Sec. 4. State eligibility

495 words·~2 min read·/bill/113/s/519/is/section-4

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

For purposes of this Act, the term qualified State means a State that meets each of the following criteria: The State carries out a voluntary State-funded preschool program that includes, at a minimum, the following: Use of research-based curricula that are aligned with State early learning standards that are developmentally appropriate and include, at a minimum, each of the following domains: Language development. Literacy. Mathematics. Science. Creative arts. Social and emotional development.

Approaches to learning. Physical and health development. Use of nationally established, or better, best practices for group size and teacher-to-student ratios, appropriate to the age group being served. A requirement that each teacher holds an associate degree, or higher, in early childhood education or a related field. A requirement to operate for at least the length of an academic year. The State shall have developed a plan, including a timetable, for moving toward a requirement for State-funded preschool programs that each teacher holds a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education, or in a related field if specialized training in early childhood education has also been completed, not more than 5 years after the State first receives a grant as a qualified State under this Act.

The State, at a minimum, shall ensure that the average per-child expenditure by the State and the State's political subdivisions to support State-funded preschool programs for the fiscal year for which the grant is made is equal to, or greater than, the average of such per-child expenditure for the previous 2 fiscal years. The State, at a minimum, shall ensure that the total expenditure by the State to support State-funded preschool programs for the fiscal year for which the grant is made is equal to, or greater than, such expenditure for the preceding fiscal year.

The State, at a minimum, shall ensure that the total expenditure by the State to support State-funded child care services and activities for the fiscal year for which the grant is made is equal to, or greater than, such expenditure for the preceding fiscal year. Each fiscal year, the Secretary shall carry out, on a competitive basis, a process for the designation of States as selected States for purposes of this Act. The Secretary shall determine whether to designate any States as selected States and, if so, shall determine the States that are to be designated as selected States.

The determinations required by paragraph

(1)shall be based on— a State meeting the requirements of paragraphs

(3)through

(5)of subsection (a); the quality of the applications submitted; and the extent to which a State demonstrates that the State, if designated, will become a qualified State within 2 fiscal years. A designation as a selected State under this subsection shall apply to a State for 2 fiscal years. If a State is both a qualified State and a selected State for a fiscal year, the State shall be treated for purposes of this Act as a qualified State rather than a selected State.