PRINTER'S NO. 3924
No. 2743 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY KIRKLAND, CURRY, WOJNAROSKI, SOLOBAY, GEORGE, DeWEESE, CAPPABIANCA, TIGUE, ORIE, BUXTON, DALEY, VEON, SAINATO, PRESTON, THOMAS, LAUGHLIN, PISTELLA, PETRARCA, MANDERINO, M. COHEN, WILLIAMS, COSTA, MUNDY, GRUCELA, PESCI, ROEBUCK, DeLUCA, STURLA AND WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 26, 2000
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, SEPTEMBER 26, 2000
AN ACT 1 Establishing the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program; 2 imposing additional powers and duties on the Department of 3 Education and Head Start providers; and making an 4 appropriation. 5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 6 hereby enacts as follows: 7 Section 1. Short title. 8 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Head Start 9 Supplemental Assistance Act. 10 Section 2. Definitions. 11 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 12 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 13 context clearly indicates otherwise: 14 "Department." The Department of Education of the 15 Commonwealth. 16 "Extended day services." Full-day Head Start and child-care 17 services provided for a full year to children eligible for Head
1 Start by a Head Start provider or through a collaborative 2 agreement between a Head Start provider and a licensed child- 3 care center or a registered family or group day-care home. 4 "Head Start." A program funded under the Head Start Act 5 (Public Law 97-35, 42 U.S.C. § 9831 et seq.), established by the 6 Omnibus Budget Reconcilation Act of 1981 (Public Law 97-35, 95 7 Stat. 357) and carried out by a Head Start agency or delegate 8 agency that provides ongoing comprehensive child development 9 services. 10 "Program." The Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program 11 established in section 3. 12 Section 3. Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program. 13 (a) Establishment.--The Head Start Supplemental Assistance 14 Program is hereby established. 15 (b) Administration.--The department shall administer the 16 program. Such administration shall be consistent with Federal 17 Head Start guidelines and shall provide supplemental financial 18 assistance to existing providers of Federal Head Start services. 19 (c) Coordination.--The department, to every extent possible, 20 shall coordinate the administration of the program with the 21 Department of Public Welfare and the Department of Health. The 22 purposes of this coordination shall be to: 23 (1) Identify educational, child-care or other services 24 under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Welfare 25 and the Department of Health that can augment or improve the 26 services available through Head Start or Head Start Extended 27 Day Services. 28 (2) Provide technical assistance to Head Start providers 29 establishing child-care services in order to offer extended 30 day services. 20000H2743B3924 - 2 -
1 (3) Provide technical assistance to Head Start 2 providers, licensed child-care centers or registered family 3 or group day-care homes entering into collaborative 4 agreements in order to offer extended day services. 5 (4) Provide assistance to Head Start providers in 6 initiating or expanding mass media outreach to families with 7 children who qualify for extended day services. 8 (d) Criteria for funding.--To implement the program, the 9 department shall request proposals from existing Head Start 10 providers and may award grants or enter into service contracts 11 with existing Head Start providers that meet all of the 12 following criteria: 13 (1) Demonstrate the need for additional Head Start 14 services in the provider's service area, whether the need is 15 determined by the percentage of eligible children who are not 16 served in the provider's service area or by the demand for 17 extended day services. 18 (2) Demonstrate the ability to expand staff, space and 19 services within the Head Start program or in cooperation with 20 licensed child-care centers or registered family or group 21 day-care homes to serve additional children or to provide 22 extended day services. 23 (3) Demonstrate the ability to comply with Federal and 24 State requirements for child-care service providers if the 25 Head Start provider intends to provide extended care 26 services. 27 (4) Demonstrate the ability to enter into a 28 collaborative agreement with a child-care service provider if 29 the Head Start provider intends to enter into a collaborative 30 agreement with a licensed child-care center or a registered 20000H2743B3924 - 3 -
1 family or group day-care home to offer extended care 2 services. 3 (5) Demonstrate the ability to establish an outreach 4 program within the community that would increase enrollment 5 for children who qualify for extended day services. 6 Section 4. Priority in funding. 7 The department shall give priority in funding to Head Start 8 providers applying for grants to provide extended day services. 9 The Secretary of Education shall distribute any remaining moneys 10 to successful applicants that have submitted a qualifying 11 application based upon the population of children in the county 12 or home rule charter entity as determined by the census or an 13 acceptable alternative method. 14 Section 5. Annual report. 15 The department shall compile an annual report on the program 16 for submission to the Governor, the chairmen of the 17 Appropriations Committee and the Education Committee of the 18 Senate and the chairmen of the Appropriations Committee and 19 Education Committee of the House of Representatives. The report 20 shall include: 21 (1) The number of eligible children served by Head Start 22 as of the effective date of this act. 23 (2) The number of eligible children served by the 24 program during the school year that begins one year after the 25 effective date of this act and each year thereafter. 26 (3) The number of extended day programs and the number 27 of eligible children enrolled in extended day programs as of 28 the effective date of this act. 29 (4) The number of extended day programs and the number 30 of eligible children enrolled in extended day programs during 20000H2743B3924 - 4 -
1 the school year that begins one year after the effective date 2 of this act and each year thereafter. 3 (5) A summary of the types of activities funded under 4 the program. 5 (6) The media outreach methods developed and used by 6 various Head Start providers in each county and a summary of 7 their effectiveness in recruiting new enrollees to 8 participate in extended day services. 9 Section 6. Appropriation. 10 The sum of $15,000,000, or as much thereof as may be 11 necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Department of Education 12 for the fiscal year July 1, 2000, to June 30, 2001, to carry out 13 the provisions of this act. 14 Section 7. Effective date. 15 This act shall take effect immediately. I11L24DMS/20000H2743B3924 - 5 -