[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