‘(B) ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.—Head Start 
staff shall, with the permission of the parents 
of children enrolled in Head Start programs, 
regularly communicate with the elementary 
schools such children will be attending—
‘‘(i) to share information about such 
children; 
‘‘(ii) to receive advice and support 
from the teachers in such elementary 
schools participating in Early Reading 
First programs funded under subpart 1 of 
part B of title I of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 regard-
ing scientifically based teaching strategies 
and options; and 
‘‘(iii) to ensure a smooth transition to 
elementary school for such children. 
‘‘(C) OTHER
EARLY
EDUCATION
AND 
CHILD
DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMS.—The head 
of each Head Start agency shall coordinate ac-
tivities and collaborate with the State agency 
responsible for administering the State program 
carried out under the Child Care and Develop-
ment Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 
et seq.), and other entities carrying out early 
childhood education and development programs, 
programs under subtitle B of title VII of the 
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 11431–11435), Even Start programs 
under subpart 3 of part B of title I of the Ele-
mentary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 6381 et seq.), and programs under 
section 619 and part C of the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C 1419, 
1431 et seq.), serving the children and families 
served by the Head Start agency. 
‘‘(D) OTHER
PROGRAMS.—Each Head 
Start agency shall collaborate, as appropriate, 
with providers of social and community services 
available to children and families participating 
in Head Start programs, and may support such 
partnerships with financial agreements, when 
applicable, for the provision of such services. 
‘‘(3) COLLABORATION.—A Head Start agency 
shall take steps to coordinate activities with the local 
educational agency serving the community involved 
and with schools in which children participating in
a Head Start program operated by such agency will 
enroll following such program, including—
‘‘(A) collaborating on the shared use of 
transportation and facilities; 
‘‘(B) collaborating to enhance the effi-
ciency of services while increasing the program 
participation of underserved populations of eli-
gible children; and 
‘‘(C) exchanging information on the provi-
sion of noneducational services to such children. 
‘‘(4) PARENTAL
INVOLVEMENT.—In order to 
promote the continued involvement of the parents 
(including grandparents and kinship caregivers, as 
appropriate) of children that participate in Head 
Start programs in the education of their children 
upon transition to school, the Head Start agency 
shall work with the local educational agency—
‘‘(A) to provide training to the parents—
‘‘(i) to inform the parents about their 
rights and responsibilities concerning the 
education of their children; and 
‘‘(ii) to enable the parents—
‘‘(I) to understand and work with 
schools in order to communicate with 
teachers and other school personnel;
‘‘(II) to support the schoolwork 
of their children; and 
‘‘(III) to participate, as appro-
priate, in decisions relating to the 
education of their children; and 
‘‘(B) to take other actions, as appropriate 
and feasible, to support the active involvement 
of the parents with schools, school personnel, 
and school-related organizations.’’; 
(3) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated—
(A) by striking ‘‘A’’ and inserting ‘‘Each’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘may’’ and inserting 
‘‘shall’’; 
(C) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (A); 
(D) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as 
subparagraph (C); and 
(E) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 
the following: 
‘‘(B) collaborating to increase the program par-
ticipation of underserved populations of eligible chil-
dren; and’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) Head Start agencies shall implement a research-
based early childhood curricula that promotes young chil-
dren’s school readiness in the areas of language and cog-
nitive development, early reading and premathematics 
skills, socio-emotional development, physical development, 
and approaches to learning. Such curricula shall be—
‘‘(A) based on scientifically based research and 
have standardized training procedures and published 
curriculum materials to support implementation; and 
‘‘(B) comprehensive, outcomes based, and 
linked to ongoing assessment with instructional 
goals and measurable objectives. 
‘‘(9) Head Start agencies shall use ongoing, research-
based assessment methods that are developmentally ap-
propriate, culturally and linguistically responsive, and tied 
to children’s daily activities in order to support the edu-
cational instruction of children in the program, including 
language skills, prereading knowledge and premathematics 
knowledge. Assessment instruments shall be those de-
signed and validated for making decisions about teaching 
and learning and aligned with the program’s curricula and 
Section 641A(a)(1). 
‘‘(10) For the purpose of meeting the performance 
standards, Head Start agencies shall use high-quality re-
search-based developmental screening tools that have been 
demonstrated to be standardized, reliable, valid, and accu-
rate for children from a range of racial, ethnic, linguistic, 
and cultural backgrounds. 
‘‘(11) Head Start agencies may develop or maintain 
partnerships with institutions of higher education and 
non-profit organizations that recruit, train, place, and 
support college students to serve as mentors and reading 
coaches to preschool children in Head Start programs.’’. 
(d) ASSESSMENT.—Section 642 of the Head Start 
Act (42 U.S.C. 9837) is amended by striking subsection 
(e) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(e) ASSESSMENT.—Each Head Start agency shall 
adopt, in consultation with experts in child development 
and with classroom teachers, an assessment to be used 
when hiring or evaluating any classroom teacher in a cen-
ter-based Head Start program. Such assessment shall 
measure whether such teacher has mastered the functions 
described in section 648A(a)(1) and attained a level of lit-
eracy appropriate to implement Head Start curricula. 
‘‘(f) FUNDED ENROLLMENT; WAITING LIST.—Each 
Head Start agency shall enroll 100 percent of its funded 
enrollment and maintain an active waiting list at all times 
with ongoing outreach to the community and activities to 
identify underserved populations.’’.
SEC. 10. HEAD START ALIGNMENT WITH K–12 EDUCATION. 
Section 642A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9837a) is amended—
(1) by amending the heading to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 642A. HEAD START ALIGNMENT WITH K–12 EDU-
CATION.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘ongoing’’ after ‘‘estab-
lishing’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘McKinney-Vento liaisons 
as established under section 722 (g)(1)(J)(ii) of 
the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)),’’ after ‘‘social 
workers,’’; 
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through 
(7) as paragraphs (5) through (9), respectively; and 
(4) by inserting the following after paragraph 
(2): 
‘‘(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) organizing and participating in joint train-
ing, including transition-related training for school 
staff and Head Start staff;’’; 
(5) by amending paragraph (7), as so redesig-
nated, to read as follows: 
‘‘(7) 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 B of title VII of the McKinney-Vento 
Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11431–
11435);’’; 
(6) in paragraph (8), as so redesignated—
(A) by inserting ‘‘and continuity in paren-
tal involvement activities’’ after ‘‘developmental 
continuity’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(7) by amending paragraph (9), as so redesig-
nated, to read as follows: 
‘‘(9) linking the services provided in such Head 
Start program with the education services, including 
services 
relating 
to 
language, 
literacy, 
and 
numeracy, provided by such local educational agen-
cy;’’; and
(8) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(10) helping parents (including grandparents 
and kinship caregivers, as appropriate) to under-
stand the importance of parental involvement in a 
child’s academic success while teaching them strate-
gies for maintaining parental involvement as their 
child moves from Head Start to elementary school; 
‘‘(11) developing and implementing a system to 
increase program participation of underserved popu-
lations of eligible children; and 
‘‘(12) coordinating activities and collaborating 
to ensure that curricula used in the Head Start pro-
gram is aligned with—
‘‘(A) State early learning standards with 
regard to cognitive, social, emotional, and phys-
ical competencies that children entering kinder-
garten are expected to demonstrate; and 
‘‘(B) the Head Start Child Outcomes 
Framework developed by the Secretary.’’. 
SEC. 11. LOCAL AND STATE INTEGRATION OF EARLY 
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. 
The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et. seq.) is 
amended by inserting after section 642A the following:
‘‘SEC. 642B. LOCAL AND STATE INTEGRATION OF EARLY 
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. 
‘‘(a) LOCAL INTEGRATION.—In general, Head Start 
agencies shall enter into ongoing partnerships with local 
educational agencies, State-funded preschool and other 
early childhood programs. Head Start agencies shall oper-
ate in a manner consistent with the goal of creating and 
expanding an efficient and effective system of early child-
hood and school readiness services in each State and com-
munity, while maintaining compliance with standards 
under section 641A(a). 
‘‘(1) MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING.—Each 
Head Start agency shall enter into a memorandum 
of understanding with any local educational agencies 
or local councils, responsible for managing publicly 
funded prekindergarten programs in the service area 
of the Head Start agency (or if such agencies and 
such councils are not applicable in the service area, 
with the largest provider of publicly funded pre-
kindergarten in the service area), that shall include 
plans to coordinate the following activities: 
‘‘(A) Educational activities, curricula, and 
instruction aligned to challenging State devel-
oped educational activities, curricula, and in-
struction aligned to challenging State developed 
academic content standards.
‘‘(B) Public information dissemination and 
access to programs for families contacting any 
of the early childhood programs. 
‘‘(C) Selection priorities for eligible chil-
dren to be served by programs. 
‘‘(D) Service delivery areas. 
‘‘(E) Staff training, including opportunities 
for joint staff training on topics such as aca-
demic content standards and instructional 
methods. 
‘‘(F) Program technical assistance. 
‘‘(G) Provision of additional services to 
meet the child care needs of working parents. 
‘‘(H) Planning and parent education for 
smooth transitions to kindergarten as required 
in section 642A(3) and 642A(6). 
‘‘(I) Provision and use of facilities, trans-
portation, and other program elements. 
‘‘(J) Other elements mutually agreed to by 
the parties to such memorandum. 
‘‘(2) TIMING
OF
MEMORANDA.—Each Head 
Start agency shall enter into a memorandum of un-
derstanding under paragraph (1) not later than 1 
year after the effective date of this section.