[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1411 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1411
To establish competitive Federal grants that will empower community
colleges and minority-serving institutions to become incubators for
infant and toddler child care talent, training, and access on their
campuses and in their communities, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 10, 2025
Mr. Booker (for himself and Ms. Warren) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish competitive Federal grants that will empower community
colleges and minority-serving institutions to become incubators for
infant and toddler child care talent, training, and access on their
campuses and in their communities, 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 ``Preparing and Resourcing Our Student
Parents and Early Childhood Teachers Act'' or the ``PROSPECT Act''.
SEC. 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS.
The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Table of contents.
Sec. 3. Findings.
TITLE I--ESTABLISHMENT OF INFANT AND TODDLER CHILD CARE LEADERSHIP
GRANTS
Sec. 101. Purpose.
Sec. 102. Definitions.
Sec. 103. Authorization of appropriations.
Subtitle A--General Provisions
Sec. 111. Program authorized.
Sec. 112. Application; selection criteria.
Sec. 113. Amount, duration, and administration of grants.
Subtitle B--Planning and Implementation Grants
Sec. 121. Grants authorized.
Sec. 122. Planning grants.
Sec. 123. Access grants providing infant and toddler child care for
community college or minority-serving
institution student parents.
Sec. 124. Impact grants.
Sec. 125. Pipeline grants.
Sec. 126. Evaluation criteria for grants.
Sec. 127. Report to Congress.
Sec. 128. Nondiscrimination in programs and activities.
TITLE II--CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
Sec. 201. Eligibility.
Sec. 202. Conforming amendments.
Sec. 203. Increased Federal matching payments for child care.
TITLE III--OUTREACH REGARDING THE DEPENDENT CARE ALLOWANCE FOR FEDERAL
STUDENT AID
Sec. 301. Sharing dependent care allowance information for Federal
student aid.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) A child's brain grows at a faster rate between birth
and age 3 than at any later point in the child's lifetime.
(2) Decades of research show that children under age 3 that
receive quality childcare are more likely to have the
behavioral, cognitive, and language skills that are
developmentally necessary for success in school, college, and
life.
(3) Of the more than 5,100,000 families with young children
that pay for childcare each year, 43 percent of parents pay
unaffordable rates (defined by the Department of Health and
Human Services as more than 7 percent of income).
(4) In 2023, the average cost of childcare in the United
States was $3,190 a month for nanny care, $1,230 a month for a
daycare center, and $992 a month for home daycare, with
families on average spending 24 percent of their household
income on childcare expenses. Families pushed into poverty from
childcare expenses typically spend almost 28 percent of their
income on childcare.
(5) According to a 2023 report, there are an estimated
5,400,000 college students with dependent children.
(6) According to a 2020 report, only about 5 percent of
colleges and universities are providing the child care slots
that student parents need, leading to long wait lists.
(7) Student parents are nearly twice as likely to depart
college prior to graduation than students without children.
Single mothers and Black parents, especially fathers, are
particularly likely to suspend enrollment before completing
their educational programs.
(8) The Child Care Access Means Parents in School Federal
grant program under subpart 7 of part A of title IV of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070e et seq.) helps
over 3,300 students at institutions of higher education afford
child care each year, but this program impacts just 0.5 percent
of the entire student parent population, and many institutions
of higher education do not open their subsidized child care
programs to children under age 3.
(9) The share of public institutions of higher education
offering childcare services has fallen in recent decades. Of
public, 4-year institutions of higher education, 455 had on-
campus day care for the children of students in 2005, compared
to 369 such institutions in 2023. Of public, 2-year
institutions of higher education, 464 had on-campus day care
for the children of students in 2005, compared to 304 such
institutions in 2023.
(10) Student parents are more likely to be enrolled at
community colleges and minority-serving institutions than other
institutions of higher education. Over half of student mothers,
51 percent, attend community and technical colleges.
(11) Community colleges and minority-serving institutions
lead the higher education sector in educating infant and
toddler childcare providers, especially childcare providers of
color, so those colleges and institutions are the optimal
actors for driving quality infant and toddler childcare access
in their regions.
TITLE I--ESTABLISHMENT OF INFANT AND TODDLER CHILD CARE LEADERSHIP
GRANTS
SEC. 101. PURPOSE.
The purposes of this title are to expand access to infant and
toddler child care for children of students at public community
colleges and at minority-serving institutions and to grow, diversify,
and strengthen the workforce pipeline of highly effective infant and
toddler child care providers, especially in communities of color and
infant and toddler child care deserts.
SEC. 102. DEFINITIONS.
In this title:
(1) Community college.--The term ``community college''
means a public institution of higher education, as defined in
section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001(a)), that provides an educational program of not less than
2 years that culminates in an associate degree and is
acceptable for full credit toward a baccalaureate degree.
(2) Community college or minority-serving institution
student parent.--The term ``community college or minority-
serving institution student parent'' means an individual who--
(A) is a parent or legal guardian of a child who
qualifies for infant and toddler child care; and
(B) is a full-time or part-time student at a
community college or minority-serving institution
participating in an eligible entity.
(3) Culturally responsive teaching.--The term ``culturally
responsive teaching'' means teaching--
(A) using the cultural characteristics,
experiences, and perspectives of ethnically diverse
students as conduits for teaching them more
effectively; and
(B) based on understanding the influences of race,
culture, and ethnicity in teaching and learning and
using the cultural experiences and contributions of
different ethnic groups as instrumental tools for
teaching academic and social knowledge and skills.
(4) Drop-in.--The term ``drop-in'', when used with respect
to child care--
(A) means child care that--
(i) does not require prescheduling a
definite number of scheduled days or hours per
week; or
(ii) is short term, such as less than 5
hours per day; and
(B) includes child care described in subparagraph
(A) that requires parents to provide 24-hour notice
before using the child care or provides child care
subject to availability.
(5) Dual language learner.--The term ``dual language
learner'' means a child who--
(A) is acquiring 2 or more languages at the same
time; or
(B) is learning a second language while continuing
to develop the child's first language, including a
child who may also be identified by a State or locality
as bilingual or limited English proficient or as an
English language learner, an English learner, or a
child who speaks a language other than English.
(6) Early childhood educator preparation program.--The term
``early childhood educator preparation program'' means a
postsecondary course of study that--
(A) is designed to prepare individuals to teach in
early childhood settings serving children between birth
and age 5; and
(B) leads to a degree (including an associate's,
bachelor's, or graduate degree) or a State or
nationally recognized credential enabling individuals
to teach in early childhood settings, including a child
development associate credential or a State teaching
license.
(7) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
(A) a community college;
(B) a minority-serving institution; or
(C) a consortium of 2 or more community colleges or
minority-serving institutions.
(8) Flex infant and toddler child care.--The term ``flex
infant and toddler child care'' means infant and toddler child
care for which a child is registered to attend weekly, but for
a total of less than five days per week.
(9) High school.--The term ``high school'' has the meaning
given the term in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(10) Infant and toddler child care.--The term ``infant and
toddler child care'' means child care for children who are
under the age of 3 as of the first day of the academic year of
the applicable community college or minority-serving
institution.
(11) Infant and toddler child care desert.--The term
``infant and toddler child care desert'' means a community that
the State or tribal entity involved determines has a low supply
of quality, affordable infant and toddler child care.
(12) Infant or toddler with a disability.--The term
``infant or toddler with a disability'' has the meaning given
the term in section 632 of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1432).
(13) Low-income.--The term ``low-income'' means an
individual from a family with an income at or below 150 percent
of the poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management and
Budget and revised annually in accordance with section 673(2)
of the Community Services Block Grant Act) applicable to a
family of the size involved.
(14) Minority-serving institution.--The term ``minority-
serving institution'' means an institution described in section
371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1067q(a)).
(15) Nontraditional hours.--The term ``nontraditional
hours'' means--
(A) the hours before 9 a.m. and after 4 p.m.; and
(B) any hours during weekends, breaks during the
academic year, and holidays.
(16) On-campus.--The term ``on-campus'', when used with
respect to a childcare center, means a childcare center that is
located on the campus of a community college or minority-
serving institution.
(17) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Education.
(18) Service area.--The term ``service area'', when used
with respect to an eligible entity, means the area served by
the eligible entity.
(19) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given the
term in section 103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1003).
SEC. 103. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title a
total of $9,000,000,000 for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
Subtitle A--General Provisions
SEC. 111. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
(a) In General.--From amounts made available under section 103, the
Secretary shall award to eligible entities--
(1) planning grants under section 122;
(2) access grants under section 123, which will provide
free high-quality child care for as many as 500,000 infants and
toddlers who have a community college or minority-serving
institution student parent, helping to reduce barriers that
impact the ability of community college or minority-serving
institution student parents attending community college or a
minority-serving institution to graduate, and reducing their
postgraduation debt;
(3) impact grants under section 124, which will expand the
supply and quality of child care in the community by providing
training, mentorship, technical support, and expansion funding
to new and existing child care providers in the service area of
the eligible entity; and
(4) pipeline grants under section 125, which will fund
eligible entities to--
(A) launch and expand early childhood educator
preparation programs; and
(B) form strategic partnerships with regional
institutions to expand, diversify, and strengthen the
workforce pipeline for infant and toddler care
providers.
(b) Administration.--In administering this title, the Secretary
shall--
(1) consult with the Secretary of Health and Human Services
with respect to all grants carried out under this Act; and
(2) consult with the Administrator of the Small Business
Administration with respect to impact grants carried out under
section 124.
SEC. 112. APPLICATION; SELECTION CRITERIA.
(a) Application.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity desiring a grant under
subtitle B shall submit an application to the Secretary at such
time, in such manner, and containing such information as the
Secretary may require.
(2) Contents.--An application submitted under paragraph (1)
shall include--
(A) a landscape review on the need for infant and
toddler child care within the current and prospective
student populations of the eligible entity and in the
broader service area of the eligible entity, with an
emphasis on community college or minority-serving
institution student parents in communities of color and
low-income parents;
(B) a landscape review of the infant and toddler
care workforce within the service area of the eligible
entity;
(C) a high-level vision (which, in the case of an
eligible entity desiring a planning grant under section
122, will be clarified and adjusted through the needs
assessment and activities carried out under the grant)
for how to leverage 1 or more access, impact, or
pipeline grants under subtitle B to enhance access and
quality in the infant and toddler child care landscape
of the service area of the eligible entity;
(D) a description of how the eligible entity will
advance child development (including social and
emotional development), family engagement, and
culturally responsive and linguistically responsive
pedagogy for infant and toddler child care within its
child care center or early childhood education programs
(as applicable), through professional development,
required coursework, or targeted outreach and
enrollment;
(E) an assurance that the eligible entity will
submit annual reports that document how funds were
allocated and the impact of the grant;
(F) a commitment that wages for child care staff at
each on-campus child care center of a participating
community college or minority-serving institution
during the grant period shall be--
(i) comparable to wages for elementary
educators with similar credentials and
experience in the State; and
(ii) at a minimum, at a rate that is enough
to provide a living wage for all child care
staff; and
(G) in the case of an impact, access, or pipeline
grant under subtitle B, an assurance that the eligible
entity will continue to convene and consult an infant
and toddler care committee described in section
122(a)(1).
(b) Selection Criteria.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants under
subtitle B on a competitive basis, in accordance with the
priorities described in paragraph (2), and in a manner that
supports eligible entities that--
(A) enroll a high percentage of students who are
eligible for a Federal Pell Grant under section 401 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a) and
who have children under age 3;
(B) are located within or in the immediate vicinity
of an infant and toddler child care desert; or
(C) have a clear and compelling plan for--
(i) in the case of a planning grant under
section 122, carrying out the activities of the
planning grant;
(ii) in the case of an access grant under
section 123, expanding access to free infant
and toddler child care for community college or
minority-serving institution student parents;
(iii) in the case of an impact grant under
section 124, expanding the supply and quality
of child care in the community by providing
training, mentorship, technical support, and
startup funding, in collaboration with existing
child care agencies and organizations; or
(iv) in the case of a pipeline grant under
section 125, growing and strengthening the
workforce pipeline of highly effective infant
and toddler child care providers, especially
such providers serving infant and toddler child
care deserts, by expanding early childhood
education programs or upgrading an on-campus
child care center into a lab school.
(2) Priorities in awarding grants.--In awarding grants
under subtitle B, the Secretary shall, to the extent
practicable based on the strength of the applications and the
availability of appropriations--
(A) first, ensure that not less than 80 percent of
the funds appropriated for grants under subtitle B are
awarded to eligible entities that are eligible
institutions, as defined in section 312(b) of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1058(b));
(B) second, ensure that not less than 1 eligible
entity in each State is awarded a grant; and
(C) third, provide special consideration to
applications described in paragraph (3).
(3) Additional consideration and funding.--In awarding
grants under subtitle B and subject to paragraph (2), the
Secretary shall provide special consideration, and may provide
additional funding as needed, including funding to exceed the
limits described in section 113(a), for--
(A) applications for access grants under section
123 that will provide--
(i) infant and toddler child care for
children of all ages between birth and age 3;
(ii) infant and toddler child care
available during nontraditional hours;
(iii) infant and toddler child care that
has the supports and staffing needed for
children who are dual language learners;
(iv) infant and toddler child care that has
the supports and staffing needed for children
in need of trauma-informed care and infants and
toddlers with disabilities, which may include
providing training for infant and toddler child
care staff to support the needs of infants and
toddlers with disabilities or coordinating with
service providers to deliver services under
section 619 or part C of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1419;
1431 et seq.); and
(v) child care and aftercare for children
age 3 and older, especially for children that
age out of the infant and toddler child care
program supported under this title, and for
siblings of children enrolled in campus-
sponsored infant and toddler care; and
(B) applications for pipeline grants under section
125 that propose to--
(i) develop and teach courses on culturally
responsive and linguistically responsive
teaching in early childhood education; and
(ii) develop and teach courses on
supporting infants and toddlers with
disabilities who are under age 3.
(c) Prerequisites for Access, Impact, and Pipeline Grants.--An
eligible entity shall receive and timely complete all requirements of a
planning grant under section 122 before receiving an access, impact, or
pipeline grant under section 123, 124, or 125.
SEC. 113. AMOUNT, DURATION, AND ADMINISTRATION OF GRANTS.
(a) Amount of Grants.--Each grant awarded under subtitle B to an
eligible entity shall be in an amount of--
(1) in the case of a grant awarded to an individual
community college or minority-serving institution, not more
than $20,000,000; and
(2) in the case of a grant to a consortium of community
colleges or minority-serving institutions, not more than
$220,000,000.
(b) Duration of Grants.--A grant awarded under subtitle B shall be
for a period of 4 years, except that a planning grant awarded under
section 122 shall be for a period of 1 year.
(c) Number of Grants.--
(1) Planning grants.--No eligible entity shall receive more
than 1 planning grant under section 122.
(2) Impact, access, and pipeline grants.--An eligible
entity may receive multiple grants under sections 123, 124, and
125, including 2 or more grants under different sections for
the same grant period or for overlapping grant periods.
(d) Annual Grant Competitions.--The Secretary shall conduct annual
grant competitions for the grants under subtitle B.
(e) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this title shall be construed
to limit any program or grant established under any other Federal law,
including the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.),
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et
seq.), or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C.
1400 et seq.).
Subtitle B--Planning and Implementation Grants
SEC. 121. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.
From amounts made available under section 103, the Secretary shall
award to eligible entities--
(1) planning grants under section 122, to enable the
eligible entities to assess the infant and toddler care needs
of current and prospective community college or minority-
serving institution student parents and the surrounding
community and develop a detailed proposal to address such
needs;
(2) access grants under section 123, which will provide
free high-quality child care for up to 500,000 children under
the age of 3 of community college or minority-serving
institution student parents, helping to reduce barriers that
impact the ability of community college or minority-serving
institution student parents to graduate, and reducing their
postgraduation debt;
(3) impact grants under section 124, which will expand the
supply and quality of child care in the community by providing
training, mentorship, technical support, and expansion funding
to new and existing child care providers in the service area of
the eligible entities; and
(4) pipeline grants under section 125, which will fund
eligible entities to--
(A) launch and expand early childhood educator
preparation programs; and
(B) form strategic partnerships with regional
institutions to expand, diversify, and strengthen the
workforce pipeline for infant and toddler child care
providers.
SEC. 122. PLANNING GRANTS.
(a) Use of Funds.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under this
section shall use grant funds to--
(1) establish an infant and toddler child care committee
that is reflective and inclusive of the community being served
and composed of members who are--
(A) student parents at the participating community
college or minority-serving institution;
(B) faculty of any participating community college
or minority-serving institution;
(C) representatives of a local educational agency
(as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801))
serving the service area of the eligible entity;
(D) where applicable, a local public charter school
provider;
(E) representatives of a local child care resource
and referral agency; and
(F) infant and toddler child care professionals
(such as representatives from a local Head Start or
Early Head Start program, home-based infant and toddler
child care providers, and child care providers with
expertise working with infants or toddlers with
disabilities);
(2) conduct an infant and toddler child care needs
assessment of current and prospective community college or
minority-serving institution student parents, the infant and
toddler child care workforce, and the service area of the
eligible entity, that includes information on the level of need
for--
(A) infant and toddler child care during
nontraditional hours;
(B) 3-year-old child care, toddler care, and infant
care;
(C) care for infants and toddlers with
disabilities;
(D) care for children from households that speak a
language other than English; and
(E) child care in specific communities, especially
infant and toddler child care deserts;
(3) begin research, outreach, and planning for expanding
access to free infant and toddler child care for community
college or minority-serving institution student parents, which
may include drafting a delivery agreement with infant and
toddler child care providers in the community to provide infant
and toddler child care to community college or minority-serving
institution student parents; and
(4) develop a detailed proposal, with a focus on the needs
of parents of children under age 3, to address those needs,
which may include applying for an impact, access, or pipeline
grant under section 123, 124, or 125.
(b) Reporting Requirements.--Not later than 30 days after the end
of a grant period under this section, the eligible entity that received
the grant shall prepare and submit a report to the Secretary that
includes--
(1) the results of the needs assessment conducted under
subsection (a)(2);
(2) the detailed proposal developed under subsection
(a)(4); and
(3) in the case of an eligible entity that desires an
impact, access, or pipeline grant under section 123, 124, or
125, an application for the grant.
SEC. 123. ACCESS GRANTS PROVIDING INFANT AND TODDLER CHILD CARE FOR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTION STUDENT
PARENTS.
(a) Use of Grants.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under this
section shall use grant funds to expand access to free infant and
toddler child care for community college or minority-serving
institution student parents by carrying out 1 or more of the following:
(1) Paying the infant and toddler child care costs of
community college or minority-serving institution student
parents at an on-campus child care center, State licensed off-
campus child care center, or State licensed or registered home-
based child care provider.
(2)(A) Operating an on-campus child care center that
provides infant and toddler child care; or
(B) contracting with a child care provider that is
operating 1 or more child care centers (as of the date of the
contract) to operate an on-campus child care center that
provides infant and toddler child care.
(3) Coordinating with local child care resource and
referral agencies for services such as helping community
college or minority-serving institution student parents find
infant and toddler child care.
(4) Expanding the resources for existing on-campus child
care centers, as of the date of the application for the grant,
by--
(A) expanding the space of the center for infant
and toddler child care;
(B) purchasing equipment to be used for infant and
toddler child care; or
(C) hiring staff to accommodate additional children
under the age of 3.
(5) Lengthening the hours of an existing on-campus infant
and toddler child care center or keeping the on-campus infant
and toddler child care center open during breaks (including
summer).
(6) Establishing capacity for drop-in infant and toddler
child care or flex infant and toddler child care for the
children of community college or minority-serving institution
student parents.
(7) Renovating campus facilities to allow for the operation
of an on-campus child care center that--
(A) satisfies the standards that apply to
alterations or (as applicable) new construction under
title II or III of the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq., 12181 et seq.), as
the case may be; and
(B)(i) meets a high-quality standard, according to
a State quality rating and improvement system or the
standards applicable to an Early Head Start program
under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.); or
(ii) is accredited through the National Association
for the Education of Young Children or another
organization of similar expertise, as determined by the
Secretary.
(b) Requirements of On-Campus Child Care Centers.--In order for an
on-campus child care center of a community college or minority-serving
institution participating in an eligible entity to be supported with
funds from a grant under this section, the on-campus child care center
shall meet the following requirements:
(1) The child care center shall be licensed by the State
and shall meet a high-quality standard described in subsection
(a)(7)(B)(i) or be accredited in accordance with subsection
(a)(7)(B)(ii).
(2) Children of community college or minority-serving
institution student parents shall receive priority enrollment
in the child care center, with priority going first to low-
income community college or minority-serving institution
student parents, although dependents of faculty and staff of
the community college or minority-serving institution and
community members may be enrolled once the enrollment needs of
all requesting community college or minority-serving
institution student parents are fulfilled.
(3) The child care center shall provide infant and toddler
child care to children of community college or minority-serving
institution student parents, without regard as to whether the
parent is a full-time or part-time student.
(4) Not less than 85 percent of the community college or
minority-serving institution student parents using the on-
campus child care center for infant and toddler child care
shall be eligible to receive Federal Pell Grants under section
401 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1070a),
except that the Secretary may grant a waiver from this
requirement if the Secretary determines necessary.
(5) The child care center shall provide drop-in infant and
toddler child care for community college and minority-serving
institution student parents and may not impose minimum
enrollment requirements for children of community college or
minority-serving institution student parents. The Secretary
shall promulgate regulations that specify the percentage of
infant and toddler child care slots that must be reserved for
drop-in infant and toddler child care under this paragraph.
(6) The child care center--
(A) shall provide infant and toddler child care for
children under the age of 3 (as of the first day of the
academic year of the community college or minority-
serving institution supporting the child care center)
of community college and minority-serving institution
student parents for free;
(B) may charge faculty and staff of the community
college or minority institution and community members
fees, using a sliding scale based on family income, to
enroll their children in the child care center; and
(C) shall comply with the suspension and expulsion
performance standard for Head Start programs under
section 1302.17 of title 45, Code of Federal
Regulations, or any successor standard.
(7)(A) The child care center shall maintain a continuity of
care for the children of parents who--
(i) were community college or minority-serving
institution student parents during any reasonable or
unavoidable break in the parents' enrollment; or
(ii) transferred from a community college to a 4-
year minority-serving institution during the student's
enrollment at the 4-year institution.
(B) The child care center may charge a parent described in
subparagraph (A) a fee for the child care services provided
during the period when the parent is not enrolled in the
community college or minority-serving institution, using a
sliding scale based on family income during this period, as
long as the fee does not exceed 7 percent of the family's
income.
(8) The child care center shall pay its child care staff a
wage that--
(A) is comparable to wages for elementary educators
with similar credentials and experience in the State;
and
(B) at a minimum, provides a living wage for all
child care staff of the child care center; and
(9) The child care center, if not a child care provider
covered by subsection (c) of section 658H of the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858f), shall
comply with that section in the same manner and to the same
extent as such a child care provider, with respect to
background checks for child care staff members (including
prospective child care staff members) for the center.
(c) Consultation and Reports.--
(1) Consultation.--An eligible entity receiving a grant
under this section shall, for each year of the grant, consult
with an infant and toddler child care committee described in
section 122(a)(2) regarding the results of the grant and the
contents of the annual report submitted to the Secretary.
(2) Reports.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under
this section shall, for each year of the grant, prepare and
submit a report to the Secretary that includes--
(A) the number of community college or minority-
serving institution student parents that received
access to State licensed or registered child care
because of the grant, in the aggregate and
disaggregated by age, gender, race and ethnicity,
family income, disability status, and full-time or
part-time enrollment status in the community college or
minority-serving institution;
(B) the number of children under age 3 enrolled in
each on-campus child care center supported under the
grant, disaggregated by age, gender, disability status,
marital status of parents, and race and ethnicity;
(C) for each on-campus child care center supported
under the grant, the number of suspensions of children
enrolled in the child care center, in the aggregate and
disaggregated by race and ethnicity, gender, and
disability status;
(D) the demographics, including race, ethnicity,
and gender of the staff and leadership of all child
care centers supported under the grant;
(E) the most frequent times of the day and days of
the week, and the average number of hours per week,
that on-campus child care centers were used by
community college or minority-serving institution
student parents, and the child care hours per week
provided to community college or minority-serving
institution student parents, disaggregated by child
care provided at nontraditional hours and traditional
daytime, weekday child care;
(F) semester-to-semester persistence and fall-to-
fall persistence rates of community college or
minority-serving institution student parents with
children enrolled in infant and toddler child care
sponsored by the community college or minority-serving
institution, compared to the persistence rate of
community college or minority-serving institution
student parents with children under 3 who are not
enrolled in community college or minority-serving
institution sponsored child care--
(i) collected in accordance with
regulations promulgated by the Secretary; and
(ii) in the aggregate and disaggregated as
described in subparagraph (A) and by the age of
the children of the community college or
minority-serving institution students;
(G) the degree or certificate completion rate of
community college minority-serving institution student
parents with children enrolled in child care that is
sponsored by the community college or minority-serving
institution and is not infant and toddler child care,
in the aggregate and disaggregated as described in such
subparagraph and by the age of the children of the
community college or minority-serving institution
student parents; and
(H) if grant funds are used to renovate campus
facilities under subsection (a)(7), proof of the on-
campus child care center's compliance with the
standards that apply to alterations or (as applicable)
new construction under title II or III of the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.,
12181 et seq.), as the case may be.
(3) Cross-tabulation.--In each report submitted by an
eligible entity under paragraph (2), the eligible entity shall
also provide the information described in subparagraphs (A),
(B), (C), and (F)(ii) of such paragraph cross-tabulated by, at
a minimum, gender, disability status, and each major racial and
ethnic group, which shall be presented in a manner that--
(A) is first anonymized and does not reveal
personally identifiable information about an individual
community college or minority-serving institution
student parent or child enrolled in the child care
center;
(B) does not include a number of individuals in any
subgroup of community college or minority-serving
institution student parents or children enrolled in the
child care center that is insufficient to yield
statistically reliable information or that would reveal
personally identifiable information about an
individual; and
(C) is consistent with the requirements of section
444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C.
1232g, commonly known as the ``Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act of 1974'').
(d) Definition.--In subsection (b)(9), the term ``child care staff
member'' means an individual--
(1) who is employed by a child care center covered by
subsection (b) for compensation; or
(2) whose activities involve the care or supervision of
children for, or unsupervised access to children who are cared
for or supervised by, such a child care center.
SEC. 124. IMPACT GRANTS.
(a) Use of Funds.--Grants awarded under this section shall be used
by eligible entities to expand the supply and quality of child care in
the community by providing training, mentorship, technical support, and
startup funding, in collaboration with existing (as of the date of
application for the grant) child care agencies and organizations,
through carrying out 1 or more of the following activities:
(1) Contracting with local child care resource and referral
organizations to support onsite technical assistance for child
care providers, and training, mentorships, and business
technical assistance related to existing (as of the date of the
grant) or new start-up child care programs.
(2) Contracting with local child care resource and referral
organizations to provide staffed family child care networks,
such as a hub that supports a group of home-based care
providers to promote high-quality care.
(3) Establishing a network of child care providers in the
community, or partnering with an existing, as of the date of
application, provider or network (such as an Early Head Start
program operating in the community) to facilitate provider
access to training, coaching, mentorship, licensure, technical
support, and expansion funding.
(4) Developing content for training for community child
care providers (including home-based providers and unlicensed
providers) on strong child care business practices and other
supports and training the providers may require.
(5) Compensating qualified individuals to deliver training
for community members on providing high-quality child care.
(6) Awarding microenterprise grants for State licensed,
qualified early childhood education professionals, State
licensed child care centers, and State licensed or registered
home-based child care providers to open a child care program
that provides infant and toddler child care, or to expand
infant and toddler child care (including expanding access to
serve infants or toddlers with disabilities) at a child care
program in areas with low access to affordable, quality infant
and toddler child care.
(7) Developing and communicating clear pathways for
community child care providers and current and prospective
students of infant and toddler child care education,
particularly individuals with low incomes and from historically
underrepresented groups, to take advantage of professional
development, certificate, and associate degree offerings, for
the purpose of advancing their skills and careers.
(8) Prioritizing child care programs, pathways, and
resources in communities of color and low-income communities.
(9) Developing and delivering child care professional
development and courses in languages other than English.
(b) Rule Regarding Professional Development.--If an eligible entity
elects to use grant funds under this section for professional
development, the eligible entity shall ensure that--
(1) a portion of the professional development is open,
available, and easily accessible to unlicensed child care
providers and a portion of the professional development is
available to State licensed or registered child care providers;
and
(2) not more than 30 percent of the funds provided through
the grant under this section are allocated toward professional
development.
(c) Consultation and Reports.--
(1) Consultation.--An eligible entity receiving a grant
under this section shall, for each year of the grant, consult
with an infant and toddler child care committee described in
section 122(a)(2) and the lead agency for the applicable State
designated under section 658D of the Child Care Development and
Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858b) regarding the results
of the grant and the contents of the annual report submitted to
the Secretary.
(2) Reports.--An eligible entity receiving a grant under
this section shall, for each year of the grant, prepare and
submit a report to the Secretary that includes--
(A) the number of child care providers that
attended child care professional development sessions
coordinated by the eligible entity under the grant, and
the type of training received;
(B)(i) the number of child care providers fluent in
a language other than English that received
professional development through the grant, including
the number of such child care providers reached through
the development and delivery of coursework in languages
other than English; and
(ii) the number of such child care providers that
received professional development through the grant and
graduated with an infant toddler credential, a child
development associate credential, or associate degree
related to early childhood development;
(C) the number of community colleges or minority-
serving institutions that joined or established
networks of child care providers;
(D) the number of State licensed child care spots
created for children under 3 as a result of the
training or microenterprise grants provided, in the
aggregate and disaggregated by location in an infant
and toddler child care desert, location in a community
of color, and, for recipients of microenterprise grants
under subsection (a)(6), race, ethnicity, and gender of
recipient;
(E) the number of participants in mentorship
programs supported under the grant, in the aggregate
and disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender; and
(F) the number of community child care providers
receiving technical support from the on-campus child
care center or network or the child care resource and
referral agency under the grant.
(3) Cross-tabulation.--In each report submitted by an
eligible entity under paragraph (2), the eligible entity shall
also provide the information described in paragraph (2)(E)
cross-tabulated by, at a minimum, gender and each major racial
and ethnic group, which shall be presented in a manner that--
(A) is first anonymized and does not reveal
personally identifiable information about an individual
participant in a mentorship program;
(B) does not include a number of individuals in any
subgroup of mentorship program participants that is
insufficient to yield statistically reliable
information or that would reveal personally
identifiable information about an individual; and
(C) is consistent with the requirements of section
444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C.
1232g, commonly known as the ``Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act of 1974'').
SEC. 125. PIPELINE GRANTS.
(a) Use of Funds.--Grants awarded under this section shall be used
by eligible entities to grow and strengthen the workforce pipeline of
highly effective infant and toddler child care providers, especially
such providers serving infant and toddler child care deserts, through
carrying out 1 or more of the following activities:
(1) Establishing--
(A) an associate degree program that includes not
less than 2 courses specifically on infants and
toddlers; or
(B) a stackable child development associate
credential, infant toddler credential, or early
childhood education certificate, that can be
incorporated into a higher-level credential or
certificate.
(2) Hiring faculty to adopt and teach previously developed
competency-based high-quality infant-toddler courses, or to
develop and teach infant-toddler courses, which may include
courses required for an infant or toddler care certificate,
such as courses on child growth and development, the physical
and nutritional needs of children, communicating with families,
language development, child mental health, supporting infants
and toddlers with disabilities, and effective interactions with
children.
(3) Developing and executing a plan for increased
coordination between an early childhood educator preparation
program of a participating community college or minority-
serving institution and an on-campus child care center of the
community college or minority-serving institution, to enhance
the quality of both the child care and the early childhood
educator preparation program.
(4) Creating or enhancing a partnership between a
participating community college and a 4-year degree-granting
institution, to support and coordinate associate degree
programs or provide for articulation agreements in early
childhood education with related baccalaureate degree programs.
(5) Upgrading an on-campus child care center into a child
care lab school for the purpose of facilitating early childhood
educator preparation program practicum work, which may include
installing one-way observation windows or live-feed cameras.
(6) Awarding microgrants to students in early childhood
educator preparation programs for tuition, books,
transportation, permitting or licensing fees, apprenticeships,
and time spent doing practicum work.
(7) Developing and teaching courses on culturally
responsive teaching in early childhood education.
(8) Forming partnerships with local public high schools to
establish early childhood education career and technical
education programs, including programs that lead to a degree or
credential or provide opportunities for students to enter the
community college or minority-serving institution with
postsecondary credits that can be counted towards an early
childhood education certificate, credential, or degree.
(b) Consultation and Reports.--
(1) Consultation.--An eligible entity receiving a grant
under this section shall, for each year of the grant, consult
with an infant and toddler child care committee described in
section 122(a)(2) regarding the results of the grant and the
contents of the annual report submitted to the Secretary.
(2) Reporting requirements.--An eligible entity receiving a
grant under this section shall, for each year of the grant,
prepare and submit a report to the Secretary that includes--
(A) the number of students that enrolled in early
childhood educator preparation programs due to the
support provided by the grant, in the aggregate and
disaggregated by credential or degree type of the
program and by age, gender, race or ethnic group,
ability to speak a second language, family income
level, disability status, and full-time or part-time
student status;
(B) the amount of funds allocated to early
childhood educator preparation program students through
microgrants under this section, in the aggregate and
disaggregated by usage of funds and by demographics of
the students receiving the microgrants, including age,
gender, race or ethnic group, second language ability,
parent status, family income level, disability status,
and full-time or part-time student status;
(C) the persistence, retention, and completion
rates of students receiving the microgrants, as
compared to such rates for students not receiving the
microgrants;
(D) the number of students dual-enrolled in high
school and a community college or minority-serving
institution early childhood educator preparation
program;
(E) the number of students that completed degrees,
certificates, or credentials in dual-enrollment
programs, in the aggregate and disaggregated by degree,
certificate, and credential type; and
(F) the details of any partnerships or articulation
agreements established with local public high schools
or local 4-year degree-granting institutions of higher
education.
(3) Cross-tabulation.--In each report submitted by an
eligible entity under paragraph (2), the eligible entity shall
also provide the information described in subparagraphs (A) and
(B) of such paragraph cross-tabulated by, at a minimum, gender,
each major racial and ethnic group, and disability status,
which shall be presented in a manner that--
(A) is first anonymized and does not reveal
personally identifiable information about an individual
student;
(B) does not include a number of individuals in any
subgroup of students that is insufficient to yield
statistically reliable information or that would reveal
personally identifiable information about an
individual; and
(C) is consistent with the requirements of section
444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C.
1232g, commonly known as the ``Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act of 1974'').
SEC. 126. EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR GRANTS.
For each year of the grant program under this title, the Secretary
shall evaluate the effectiveness of grants under chapter 1. Each
evaluation shall include the following criteria:
(1) For access grants awarded under section 123--
(A) the number of community college or minority-
serving institution student parents that received
access to licensed or registered infant and toddler
child care due to the grant, in the aggregate and
disaggregated by age, gender, race or ethnic group,
family income level, disability status, marital status,
and full-time or part-time student status;
(B) the most frequent times, and the average number
of hours per week, that on-campus child care centers
were used by community college or minority-serving
institution student parents;
(C) semester-to-semester persistence and fall-to-
fall persistence rates of community college or
minority-serving institution student parents with
children enrolled in infant or toddler child care
sponsored by the community college or minority-serving
institution, compared to such rate for students with
children not enrolled in the community college or
minority-serving institution child care program, in the
aggregate and disaggregated by the categories described
in subparagraph (A); and
(D) degree and certificate completion rate of
community college or minority-serving institution
student parents with children enrolled in child care
sponsored by the community college or minority-serving
institution, compared to such rate for students with
children not enrolled in such a sponsored child care
program, in the aggregate and disaggregated by the
categories described in subparagraph (A).
(2) For impact grants awarded under section 124--
(A) the number of attendees for the child care
professional development sessions coordinated by the
eligible entity under the grants;
(B) the number of community colleges or minority-
serving institutions that joined or established
networks of child care providers as a result of the
grants;
(C) the number of State licensed child care spots
created for children under 3 in infant and toddler
child care deserts and communities of color that were
established as a result of microenterprise grants
supported under section 124(a)(6); and
(D) the number of child care providers fluent in a
language other than English that received professional
development under the grants.
(3) For pipeline grants under section 125--
(A) the number of early childhood educator
preparation programs that were established with funding
under the grants;
(B) the number of existing early childhood educator
preparation programs that expanded course, certificate,
or degree offerings as a result of funding under the
grants;
(C) the number of students that enrolled in early
childhood educator preparation programs because of
funding provided under the grants, in the aggregate and
disaggregated by--
(i) type of degree or credential; and
(ii) student age, gender, race or ethnic
group, second language ability, family income
level, disability status, and status as
enrolled full- or part-time;
(D) the amount of funds allocated to early
childhood educator preparation program students through
microgrants supported under section 125(a)(6), in the
aggregate and disaggregated by--
(i) category of usage of funds; and
(ii) the categories described in
subparagraph (C)(ii);
(E) persistence, retention, and completion rates of
students receiving such microgrants, as compared to
students not receiving microgrants;
(F) the number of new early childhood educator
preparation program partnerships formed between
community colleges or minority-serving institutions and
area high schools as a result of the grants;
(G) the number of students dual-enrolled in high
school and community college early childhood educator
preparation programs as a result of the grants; and
(H) the number of students that completed a degree
or credential in a dual-enrollment program as a result
of the grants, in the aggregate and disaggregated by
degree or credential.
SEC. 127. REPORT TO CONGRESS.
The Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress an annual report
on the grant program under this title that includes--
(1) the results from the most recent evaluation under
section 126; and
(2) information regarding the progress made by the grants
based on the most recent reports submitted under sections
122(b), 123(c), 124(c), and 125(b).
SEC. 128. NONDISCRIMINATION IN PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES.
(a) Nondiscrimination.--No person in the United States shall, on
the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national
origin, sex (which includes sexual orientation, gender identity,
pregnancy, childbirth, medical conditions related to pregnancy or
childbirth, or sex stereotypes), or disability, be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
discrimination under any program or activity funded, in whole or in
part, with funds made available under this title or with amounts
appropriated for grants, contracts, or certificates similar to a child
care certificate as defined in section 658P of the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n), administered
with such funds.
(b) Enforcement.--Subsection (a) shall be enforced in the same
manner and by the same means, as if such subsection was incorporated in
title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.), and
as if a violation of subsection (a) was treated as if it was a
violation of section 601 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 2000d).
(c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to alter or change any provisions of section 658N of the
Child Care and Development Block Grant of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858l).
TITLE II--CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
SEC. 201. ELIGIBILITY.
(a) In General.--Section 658P(4)(C)(i) of the Child Care and
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n(4)(C)(i)) is
amended by striking ``job training or educational program'' and
inserting ``job training or educational program (which may be a program
of study at an institution of higher education (as defined in section
102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)), a program of
secondary education, or a program of study leading to the recognized
equivalent of a secondary school diploma)''.
(b) Plan Requirements.--Section 658E(c)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
9858c(c)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(W) Eligibility standards.--The plan shall
contain an assurance that the State will not use any
requirement for the eligibility of a child under this
subchapter that is more restrictive than the
requirements of (including regulations issued under)
this subchapter, such as a family income standard, or a
work, training, or education standard, that is more
restrictive than the standards specified in section
658P(4).''.
SEC. 202. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
Section 658H(c) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858f(c)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A), by inserting ``or a child care center covered by section
123(b) of the Preparing and Resourcing Our Student Parents and
Early Childhood Teachers Act'' before ``if such''; and
(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``, including a child
care center covered by section 123(b) of the Preparing and
Resourcing Our Student Parents and Early Childhood Teachers
Act,'' before ``shall be ineligible''.
SEC. 203. INCREASED FEDERAL MATCHING PAYMENTS FOR CHILD CARE.
Section 418(a)(2)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
618(a)(2)(C)) is amended to read as follows:
``(C) Federal matching of state expenditures.--The
Secretary shall pay to each eligible State for a fiscal
year an amount equal to the lesser of--
``(i) the State's allotment under
subparagraph (B); or
``(ii) the sum of--
``(I) in the case of a State that
provides payments for child care
assistance for infants and toddlers
(within the meaning of section 658G of
the Child Care and Development Block
Grant Act of 1990) at not less than 75
percent of the market rates, based on
the most recent market rate survey
conducted under section 658E(c)(4)(B)
of that Act or using an alternative
methodology, such as a cost estimation
model, that has been developed by the
State lead agency and approved by the
Administration for Children and
Families, taking into account the
geographic area, type of child care,
and age of the child, 90 percent of the
State's expenditures for such
assistance; and
``(II) the amount equal to the
Federal medical assistance percentage
that applies to the State for the
fiscal year under section 1905(b)
(without regard to any adjustments to
such percentage applicable under that
section or any other provision of law)
of so much of the State's expenditures
for child care in that fiscal year for
children other than infants and
toddlers.''.
TITLE III--OUTREACH REGARDING THE DEPENDENT CARE ALLOWANCE FOR FEDERAL
STUDENT AID
SEC. 301. SHARING DEPENDENT CARE ALLOWANCE INFORMATION FOR FEDERAL
STUDENT AID.
Section 132(h)(4) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1015a(h)(4)) is amended--
(1) in the paragraph heading, by inserting ``and
information'' after ``Disclaimer'';
(2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(3) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(D) explaining--
``(i) that a student with a dependent may
be eligible to include a dependent care
allowance described in section 471(a)(8) in the
student's cost of attendance;
``(ii) the effect that a dependent care
allowance may have on the amount of financial
aid available to the student from the
institution; and
``(iii) how to apply for the dependent care
allowance.''.
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