,i  #aac? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #cceg  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,octob] #bh1 #bjac,ms4
 ,m5g 7= h]self & ,mr4 ,polis7 introduc$
 ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !       
,committee on ,education & ! ,work=ce   
,a ,,bill  ,to au?orize ! ,secret>y (   
,education to make grants to ,/ates to  
improve ! k1 cr$5tials1 comp5sation1 &  
pr(essional developm5t ( e>ly *ildhood  
educators work+ ) *ildr5 9 e>ly *ildhood
 education programs4  #a4 ,%ort title   
,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,e>ly         
,*ildhood ,education ,pr(essional       
,improvem5t ,act ( #bjac4  #b4 ,purpose 
,! purpose ( ?is ,act is to provide     
assi/ance to ,/ates to improve ! k1     
cr$5tials1 comp5sation1 & pr(essional   
developm5t ( e>ly *ildhood educators    
work+ ) *ildr5 9 e>ly *ildhood education
 programs4  #c4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3
 7#a7 ,! t]m e>ly *ildhood education    
program means a ,head ,/>t ,program     
c>ri$ out "u ! ,head ,/>t ,act 7#db     
,u4,s4,c4 #ihca et seq471 a ,/ate-fund$ 

prek9d]g>t5 program1 a lic5s$ *ild c>e  
s]v+ prek9d]g>t5 *ildr51 & special      
education pres*ool4  7#b7 ,! t]m        
in/itution ( high] education has ! mean+
 giv5 ! t]m 9 section #aja7;a7 ( !      
,high] ,education ,act ( #aife 7#bj     
,u4,s4,c4 #ajja7;a774  #d4 ,program     
au?oriz$ ,! ,secret>y ( ,education1 9   
consultation ) ! ,secret>y ( ,heal? &   
,human ,s]vices1 is au?oriz$ to aw>d    
grants to ,/ates to implem5t & adm9i/] !
 activities describ$ 9 section #f4  #e4 
,applications  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,ea* ,/ate  
desir+ a grant "u ?is ,act %all submit  
an application to ! ,secret>y (         
,education at su* "t1 9 su* mann]1 &    
accompani$ by su* in=mation z !         
,secret>y may reasonably require4  7b7  
,cont5ts ,ea* application submitt$ "u   
subsection 7a7 %all include a           
description ( ! ,/ate's compreh5sive    
e>ly *ildhood pr(essional developm5t    
sy/em1 includ+ ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,a        
description ( h[ ! ,/ate's sy/em 0      
develop$ 9 collaboration ) ! ,/ate      

,advisory ,c\ncil on ,e>ly ,*ildhood    
,education & ,c>e designat$ or e/abli%$ 
"u section #fdb;,b ( ! ,head ,/>t ,act1 
! ,/ate ag5cy responsible = adm9i/]+    
*ildc>e1 ! ,/ate ,head ,/>t             
collaboration director1 ! ,/ate         
educational ag5cy1 in/itutions ( high]  
education1 organizations t repres5t e>ly
 *ildhood educators1 & cr$ible e>ly     
*ildhood education pr(essional          
organizations4  7#b7 ,a designation ( a 
,/ate ag5cy to adm9i/] ! grant program4 
7#c7 ,a description ( h[ ! ,/ate's sy/em
 provides-- 7,a7 an ov]sight /ructure = 
! sy/em2  7,b7 pr(essional /&>ds &      
compet5cies2  7,c7 a c>e] lattice2  7,d7
 coord9ation ) ,/ate high] education    
ag5cies1 high] education accr$it+       
bodies1 & accr$it$ two- & f\r-ye>       
in/itutions ( high] education2  7,e7    
enc\ragem5t ( articulation agreem5ts    
betwe5 two- & f\r-ye> in/itutions (     
high] education & cr$it-be>+            
opportunities & articulation agreem5ts t
 recognize prior le>n+ & exp]tise2  7,f7

 m accessible high] education = work+   
le>n]s ?r\gh (f]+ ( college c\rses at   
accessible "t & locations1 ) p>ticul>   
att5tion to rural areas2  7,g7 support  
to adult le>n]s :o are dual language    
le>n]s1 or come f l[-income or m9ority  
communities2  7,h7 use ( work=ce data to
 assess ! ,/ate's work=ce ne$s2 &  7,i7 
its f9anc+ ov] "t4  #f4 ,/ate use (     
funds ,a ,/ate t receives a grant "u ?is
 ,act %all ensure t grant funds are us$ 
to c>ry out ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,to provide  
s*ol>%ips to cov] ! co/s ( tuition1     
fees1 mat]ials1 transportation1 paid    
sub/itutes1 & release "t = pres*ool     
tea*]s employ$ 9 an e>ly *ildhood       
education program to pursue a ba*elor's 
degree 9 e>ly *ildhood education or a   
closely relat$ field4  7#b7 ,to support 
pres*ool tea*]s employ$ 9 an e>ly       
*ildhood education program1 & :o h      
obta9$ a ba*elor's degree 9 a field o!r 
?an e>ly *ildhood education or a closely
 relat$ field1 to atta9 a cr$5tial1     
lic5sure1 or endorsem5t t demon/rates   

compet5ce 9 e>ly *ildhood education4    
7#c7 ,to increase comp5sation = tea*]s  
:o are enroll$ & mak+ progress t[>d a   
degree 9 e>ly *ildhood education & to   
provide p>ity ( comp5sation ^u          
completion ( su* degree & ret5tion 9 !  
e>ly *ildhood education program4  7#d7  
,to provide ongo+ pr(essional developm5t
 opportunities to pres*ool tea*]s &     
tea*] assi/ants employ$ 9 an e>ly       
*ildhood education program t address--  
7,a7 all areas ( *ild developm5t & le>n+
 7cognitive1 social1 emotional1 &       
physical72  7,b7 tea*]-*ild int]action2 
7,c7 family engagem5t2 &  7,d7 cultural 
compet5ce = work+ ) a div]sity ( *ildr5 
7includ+ *ildr5 ) special ne$s & dual   
language le>n]s7 & families4  #g4       
,supplem5t n supplant ,grant funds      
provid$ "u ?is ,act %all supplem5t1 & n 
supplant1 o!r ,f$]al1 ,/ate1 & local    
funds t are available = e>ly *ildhood   
educator prep>ation & pr(essional       
developm5t4  #h4 ,ma9t5ance ( ef=t ,a   
,/ate t receives funds "u ?is ,act = a  

fiscal ye> %all ma9ta9 ! fiscal ef=t    
provid$ by ! ,/ate = ! activities       
support$ by ! funds "u ?is ,act at a    
level equal to or great] ?an ! level (  
su* fiscal ef=t = ! prec$+ fiscal ye>4  
#i4 ,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re 
are au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to c>ry  
out ?is ,act su* sums z may be necess>y 
= fiscal ye>s #bjad ?r\gh #bjai4