Secretary) or a neighborhood or other area (irrespective 
of boundaries or political subdivisions) which provides a 
suitable organizational base and possesses the com-
monality of interest needed to operate a Head Start pro-
gram.’’. 
SEC. 7. QUALITY STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD 
START AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS. 
Section 641A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9836a) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 641A. QUALITY STANDARDS; MONITORING OF HEAD 
START AGENCIES AND PROGRAMS. 
‘‘(a) QUALITY STANDARDS.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
STANDARDS.—The 
Secretary shall modify, as necessary, program per-
formance standards by regulation applicable to Head 
Start agencies, programs, and projects under this 
subchapter, including— 
‘‘(A) performance standards with respect 
to services required to be provided, including 
health, parental involvement, nutritional, social, 
transition activities described in section 642(d), 
and other services; 
‘‘(B) scientifically based and develop-
mentally appropriate early learning standards 
related to school readiness that are based on 
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the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework to 
ensure that the children participating in the 
program, at a minimum develop and dem-
onstrate— 
‘‘(i) language knowledge and skills, in-
cluding oral language and listening com-
prehension; 
‘‘(ii) prereading knowledge and skills 
that prepare children for early literacy in 
schools including phonological awareness, 
print awareness and print skills, and al-
phabetic knowledge; 
‘‘(iii) mathematics knowledge and 
skills, including aspects of classification, 
seriation, number, spatial relations, and 
time; 
‘‘(iv) science knowledge and skills, in-
cluding measurement; 
‘‘(v) cognitive abilities related to aca-
demic achievement and general knowledge; 
‘‘(vi) social and emotional develop-
ment related to early learning, school suc-
cess, social problem-solving, and overall 
well-being; 
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‘‘(vii) approaches to learning related 
to child development and early learning; 
‘‘(viii) creative arts; and 
‘‘(ix) in the case of limited-English 
proficient children, progress toward acqui-
sition of the English language while mak-
ing meaningful progress in attaining the 
knowledge, skills, abilities, and develop-
ment described in clauses (i) through (viii); 
‘‘(C) administrative and financial manage-
ment standards; 
‘‘(D) standards relating to the condition 
and location of facilities for such agencies, pro-
grams, and projects; and 
‘‘(E) such other standards as the Secretary 
finds to be appropriate. 
‘‘(2) CONSIDERATIONS IN DEVELOPING STAND-
ARDS.—In developing the standards required under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) consult with experts in the fields of 
child development, early childhood education, 
child health care, family services (including lin-
guistically and culturally appropriate services to 
limited English proficient children and their 
families), administration, and financial manage-
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ment, and with persons with experience in the 
operation of Head Start programs; 
‘‘(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) recommendations from the re-
port on Developmental Outcomes and As-
sessments for Young Children by the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences, when it be-
comes available; 
‘‘(iv) developments concerning re-
search-based practices with respect to early 
childhood education and development, chil-
dren with disabilities, family services, pro-
gram administration, and financial man-
agement; 
‘‘(v) projected needs of an expanding 
Head Start program; 
‘‘(vi) guidelines and standards cur-
rently in effect or under consideration that 
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promote child health services and physical 
development, including outdoor activity 
that supports children’s motor development 
and overall health and nutrition; 
‘‘(vii) changes in the population of 
children who are eligible to participate in 
Head Start programs, including the lan-
guage and cultural background and family 
structure of such children; 
‘‘(viii) mechanisms to ensure that chil-
dren participating in Head Start programs 
make a successful transition to the schools 
that the children will be attending; and 
‘‘(ix) the unique challenges faced by 
individual programs, including those that 
are seasonal or short term, and those that 
serve rural populations; and 
‘‘(C)(i) review and revise as necessary the 
performance standards in effect under this sub-
section; and 
‘‘(ii) ensure that any such revisions in the 
performance standards will not result in the 
elimination of or any reduction in quality, scope 
or types of health, education, parental involve-
ment, nutritional, social, or other services re-
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quired to be provided under such standards as 
in effect on October 27, 1998. 
‘‘(3) STANDARDS
RELATING
TO
OBLIGATIONS 
TO DELEGATE AGENCIES.—In developing standards 
under this subsection, the Secretary shall describe 
the obligations of a Head Start agency to a delegate 
agency to which the Head Start agency has dele-
gated responsibility for providing services under this 
subchapter and determine whether the Head Start 
agency complies with the standards. The Secretary 
shall consider such compliance during the review de-
scribed in subsection (c)(1)(A) and in determining 
whether to renew financial assistance to the Head 
Start agency under this subchapter. 
‘‘(b) MEASURES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta-
tion with representatives of Head Start agencies and 
with experts in the fields of early childhood edu-
cation and development, shall use the study on De-
velopmental Outcomes and Assessments for Young 
Children by the National Academy of Sciences to 
provide guidance to Head Start agencies for utilizing 
scientifically-based measures that support, as appro-
priate— 
‘‘(A) classroom instructional practices; 
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‘‘(B) identification of special needs; and 
‘‘(C) program evaluation. 
‘‘(2) CHARACTERISTICS
OF
MEASURES.—The 
measures under this subsection shall 
‘‘(A) be developmentally, linguistically, and 
culturally appropriate for the population served; 
‘‘(B) be reviewed not less than every 4 
years, based on advances in the science of early 
childhood development; 
‘‘(C) be consistent with relevant, nationally 
recognized professional and technical standards 
related to the assessment of young children; 
‘‘(D) be valid and reliable (in English, 
Spanish, and any other language, as appro-
priate); 
‘‘(E) be administered by staff with appro-
priate training for such administration; 
‘‘(F) provide appropriate accommodations 
for children with disabilities and children who 
are limited English proficient; and 
‘‘(G) be high-quality research-based meas-
ures that have been demonstrated to assist with 
the purposes for which they were devised. 
‘‘(3) USE
OF
MEASURES; LIMITATIONS
ON 
USE.— 
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‘‘(A) Measures shall be designed for the 
purpose of— 
‘‘(i) promoting the skills, knowledge, 
and competencies of children participating 
in Head Start programs specified in sub-
section (a)(1)(B)(ii), with an emphasis on 
measuring skills that scientifically-based 
research has demonstrated are related to 
children’s school readiness and later suc-
cess in school; 
‘‘(ii) improving classroom practices, 
including reviewing children’s strengths 
and weaknesses; 
‘‘(iii) identifying special needs; and 
‘‘(iv) improving overall program per-
formance in order to help programs iden-
tify problem areas that may require addi-
tional training and technical assistance re-
sources. 
‘‘(B) Such measures shall not be used to 
exclude children from Head Start programs. 
‘‘(4) SUSPENDED
IMPLEMENTATION
OF
NA-
TIONAL REPORTING SYSTEM.—The Secretary shall— 
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‘‘(A) suspend implementation and termi-
nate further development and use of the Na-
tional Reporting System; and 
‘‘(B) incorporate, as appropriate, rec-
ommendations from the study on Develop-
mental Outcomes and Assessments for Young 
Children by the National Academy of Sciences 
into any assessment used in the Head Start 
programs, in accordance with paragraphs (2) 
and (3). 
‘‘(5) SPECIAL RULE.—The use of assessment 
items and data on any assessment authorized under 
this subchapter by an agent or agents of the Federal 
Government to provide rewards or sanctions for indi-
vidual children or teachers is prohibited. The Sec-
retary shall not use the results of a single assess-
ment as the sole or primary method for assessing 
program effectiveness or making grantee funding de-
terminations at the national, regional, or local level. 
‘‘(c) MONITORING OF LOCAL AGENCIES AND PRO-
GRAMS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—To determine whether 
Head Start agencies meet standards established 
under this subchapter with respect to program, ad-
ministrative, financial management, and other re-
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quirements and in order to help programs identify 
areas for improvement and areas of strengths as 
part of an on-going self-assessment process, the Sec-
retary shall develop and use a risk-based assessment 
system to conduct the following reviews of Head 
Start agencies, and of the Head Start programs op-
erated by such agencies: 
‘‘(A) A full review of each such agency at 
least once during each 3-year period. 
‘‘(B) A review of each newly designated 
Head Start agency immediately after the com-
pletion of the first year such agency carries out 
a Head Start program. 
‘‘(C) Followup reviews, including unan-
nounced reviews as appropriate, of programs 
with 1 or more findings of deficiencies not later 
than 12 months after the date of such finding. 
‘‘(D) other reviews, including unannounced 
site inspections of Head Start centers, as ap-
propriate. 
‘‘(2) CONDUCT
OF
REVIEWS.—The Secretary 
shall ensure that reviews described in subparagraphs 
(A) through (C) of paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(A) are conducted by review teams that— 
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‘‘(i) 
include 
individuals 
who 
are 
knowledgeable about Head Start programs 
and, to the maximum extent practicable, 
the diverse (including linguistic and cul-
tural) needs of eligible children (including 
children with disabilities) and limited- 
English proficient children and their fami-
lies; and 
‘‘(ii) include, to the maximum extent 
practicable, current or former employees of 
the Department of Health and Human 
Services who are knowledgeable about 
Head Start programs; 
‘‘(B) include as part of the reviews of the 
programs, a review and assessment of program 
strengths and areas in need of improvement; 
‘‘(C) 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 limited English pro-
ficiency and children of migrant and seasonal 
farm-working families); 
‘‘(D) include as part of the review the ex-
tent to which the program addresses the com-
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munity needs and strategic plan identified in 
section 640(g)(2)(C); 
‘‘(E) include as part of the review the im-
plementation by qualified individuals with dem-
onstrated reliability, of a valid and reliable re-
search-based observational instrument that as-
sesses classroom quality, including multiple di-
mensions of teacher-child interactions that are 
linked to positive child development and later 
achievement; 
‘‘(F) are conducted in a manner that eval-
uates program performance, quality, and overall 
operations with consistency and objectivity, and 
based on a transparent and reliable system of 
review; 
‘‘(G) in the case of Early Head Start pro-
grams, are conducted by a review team that in-
cludes individuals who are knowledgeable about 
the development of infants and toddlers; and 
‘‘(H) include as part of the review a pro-
tocol for fiscal management that shall be used 
to assess the compliance with program require-
ments for— 
‘‘(i) using federal funds appropriately; 
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‘‘(ii) using federal funds specifically to 
purchase property and to compensate per-
sonnel; 
‘‘(iii) securing and using qualified fis-
cal officer support; and 
‘‘(iv) reporting financial information 
and implementing appropriate internal 
controls to safeguard federal funds. 
‘‘(3) USE OF REVIEW FINDINGS.—The findings 
of the review shall, at a minimum— 
‘‘(A) be presented to an agency in a timely, 
transparent, and uniform manner that conveys 
information of program strengths and weak-
nesses and assists with program improvement; 
and 
‘‘(B) be used by the Head Start agencies 
to inform the development and implementation 
of their plan for training and technical assist-
ance. 
‘‘(d) EVALUATIONS AND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS FOR 
DELEGATE AGENCIES.— 
‘‘(1) PROCEDURES.—The Head Start agency 
shall establish procedures relating to its delegate 
agencies, including— 
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‘‘(A) procedures for evaluating delegate 
agencies; 
‘‘(B) procedures for defunding delegate 
agencies; and 
‘‘(C) procedures for appealing a defunding 
decision relating to a delegate agency. 
‘‘(2) EVALUATIONS.—Each Head Start agen-
cy— 
‘‘(A) shall evaluate its delegate agencies 
using the procedures established under this sec-
tion; and 
‘‘(B) shall inform the delegate agencies of 
the deficiencies identified through the evalua-
tion that are required to be corrected. 
‘‘(3) REMEDIES TO ENSURE CORRECTIVE AC-
TIONS.—If the Head Start agency identifies a defi-
ciency of a delegate agency through the evaluation, 
the Head Start agency may— 
‘‘(A) initiate procedures to terminate the 
designation of the delegate agency unless such 
agency corrects the deficiency; and 
‘‘(B) conduct monthly monitoring visits to 
such delegate agency until all deficiencies are 
corrected or the Head Start agency decides to 
defund such delegate agency. 
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‘‘(4) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
this subsection shall be construed to modify, super-
sede, or affect 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; TERMINATION.— 
‘‘(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 fails to adequately ad-
dress the community needs and strategic plan identi-
fied in section 640(g)(2)(C), the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) inform the agency of the deficiencies 
that shall be corrected; 
‘‘(B) with respect to each identified defi-
ciency, require the agency— 
‘‘(i) to correct the deficiency imme-
diately, if the Secretary finds that the defi-
ciency 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 
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deficiency if the Secretary finds, in the dis-
cretion of the Secretary, that such a 90- 
day period is reasonable, in light of the na-
ture and magnitude of the deficiency; or 
‘‘(iii) in the discretion of the Sec-
retary (taking into consideration the seri-
ousness of the deficiency and the time rea-
sonably required to correct the deficiency), 
to comply with the requirements of para-
graph (2) concerning a quality improve-
ment plan; and 
‘‘(C) initiate proceedings to terminate the 
designation of the agency unless the agency cor-
rects the deficiency. 
‘‘(2) QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN.— 
‘‘(A) AGENCY AND PROGRAM RESPONSIBIL-
ITIES.—To retain a designation as a Head 
Start agency under this subchapter, or in the 
case of a Head Start program to continue to re-
ceive funds from such agency, a Head Start 
agency, or Head Start program that is the sub-
ject of a determination described in paragraph 
(1) (excluding an agency or program required 
to correct a deficiency immediately or during a 
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90-day period under clause (i) or (ii) of para-
graph (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 10 months 
after the date the agency or program ob-
tains approval of its quality improvement 
plan). 
‘‘(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-
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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 Head Start agency 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 ap-
propriate given available funding and other statutory 
responsibilities. 
‘‘(f) 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 (e), during such fiscal year. Such report shall 
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be made available to all parents with children receiving 
assistance under this subchapter in an understandable and 
uniform format, and to the extent practicable, provided 
in a language that the parents can understand, and in ad-
dition, make the information widely available through pub-
lic means such as distribution through public agencies, 
and at a minimum posting such information on the Inter-
net immediately upon publication. Such reports shall con-
tain detailed data on compliance with specific performance 
standards and measures sufficient to allow individual 
Head Start agencies to use such data to improve the qual-
ity of their program. 
‘‘(g) SELF-ASSESSMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not less frequently than 
once each program year, with the consultation and 
participation of policy councils, and as applicable, 
policy committees, and as appropriate, other commu-
nity members, each Head Start agency and each del-
egate agency that receives financial assistance under 
this subchapter shall conduct a comprehensive self- 
assessment of its effectiveness and progress in meet-
ing program goals and objectives (including profes-
sional development plans) and in implementing and 
complying with Head Start program performance 
standards. 
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‘‘(2) REPORT AND IMPROVEMENT PLANS.— 
‘‘(A) REPORT.—An agency conducting a 
self-assessment shall report the findings of the 
self-assessment to the relevant policy council, 
policy committee, governing body, and Sec-
retary. Each self-assessment shall identify areas 
of strength and weakness. 
‘‘(B) IMPROVEMENT
PLAN.—The agency 
shall develop and report to the Secretary an im-
provement plan approved by the governing body 
of the agency to strengthen any areas identified 
in the self-assessment as weaknesses or in need 
of improvement. 
‘‘(3) ONGOING MONITORING.—Each Head Start 
agency, delegate Head Start agency, and entity that 
carries out an Early Head Start program a shall es-
tablish 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 Head 
Start performance standards. 
‘‘(h) ENROLLMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENT.— 
‘‘(1) Head Start agencies shall report on a reg-
ular basis to the Secretary— 
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‘‘(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. 
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall determine on a regular 
basis which Head Start agencies are operating with 
an actual enrollment that is less than the funded en-
rollment and shall provide appropriate and timely 
training and technical assistance to increase actual 
enrollment, as appropriate. 
‘‘(3) In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) The term ‘actual enrollment’ means, 
with respect to a Head Start program, the ac-
tual number of children enrolled in such pro-
gram in a given month. 
‘‘(B) The term ‘base grant’ means, with 
respect to Head Start agency for a fiscal year, 
that portion of the grant derived from— 
‘‘(i) amounts reserved for use in ac-
cordance 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; 
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‘‘(ii) amounts reserved for payments 
under section 640(a)(2)(B); or 
‘‘(iii) amounts available under section 
640(a)(2)(D) or allotted among States 
under section 640(a)(4). 
‘‘(C) 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 program during such fiscal year, 
as indicated in the grant award. 
‘‘(i) REDISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.—Funds held by 
the Secretary as a result of recapturing, withholding, or 
reducing a base grant, except when such action is the re-
sult of an open competition 641(d)) or termination 646(d) 
shall be redistributed in such fiscal year as follows: 
‘‘(1) If such funds are derived from an Indian 
Head Start program, then such funds shall be redis-
tributed to increase enrollment in such fiscal year in 
1 or more Indian Head Start programs. 
‘‘(2) If such funds are derived from the oper-
ation of a migrant and seasonal Head Start pro-
gram, then such funds shall be redistributed to in-
crease enrollment in such fiscal year in 1 or more 
migrant and seasonal Head Start programs. 
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‘‘(3) If such funds are derived from the oper-
ation of a Head Start program in a State (excluding 
Indian Head Start program and migrant and sea-
sonal Head Start programs), then such funds shall 
be redistributed to increase enrollment in such fiscal 
year in 1 or more Head Start programs (excluding 
Indian Head Start programs and migrant and sea-
sonal Head Start programs) that are carried out in 
such State, except that— 
‘‘(A) not less than 50 percent of the funds 
shall be prioritized to increase the program par-
ticipation of children and families served under 
Early Head Start; and 
‘‘(B) not less than 25 percent of the funds 
shall be prioritized to increase program partici-
pation of underserved populations of eligible 
children.’’. 
SEC. 8. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF HEAD START AGEN-
CIES. 
Section 642 of the of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 
9837) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 642. POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF HEAD START AGEN-
CIES. 
‘‘(a) LEGAL AUTHORITY.—To be designated as a 
Head Start agency under this subchapter, an agency must 
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have authority under its charter or applicable law to re-
ceive and administer funds under this subchapter, funds 
and contributions from private or local public sources 
which may be used in support of a Head Start program, 
and funds under any Federal or State assistance program 
pursuant to which a public or private nonprofit or for- 
profit agency (as the case may be) organized in accordance 
with this subchapter, could act as grantee, contractor, or 
sponsor of projects appropriate for inclusion in a Head 
Start program. Such an agency must also be empowered 
to transfer funds so received, and to delegate powers to 
other agencies, subject to the powers of its governing 
board and its overall program responsibilities. The power 
to transfer funds and delegate powers must include the 
power to make transfers and delegations covering compo-
nent projects in all cases where this will contribute to effi-
ciency and effectiveness or otherwise further program ob-
jectives. 
‘‘(b) FAMILY AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT; FAM-
ILY SERVICES.—To be so designated, a Head Start agency 
shall, at a minimum, do all the following to involve and 
serve families and communities: 
‘‘(1) Establish effective procedures by which 
parents and area residents concerned will be enabled 
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to directly participate in decisions that influence the 
character of programs affecting their interests. 
‘‘(2) Seek the involvement of parents, area resi-
dents, and local business in the design and imple-
mentation of the program. 
‘‘(3) Establish effective procedures to facilitate 
and seek the involvement of parents of participating 
children in activities designed to help such parents 
become full partners in the education of their chil-
dren, and to afford such parents the opportunity to 
participate 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). 
‘‘(4) 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 partici-
pating children, family literacy services and par-
enting skills training. 
‘‘(5) Offer to parents of participating children 
mental health services (either directly or through re-
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ferral to local entities), including substance abuse 
counseling, and including information on maternal 
depression and on drug-exposed infants and fetal al-
cohol syndrome. 
‘‘(6) At the option of such agency, offer (di-
rectly or through referral to local entities) to such 
parents— 
‘‘(A) training in basic child development 
(including cognitive, social, and emotional devel-
opment); 
‘‘(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. 
‘‘(7) Provide, with respect to each participating 
family, a family needs assessment that includes con-
sultation with such parents about the benefits of 
parent involvement and about the activities described 
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in paragraphs (5) through (8) in which such parents 
may choose to be involved (taking into consideration 
their specific family needs, work schedules, and 
other responsibilities). 
‘‘(8) Consider providing services to assist 
younger siblings of children participating in its Head 
Start program to obtain health services from other 
sources. 
‘‘(9) Perform community outreach to encourage 
individuals previously unaffiliated with Head Start 
programs to participate in its Head Start program 
as volunteers. 
‘‘(10)(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. 
‘‘(11) Provide parents of limited English pro-
ficient children outreach and services under this sub-
chapter, in an understandable and uniform format 
and, to the extent practicable, in a language that 
such parents can understand. 
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‘‘(12) Provide technical and other support need-
ed to enable parents and area residents to secure on 
their own behalf available assistance from public and 
private sources. 
‘‘(13) Promote the continued involvement of the 
parents (including grandparents and kinship care-
givers, as appropriate) of children that participate in 
Head Start programs in the education of their chil-
dren upon transition to school, the Head Start agen-
cy 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 edu-
cation of their children; and 
‘‘(B) to take other actions, as appropriate 
and feasible, to support the active involvement 
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of the parents with schools, school personnel, 
and school-related organizations. 
‘‘(14) Provide parents of a child suspected of 
having a disability information about services avail-
able under part C or section 619 of the Individuals 
With Disabilities Act (20 U.S.C. 1419, 1431 et seq.) 
and refer such child to the appropriate agency for an 
evaluation of eligibility under such Act. 
‘‘(c) PROGRAM GOVERNANCE.—Head Start agencies 
must establish and maintain a formal structure of shared 
governance through which an independent governing body 
with legal and fiscal responsibility for administering and 
overseeing programs under this subchapter and a parent 
policy council and parent policy committee, as appropriate, 
shall ensure that such agency operates a high quality 
Head Start program in compliance with all applicable 
Federal, State, and local laws. 
‘‘(1) GOVERNING BODY.— 
‘‘(A) COMPOSITION.—The governing body 
shall be composed as follows: 
‘‘(i) Not less than 1 member with sig-
nificant financial management or account-
ing experience. 
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‘‘(ii) Not less than 1 member shall 
have a background and expertise in early 
childhood development. 
‘‘(iii) Not less than 1 member shall be 
a licensed attorney familiar with issues 
that come before the governing body. 
‘‘(iv) Additional members shall be se-
lected for their expertise in education, 
business administration, and community 
affairs and shall reflect the community 
served. 
‘‘(v) Exceptions shall be made when 
members of the governing body oversee a 
public entity and are selected by public 
election or are political appointments. 
‘‘(B) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—Members 
of the governing body shall— 
‘‘(i) not have a conflict of interest 
with the Head Start agency or delegate 
agencies, exceptions shall be made when a 
board member of a public entity is selected 
by election or politically appointed; 
‘‘(ii) not receive compensation for the 
purposes of serving on the governing body 
or for providing services to the Head Start 
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agency, exceptions shall be made when a 
board member of a public entity is selected 
by election or politically appointed; 
‘‘(iii) not be employed nor shall mem-
bers of their immediate family be employed 
by the Head Start agency or one of its del-
egate agencies, exceptions shall be made 
when a board member of a public entity is 
selected by election or politically appointed; 
and 
‘‘(iv) operate as an entity independent 
of staff employed by the Head Start agen-
cy entity or applicant, exceptions shall be 
made when a board member of a public en-
tity is selected by election or politically ap-
pointed. 
‘‘(C) CONSULTANTS.—In the case that 
persons described in subparagraph (A) are not 
available to serve as members, the governing 
body shall make use of consultants in the areas 
described in subparagraph (A) to work directly 
with the governing body. 
‘‘(D) TRAINING.—All members of the gov-
erning body shall receive training in manage-
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ment responsibilities and obligations, ethics, 
and financial literacy management. 
‘‘(E) RESPONSIBILITIES
OF
GOVERNING 
BODY.—The governing body shall be responsible 
for— 
‘‘(i) adoption of practices that assure 
active, independent and informed govern-
ance of the Head Start agency; 
‘‘(ii) 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 
effect under this subchapter and with the 
applicable performance measures estab-
lished by the Secretary under section 644; 
‘‘(iii) establish 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 governing body the selection of 
independent auditors who shall report 
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all critical accounting policies and 
practices to the finance and audit 
committee, except when the auditor is 
assigned by the State under State 
law; 
‘‘(III) to review and recommend 
to the governing body the termination 
or extension of the existing audit firm 
at least once every 5 years; 
‘‘(IV) to review and advise the 
governing body of the audit manage-
ment letter provided pursuant to the 
chapter 75 of title 31, 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; 
‘‘(iv) approve all major policies of the 
agency, including the mission of the agency 
and policies addressing accounting, finan-
cial management, procurement, record con-
fidentiality, and personnel (including spe-
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cific standards governing salaries, salary 
adjustments, travel and per diem allow-
ances, and other employee benefits); 
‘‘(v) approve all major financial ex-
penditures of the agency; 
‘‘(vi) approve the selection or dis-
missal of the Head Start Director or the 
equivalent position within the Head Start 
agency; 
‘‘(vii) approve or disapprove all poli-
cies, applications, and decisions of the Pol-
icy Council made under the authority of 
paragraph (2); 
‘‘(viii) to oversee the program plan-
ning of the Head Start agency, including 
adoption of policies for setting long- and 
short-range goals and objectives; 
‘‘(ix) oversee and approve the agency’s 
applications to receive funds made avail-
able under this subchapter; and 
‘‘(x) to establish, adopt and periodi-
cally update written standards of conduct 
that establish standards and formal proce-
dures for disclosing, addressing, and re-
solving— 
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‘‘(I) any conflict of interest, and 
any appearance of a conflict of inter-
est, by members of the governing 
body, officers, employees, consultants 
and agents who provide services or 
furnish goods to the Head Start agen-
cy; and 
‘‘(II) complaints, including inves-
tigations, when appropriate. 
‘‘(2) POLICY COUNCIL.— 
‘‘(A) COMPOSITION.—The Policy Council 
or Policy Committee, as appropriate, shall be 
composed as follows: 
‘‘(i) Members of the Policy Council 
shall be either parents of children currently 
enrolled in the Head Start agency’s (or 
delegate’s) Head Start or Early Head 
Start program or that are parents of chil-
dren who were enrolled in the program in 
the previous year (Parent Members) or 
shall be members of the community served 
by the Head Start agency or delegate 
(Community Members). 
‘‘(ii) Parent members of the Policy 
Council shall constitute a majority of the 
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members of the Policy Council and shall be 
elected by parents of currently enrolled 
children. 
‘‘(iii) Parent members shall represent, 
proportionately, all program options and 
settings operated by the Head Start agen-
cy or delegate. 
‘‘(iv) The term of a Policy Council 
member shall be no more than 2 years and 
no Policy Council member shall serve 
longer than 6 years. 
‘‘(B) RESPONSIBILITIES OF POLICY COUN-
CIL.—In order to be designated as a Head 
Start agency, an entity or delegate of such an 
entity shall have a Policy Council which shall 
approve and submit to the governing body deci-
sions about the following activities: 
‘‘(i) The strategic direction of the pro-
gram, including long and short-term plan-
ning goals and objectives (such planning 
and goals shall take into account the an-
nual community assessment and self-as-
sessment). 
‘‘(ii) Selection of delegate agencies 
and their service areas. 
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