[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2819 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2819
To amend the Head Start Act to improve the Act.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 16, 2025
Mr. Sanders (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr.
Fetterman, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Markey, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Kim, Mr.
Padilla, Ms. Smith, Mr. Van Hollen, Ms. Warren, Mr. Welch, Mr. Wyden,
and Mr. Lujan) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Head Start Act to improve the Act.
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 ``Head Start for America's Children
Act''.
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.
Section 636 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``children's growth'' and
inserting ``the growth of infants, toddlers, and children'';
and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``children'' and inserting
``infants, toddlers, children,''; and
(B) by inserting ``mental health,'' before
``educational''.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
Section 637 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9832) is amended--
(1) in the paragraph relating to ``full calendar year''--
(A) by striking ``means all'' and inserting
``means--
``(A) all'';
(B) by striking the period at the end and inserting
``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) with respect to the provision of Head Start
(including Early Head Start) center-based services in a
year, a minimum of 1,380 hours during that year.'';
(2) in the paragraph relating to ``Indian tribe'', by
striking ``The term'' and inserting ``(A) The term `Indian'
means a member of an Indian tribe.
``(B) The term'';
(3) in the paragraph relating to ``State''--
(A) in the first sentence--
(i) by striking ``The term'' and inserting
``(A) The term'';
(ii) by striking ``and the Commonwealth''
and inserting ``the Commonwealth''; and
(iii) by striking the period at the end and
inserting ``, and each of the Freely Associated
States.'';
(B) by striking the second sentence; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) The term `Freely Associated States' means the
Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States
of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.'';
(4) in the paragraph relating to ``interrelater
reliability''--
(A) by striking ``means the extent to which 2'' and
inserting ``means the extent to which--
``(A) 2'';
(B) by striking the period at the end and inserting
``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) such raters or observers are adequately
trained to recognize linguistically and culturally
appropriate practices.'';
(5) by striking the paragraph relating to ``limited English
proficient'';
(6) in the paragraph relating to ``professional
development''--
(A) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``as
appropriate'' and inserting ``including supporting
linguistically and culturally responsive learning
outcomes''; and
(B) in subparagraph (G)--
(i) in clause (i), by inserting ``mental
health,'' after ``and development'';
(ii) in clause (iv)(II)--
(I) by redesignating item (bb) as
item (cc); and
(II) by inserting after item (aa)
the following:
``(bb) (for teachers for
Native American Head Start
agencies) the Native American
Child Outcomes Framework
described in section 640(p);'';
and
(iii) in clause (v), by striking ``limited
English proficient children'' and inserting
``children who are developing English
proficiency'';
(7) by adding at the end the following:
``(27) The term `annual adjustment percentage', used with
respect to appropriations made under this subchapter for a
fiscal year (referred to in this paragraph as the
`determination fiscal year'), means the estimated percentage
increase (if any), as determined by the Secretary of Health and
Human Services, in the Consumer Price Index For All Urban
Consumers, issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, occurring
in the most recent fiscal year ending prior to the beginning of
such determination fiscal year.
``(28) The term `assistive technology' has the meaning
given the term in section 3 of the Assistive Technology Act of
1998 (29 U.S.C. 3002).
``(29) The term `Bureau-funded school' has the meaning
given the term in section 1141 of the Education Amendments of
1978 (20 U.S.C. 2021).
``(30) The term `chemical restraint' means a drug or
medication, used on a student to control behavior or restrict
freedom of movement, that is not--
``(A) prescribed by a licensed physician, or other
qualified health professional acting under the scope of
the professional's authority under State law, for the
standard treatment of a student's medical or
psychiatric condition; and
``(B) administered as prescribed by the licensed
physician or other qualified health professional acting
under the scope of the professional's authority under
State law.
``(31) The term `developing English proficiency'--
``(A) used with respect to a child, means a child--
``(i)(I) who was not born in the United
States or whose native language is a language
other than English;
``(II)(aa) who is a Native American or a
native resident of Guam, American Samoa, the
Virgin Islands of the United States, the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands,
or a Freely Associated State; and
``(bb) who comes from an environment where
a language other than English has had a
significant impact on the child's level of
English language proficiency; or
``(III) who is migratory, whose native
language is a language other than English, and
who comes from an environment where a language
other than English is dominant; and
``(ii) whose difficulties in speaking or
understanding the English language may be
sufficient to deny such child--
``(I) the ability to successfully
achieve in a classroom in which the
language of instruction is English; or
``(II) the opportunity to
participate fully in society; and
``(B) used with respect to an adult, means an adult
who is learning English in addition to their native
language.
``(32) The term `mechanical restraint' means any device or
equipment that is used to restrict a student's freedom of
movement.
``(33)(A) The term `Native American' means an Indian or a
Native Hawaiian.
``(B) The term `Native American Head Start agency', used
with respect to a Head Start program (including an Early Head
Start program) means--
``(i) an Indian tribe that operates such a program;
``(ii) a Native Hawaiian Head Start agency that
operates such a program; or
``(iii) an entity that is designated by an Indian
tribe to operate such a program on its behalf.
``(C) The term `Native American language' has the meaning
given the term in section 103 of the Native American Languages
Act (25 U.S.C. 2902).
``(34)(A) The term `Native Hawaiian' has the meaning given
the term in section 6207 of the Native Hawaiian Education Act
(20 U.S.C. 7517).
``(B) The term `Native Hawaiian educational organization'
has the meaning given the term in section 6207 of the Native
Hawaiian Education Act (20 U.S.C. 7517).
``(C) The term `Native Hawaiian Head Start agency' means a
Head Start agency (including an Early Head Start agency)
operated by a Native Hawaiian organization or a Native Hawaiian
educational organization, for the purpose of serving children
and families in a manner that is developmentally,
linguistically, and culturally appropriate for Native
Hawaiians.
``(D) The term `Native Hawaiian language' has the meaning
given the term in section 6207 of the Native Hawaiian Education
Act (20 U.S.C. 7517).
``(E) The term `Native Hawaiian organization' has the
meaning given the term in section 6207 of the Native Hawaiian
Education Act (20 U.S.C. 7517).
``(35) The term `physical restraint' means a personal
restriction that immobilizes a student or reduces the ability
of a student to move the student's torso, arms, legs, or head
freely.
``(36) The term `seclusion' means the involuntary
confinement of a student alone in a room or area from which the
student is physically prevented from leaving, except that such
term does not include a time out.
``(37) The term `universal design for learning' has the
meaning given the term in section 103 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1003).''; and
(8) by reordering the paragraphs of that section 637 (as
amended by or added by paragraphs (1) through (7) of this
section) to appear in alphabetical order by the first term
defined in each paragraph of that section 637, and renumbering
such paragraphs as so reordered.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
The Head Start Act is amended by inserting after section 637 (42
U.S.C. 9832) the following:
``SEC. 637A. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated, and
there is appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise
appropriated, to the Secretary to carry out this subchapter (other than
provisions funded under subsection (b))--
``(1) for fiscal year 2026, $144,872,000,000; and
``(2) for each succeeding fiscal year, the amount
appropriated under this section for the fiscal year preceding
that succeeding fiscal year, increased to reflect the annual
adjustment percentage.
``(b) Additional Projects.--There are authorized to be
appropriated, and there are appropriated out of any money in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to the Secretary--
``(1) for the period of fiscal years 2026 through 2030--
``(A) $5,000,000,000 for improving or purchasing
Head Start (including Early Head Start) program
facilities under section 644(g), based on demonstrated
need, in addition to any amounts otherwise available
for activities described in this subparagraph; and
``(B) $91,575,000 to facilitate children's access
to Head Start (including Early Head Start) services
through age-appropriate transportation, including
through the purchase of vehicles under section 644(g),
based on demonstrated need, in addition to any amounts
otherwise available for activities described in this
subparagraph;
``(2) $37,500,000 to fund the Rebuilding the Head Start
Workforce Grant program under section 653(c) for the period of
fiscal years 2026 through 2030;
``(3) $95,000,000 to fund the community eligibility pilot
program under section 657C for the period of fiscal years 2026
through 2030.
``(4) $500,000,000 to fund the Head Start agency and
institutions of higher education partnership activities under
section 657D for the period of fiscal years 2026 through 2030;
``(5) $863,000,000 to enable Head Start (including Early
Head Start) agencies to provide center-based services under
this subchapter for more than 1,380 hours (which may include
hours during summer months) during a year, through extended
operation grants under section 657E, based on demonstrated need
for the period of fiscal years 2026 through 2030; and
``(6) $1,625,000,000 to fund the Head Start agency and
child care provider partnership activities under section 657F
for the period of fiscal years 2026 through 2030, in addition
to any amounts otherwise available for activities described in
this paragraph.''.
SEC. 5. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
Section 638 of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9833) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(a)'' before ``The Secretary'';
(2) by striking ``which (1) will'' and inserting the
following: ``which--
``(1) will'';
(3) by striking ``readiness; and (2) will'' and inserting
the following: ``readiness; and
``(2) will''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) The Secretary shall ensure that the financial assistance
provided under subsection (a) sufficiently accounts for the costs
associated with serving children with disabilities.''.
SEC. 6. REGIONAL OFFICES.
The Head Start Act is amended by striking section 639 (42 U.S.C.
9834) and inserting the following:
``SEC. 639. REGIONAL OFFICES FOR THE HEAD START PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall maintain at least 10
regional offices and 2 program offices of the Office of Head Start and
ensure that the officers and employees of those offices effectively and
efficiently serve Head Start programs (including, for purposes of this
section, Early Head Start programs) by--
``(1) scaling up effective technical assistance and
training activities aligned with section 648;
``(2) supporting such programs at the local level and
enabling the programs to comply with requirements, by
establishing meaningful program performance standards under
section 641A(a) and carrying out monitoring activities under
section 641A(c), including standards and monitoring for child
health and safety; and
``(3) improving the quality of programs and services that
best meet the needs of children and families in local
communities, including addressing staff recruitment and
retention challenges.
``(b) Regions and Programs.--The Secretary shall--
``(1) develop proposals for the regions served by regional
offices of the Office of Head Start based on factors that
include considerations concerning the number of Head Start
agencies (including Early Head Start agencies) and eligible
children and families covered by a region, capacity of a
regional office to coordinate services critical to
administration of Head Start programs, and capacity of a
regional office to meet any cultural and linguistic expertise
needs for a region;
``(2) seek public comment on the proposals prior to any
geographic designations of regions for the regional offices;
and
``(3) designate at least 1 program office for Native
American Head Start programs and 1 program office for migrant
and seasonal Head Start programs.
``(c) Adequate Staffing.--The head of each such regional or program
office shall ensure that all Head Start programs served by the region
or program shall have adequate staffing to meet the requirements of
subsection (a).''.
SEC. 7. ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS; LIMITATIONS ON ASSISTANCE.
(a) Allotment.--Section 640(a) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C.
9835(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``section 639'' and
inserting ``section 637A(a)'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (B)--
(i) in clause (ii), by striking ``Indian''
each place it appears and inserting ``Native
American'';
(ii) in clause (iv)--
(I) by striking ``the Republic of
Palau,'';
(II) by inserting ``, and each of
the Freely Associated States'' before
``(for''; and
(III) by adding ``and'' at the end;
(iii) by striking clause (v);
(iv) by redesignating clause (vi) as clause
(v); and
(v) in clause (v), as so redesignated--
(I) by striking ``Indian'' and
inserting ``Native American''; and
(II) by striking ``2007'' and
inserting ``2025'';
(B) in subparagraph (C)(i)--
(i) in the matter preceding subclause (I),
by striking ``section 639'' and inserting
``section 637A(a)'';