Early Intervention Improvement Act

Bill: 108-hr-1237
Sponsor: Rep. Kennedy, Patrick J. [D-RI-1]
Introduced: 2003-03-12 in the House
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Alcoholism
Authorization
Case management
Child abuse
Child care workers
Child development
Child health
Child welfare
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Continuing education
Crime and Law Enforcement
Day care
Department of Education
Disabled
Drug abuse
Economics and Public Finance
Elementary and secondary education
Elementary education
Families
Family services
Family violence
Federal aid to education
Federal-state relations
Government Operations and Politics
Health
Higher education
Infants
Intergovernmental fiscal relations
Labor and Employment
Medical research
Mental depression
Mental health services
Parent and child
Performance measurement
Preschool education
Science, Technology, Communications
Special education
Teacher education

Summary:
action_date: 2003-03-12
text: Early Intervention Improvement Act - Amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to revise provisions for early intervention programs for children under age three (infants and toddlers with disabilities, part C).
Directs the Secretary of Education to reserve certain funds for incentive grants to reward States meeting performance objectives under part C, as follows: (1) 75 percent of such grants for high-quality programs in general; and (2) 25 percent for high-quality programs that make at-risk infants and toddlers eligible and that provide such services to at least three and one-half percent of children under age three in the State.
Revises provisions for transition from part C to part B (Assistance for Education of All Children with Disabilities).
Makes permanent the authorization of appropriations for part C.
Revises part C eligibility conditions to include those in families where there is diagnosed serious maternal depression, confirmed parental substance abuse, or documented family violence (including child abuse). Requires all abused or neglected children under age three to be referred to the State's child find system for evaluation and, if appropriate, receipt of early intervention services.
Includes parent-child and family therapy among part C services.
Includes early intervention personnel training and professional development among State and national activities. Directs the Secretary to make grants for such pre- and in-service training and development.
Directs the Secretary to commission the National Academy of Sciences to: (1) develop a model meaning for developmental delay for States to use in establishing early intervention services under part C; and (2) estimate the percentage of each State's population who would receive such services if the model were adopted.
Requires the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council under IDEA to study and report on mechanisms for providing service coordination from birth through age five for infants, toddlers, and children served under part C and preschool grant provisions.

Legislative actions:
action_date: 2003-04-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Education Reform.
action_date: 2003-03-12
text: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
action_date: 2003-03-12
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2003-03-12
text: Introduced in House