I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6114 
To assist States in establishing a universal prekindergarten program to ensure 
that all children 3, 4, and 5 years old have access to a high-quality 
full-day, full-calendar-year prekindergarten education. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 
Mr. KUCINICH (for himself, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. PAYNE, Ms. LEE, Mr. AN-
DREWS, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. CARSON, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. 
GRIJALVA, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. OLVER, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. 
WEXLER, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. 
CONYERS, Ms. NORTON, Mr. OWENS, Mr. RUSH, Mr. MICHAUD, Ms. 
WATSON, Ms. WATERS, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. MCKINNEY, Ms. KAPTUR, 
Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. KILDEE, Ms. KIL-
PATRICK of Michigan, Mr. FILNER, and Mr. FARR) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
Workforce 
A BILL 
To assist States in establishing a universal prekindergarten 
program to ensure that all children 3, 4, and 5 years 
old have access to a high-quality full-day, full-calendar- 
year prekindergarten education. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Universal Prekinder-
garten Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. 
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following: 
(1) High-quality prekindergarten programs help 
children to succeed academically. Children who at-
tended a high-quality prekindergarten program have 
higher academic achievement, lower rates of grade 
retention, are less likely to be placed in special edu-
cation, and graduate from high school at higher 
rates than those who did not. 
(2) Early childhood education can reduce juve-
nile delinquency rates. A 15-year study following 
989 low-income children who attended high-quality, 
comprehensive prekindergarten found that they were 
33 percent less likely to be arrested, and 42 percent 
less likely to be arrested for a violent crime, than 
children in the control group. 
(3) There is currently a drastic shortage of af-
fordable, quality early education programs that are 
accessible for working families. 
(4) Full-day, full-calendar-year universal pre-
kindergarten programs would ensure all children 3, 
4, and 5 years old have access to school readiness 
programs and quality child care. 
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(5) Research shows that investing in quality 
prekindergarten programs will provide savings in the 
form of reduced need for remedial education, de-
creased crime rates, lower school dropout rates, and 
decreased welfare dependence. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this Act is to ensure 
that all children 3, 4, and 5 years old have access to a 
high-quality full-day, full-calendar-year prekindergarten 
program by providing grants to States to assist in devel-
oping a universal prekindergarten program that is vol-
untary and free-of-charge. 
SEC. 3. PREKINDERGARTEN GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZA-
TION. 
The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Education, shall provide 
grants to an agency designated by each State (hereafter 
in this Act referred to as the ‘‘designated State agency’’) 
for the development of high-quality full-day, full-calendar- 
year universal prekindergarten programs for all children 
3, 4, and 5 years old in the State. 
SEC. 4. STATE REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) STATE MATCHING FUNDS.—Federal funds made 
available to a designated State agency under this Act shall 
be matched at least 20 percent by State funds. 
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(b) STATE APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive 
funds under this Act, a designated State agency shall sub-
mit an application at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services may require. The application shall in-
clude the following: 
(1) How the designated State agency, in over-
seeing the State’s universal prekindergarten pro-
gram, will coordinate with other State agencies re-
sponsible for early childhood education and health 
programs. 
(2) A State plan to establish and implement a 
statewide universal prekindergarten program, in ac-
cordance with subsection (c). 
(c) STATE PLAN.—The State plan required under 
subsection (b)(2) shall include each of the following: 
(1) A description of the universal prekinder-
garten program that will be established and how it 
will support children’s cognitive, social, emotional, 
and physical development. 
(2) A statement of the goals for universal pre-
kindergarten programs and how program outcomes 
will be measured. 
(3) A description of— 
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(A) how funding will be distributed to eli-
gible prekindergarten program providers based 
on the need for early childhood education in 
each geographical area served by such pro-
viders; and 
(B) how the designated State agency will 
involve representatives of early childhood pro-
gram providers (including child care providers, 
Head Start programs, and State and local 
agencies) that sponsor programs addressing 
children 3, 4, and 5 years old. 
(4) A description of how the designated State 
agency will coordinate with existing State-funded 
prekindergarten programs, federally funded pro-
grams (such as Head Start programs), public school 
programs, and child care providers. 
(5) A description of how the designated State 
agency will work with the appropriate State agencies 
to raise awareness of the universal prekindergarten 
program among parents of all backgrounds and in-
form them of the specifics of participation in the 
program. 
(6) A description of how an eligible prekinder-
garten program provider may apply to the des-
ignated State agency for funding under this Act. 
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