Universal Prekindergarten and Early Childhood Education Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.7092 | Sponsor: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes (D-DC)
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Universal Prekindergarten and Early Childhood Education Act of 2022
This bill authorizes through FY2027 a grant program for states to establish or expand full-day prekindergarten programs that (1) permit each three- or four-year old child in the state to be voluntarily enrolled by the child's parent, regardless of income, in the program at the public school in which the child would be enrolled for kindergarten; (2) run the length of the regular school year; and (3) are taught by teachers who possess equivalent or similar qualifications to those of teachers of other grades in the school.
The federal share of such a grant shall not exceed 80% of the costs of carrying out these activities. Grant funds received under the program shall be used to supplement and not supplant other federal early childhood education funds in the state.

To establish a grant program to assist States to establish or expand 
universal prekindergarten in public schools and public charter schools.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Universal Prekindergarten and Early 
Childhood Education Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. UNIVERSAL PREKINDERGARTEN AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION GRANT 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Program Authorization.--From amounts appropriated under section 
3, the Secretary of Education is authorized to award grants, on a 
competitive basis, to States to pay the Federal share of establishing 
or expanding full-day prekindergarten programs.
    (b) State Application.--To receive a grant under this Act, a State 
shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
    (c) Use of Funds.--A State that receives a grant under this Act 
shall use such grant funds to establish or expand a prekindergarten 
program that, at a minimum--
            (1) is located at a public school in the State;
            (2) permits each 3- or 4-year-old child in the State to be 
        voluntarily enrolled by the child's parent, regardless of 
        income, in the program at a school in which the child may be 
        enrolled for kindergarten;
            (3) is a full-day program that runs the length of the 
        regular school year;
            (4) is taught by teachers who possess equivalent or similar 
        qualifications to the qualifications of teachers of other 
        grades in the school involved; and
            (5) meets any other criteria that the Secretary may 
        require.
    (d) Federal Share.--The Federal share of a grant under this Act 
shall be not more than 80 percent of the costs of carrying out the 
activities described in subsection (c).
    (e) Supplement Not Supplant.--Grant funds received under this Act 
shall be used to supplement and not supplant other Federal early 
childhood education funds in the State.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act such 
sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2022 through 2027.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Full-day.--The term ``full-day'' used with respect to a 
        program, means a program with a minimum of a 6-hour schedule 
        per day.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (3) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (4) Parent.--The term ``parent'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (5) Public school.--The term ``public school'' has the 
        meaning given the term ``elementary school'' or ``secondary 
        school'' in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801), except that the term 
        does not include private schools.
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