[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 206 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 206
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to
establish a program to help States expand the education system to
include at least 1 year of early education preceding the year a child
enters kindergarten.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 12, 2009
Mrs. Boxer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to
establish a program to help States expand the education system to
include at least 1 year of early education preceding the year a child
enters kindergarten.
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 ``Early Education Act of 2009''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) A national commitment should be established that all
children have access to high quality early education.
(2) Research suggests that a child's early years are
critical to the development of the brain. Early brain
development is an important component of educational and
intellectual achievement.
(3) The National Research Council of the National Academy
of Sciences reported that early education opportunities are
necessary if children are going to develop the language and
literacy skills necessary to learn to read.
(4) Evaluations of early education programs demonstrate
that compared to children with similar backgrounds who have not
participated in early education programs, children who
participate in such programs--
(A) perform better on reading and mathematics
achievement tests;
(B) are more likely to stay academically near their
grade level and make normal academic progress
throughout elementary school;
(C) are less likely to be held back a grade or
require special education services in elementary
school;
(D) show greater learning retention, initiative,
creativity, and social competency; and
(E) are more enthusiastic about school and are more
likely to have good attendance records.
(5) Studies have estimated that for every dollar invested
in quality early education, about 7 dollars are saved in later
costs.
SEC. 3. EARLY EDUCATION.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``TITLE X--EARLY EDUCATION
``SEC. 10001. EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAM.
``(a) Definition of Early Education.--In this section, the term
`early education' means not less than a half-day of schooling each week
day during the academic year preceding the academic year a child enters
kindergarten.
``(b) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to establish a
program to develop the foundation of early literacy and numerical
training among young children by helping State educational agencies
expand the education system to include early education for all
children.
``(c) Program Authorized.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award
grants to not less than 10 State educational agencies to enable
the State educational agencies to expand the education system
with programs that provide early education.
``(2) Matching requirement.--The amount provided to a State
educational agency under paragraph (1) shall not exceed 50
percent of the cost of the program described in the application
submitted pursuant to subsection (d).
``(3) Requirements.--Each program assisted under this
section shall--
``(A) be carried out by 1 or more local educational
agencies, as selected by the State educational agency;
``(B) be carried out--
``(i) in a public school building; or
``(ii) in another facility by, or through a
contract or agreement with, a local educational
agency carrying out the program;
``(C) be available to all children served by such
local educational agency; and
``(D) only involve instructors who are licensed or
certified in accordance with applicable State law.
``(d) Application.--Each State educational agency desiring a grant
under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the
Secretary may require. Each application shall--
``(1) include a description of--
``(A) the program to be assisted under this
section; and
``(B) how the program will meet the purpose of this
section; and
``(2) contain a statement of the total cost of the program
and the source of the matching funds for the program.
``(e) Secretarial Authority.--In order to carry out the purpose of
this section, the Secretary--
``(1) shall establish a system for the monitoring and
evaluation of, and shall annually report to Congress regarding,
the programs funded under this section; and
``(2) may establish any other policies, procedures, or
requirements, with respect to the programs.
``(f) Supplement Not Supplant.--Funds made available under this
section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, other Federal,
State, or local funds, including funds provided under Federal programs
such as the Head Start programs carried out under the Head Start Act
and the Even Start family literacy program carried out under subpart 3
of part B of title I.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section not less than $300,000,000 for
each of the fiscal years 2010 through 2014.''.
SEC. 4. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.
The table of contents in section 2 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 is amended by adding at the end the following:
``TITLE X--EARLY EDUCATION
``Sec. 10001. Early education program.''.
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