I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8723 
To amend the Head Start Act to authorize block grants to States for 
prekindergarten education, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 13, 2024 
Mr. BANKS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To amend the Head Start Act to authorize block grants 
to States for prekindergarten education, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Head Start Improve-
ment Act’’. 
SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS. 
The Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) is 
amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘SEC. 635. SHORT TITLE. 
‘‘This subchapter may be cited as the ‘Head Start 
Act’. 
‘‘SEC. 636. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE. 
‘‘It is the purpose of this subchapter to promote the 
school readiness of low-income children by enhancing their 
cognitive, social, and emotional development in a learning 
environment that supports children’s growth in language, 
literacy, mathematics, science, social and emotional func-
tioning, creative arts, physical skills, and approaches to 
learning. 
‘‘SEC. 637. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘For purposes of this subchapter: 
‘‘(1) DELEGATE AGENCY.—The term ‘delegate 
agency’ means a public, private nonprofit (including 
a community-based organization, as defined in sec-
tion 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu-
cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)), or for-profit 
organization or agency to which an eligible entity 
has delegated all or part of the responsibility of the 
grantee for administering funds under this sub-
chapter. 
‘‘(2) 
EDUCATION
SAVINGS
ACCOUNT.—The 
term ‘education savings account’ means a savings 
account, authorized under State law, that is used by 
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a parent only for the educational expenses, including 
prekindergarten expenses, of the parent’s child. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means the recipient of a subgrant under section 
639(d)(3)(A). 
‘‘(4) FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE.—The term ‘fi-
nancial assistance’ includes assistance provided by 
grant, agreement, or contract, and payments may be 
made in installments and in advance or by way of 
reimbursement with necessary adjustments on ac-
count of overpayments or underpayments. 
‘‘(5) GRANT RECIPIENT.—The term ‘grant re-
cipient’ means the recipient of a grant under section 
639(a). 
‘‘(6) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘Indian tribe’ 
means any tribe, band, nation, pueblo, or other orga-
nized group or community of Indians, including any 
Native village described in section 3(c) of the Alaska 
Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602(c)) 
or established pursuant to such Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 
et seq.), that is recognized as eligible for the special 
programs and services provided by the United States 
to Indians because of their status as Indians. 
‘‘(7) LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY.—The term 
‘local educational agency’ has the meaning given 
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such term in section 8101 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
‘‘(8) LOW-INCOME CHILD.—The term ‘low-in-
come child’ means a child who is 3, 4, or 5 years 
of age and is from a family with an income below 
100 percent of the poverty line for the most recent 
fiscal year for which satisfactory data are available. 
‘‘(9) POVERTY LINE.—The term ‘poverty line’ 
means the official poverty line (as defined by the Of-
fice of Management and Budget)— 
‘‘(A) adjusted to reflect the percentage 
change in the Consumer Price Index For All 
Urban Consumers, issued by the Bureau of 
Labor Statistics, occurring in the 1-year period 
or other interval immediately preceding the date 
such adjustment is made; and 
‘‘(B) adjusted for family size. 
‘‘(10) 
SECRETARY.—The 
term 
‘Secretary’ 
means the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 
‘‘(11) STATE.—The term ‘State’ means a State, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of 
Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Is-
lands of the United States, and the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands. The term includes 
the Republic of Palau, except during any period for 
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