Title: Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act
Policy area: Education

Summary:
Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act
This bill requires the Department of Education to make grants to a state or local educational agency, an Indian tribal government, or a Bureau of Indian Affairs-funded school to carry out full-day kindergarten programs.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1971 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1971

 To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to 
  make grants to eligible entities to carry out full-day kindergarten 
                   programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 28, 2019

     Mr. Gallego (for himself, Mr. Grijalva, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Mr. 
 O'Halleran, and Mr. Stanton) introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to 
  make grants to eligible entities to carry out full-day kindergarten 
                   programs, and for other purposes.

    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 Full-Day Kindergarten 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a grant program to 
make grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to carry out 
full-day kindergarten programs.
    (b) Application.--To receive a grant under this section, an 
eligible entity shall submit an application at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
    (c) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity that receives a grant under 
this section shall use the grant funds to establish or maintain a full-
day kindergarten program--
            (1) that permits children ages 4 through 6, inclusive, to 
        be enrolled in such program;
            (2) that does not require payment for participation in such 
        program;
            (3) that is offered for the full school year;
            (4) that is taught by teachers who meet the professional 
        qualifications, including licensure and certification 
        requirements, for kindergarten teachers in the State or Tribal 
        organization in which the eligible entity is located;
            (5) that includes academic standards that prepare students 
        to meet grade-level benchmarks;
            (6) that may include standards related to cognitive 
        development, socio-emotional learning, physical and behavioral 
        skills development, and recreational activity; and
            (7) that, if supported by paraprofessionals, is supported 
        by paraprofessionals who meet the qualifications outlined in 
        the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        6301 et seq.).
    (d) Matching Requirement.--
            (1) In general.--An eligible entity that receives a grant 
        under this section shall provide, from non-Federal sources, an 
        amount equal to not less than 20 percent of the amount of the 
        grant, which may be provided in cash or in-kind, to carry out 
        the activities supported by the grant.
            (2) Waiver.--The Secretary may waive all or part of the 
        requirement under paragraph (1) for any fiscal year for an 
        eligible entity if the Secretary determines that applying the 
        requirement would result in serious hardship or an inability to 
        carry out the activities described in subsection (c).
    (e) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall 
conduct a study and submit a report to Congress that--
            (1) specifies the number of State educational agencies, 
        local educational agencies, and Tribal organizations that offer 
        full-day kindergarten programs; and
            (2) assesses the availability of such programs with respect 
        to each State.
    (f) Reservation of Funds.--For each fiscal year, the Secretary may 
reserve not more than 5 percent of the funds made available to carry 
out this section--
            (1) to provide technical assistance to potential applicants 
        and to grantees; and
            (2) to carry out the requirements of subsection (e).
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal years 2020 through 2025.
    (h) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Bureau-funded school.--The term ``Bureau-funded 
        school'' has the meaning given that term in section 1141 of the 
        Education Amendments of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 2021).
            (2) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
                    (A) a State educational agency;
                    (B) a local educational agency;
                    (C) a Tribal government; or
                    (D) a Bureau-funded school.
            (3) ESEA terms.--The terms ``local educational agency'', 
        ``State'', and ``State educational agency'' have the meanings 
        given the terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary 
        Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            (4) Full-day kindergarten program.--The term ``full-day 
        kindergarten program'' means a kindergarten program with a 
        continuous duration of not less than 5 hours per day.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (6) Tribal organization.--The term ``Tribal organization'' 
        has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
        Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
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