§ 7269a. Promotion of school readiness through early childhood emotional and social development

(a) Authorization

The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, may award grants (to be known as “Foundations for Learning Grants”) to local educational agencies, local councils, community-based organizations, and other public or nonprofit private entities to assist eligible children to become ready for school.

(b) Applications To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a local educational agency, local council, community-based organization, or other public or nonprofit private entity, or a combination of such entities, shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. The application shall include each of the following:

(1) A description of the population that the applicant intends to serve and the types of services to be provided under the grant.

(2) A description of the manner in which services under the grant will be coordinated with existing similar services provided by public and nonprofit private entities within the State.

(3) An assurance that—

(A) services under the grant shall be provided by or under the supervision of qualified professionals with expertise in early childhood development;

(B) such services shall be culturally competent;

(C) such services shall be provided in accordance with subsection (c) of this section;

(D) funds received under this section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, non-Federal funds; and

(E) parents of students participating in services under this section will be involved in the design and implementation of the services.

(c) Uses of funds A local educational agency, local council, community-based organization, or other public or nonprofit private entity that receives funds under this section may use such funds to benefit eligible children, for one or more of the following:

(1) To deliver services to eligible children and their families that foster eligible children’s emotional, behavioral, and social development and take into consideration the characteristics described in subsection (f)(1) of this section.

(2) To coordinate and facilitate access by eligible children and their families to the services available through community resources, including mental health, physical health, substance abuse, educational, domestic violence prevention, child welfare, and social services.

(3) To provide ancillary services such as transportation or child care in order to facilitate the delivery of any other services or activities authorized by this section.

(4) To develop or enhance early childhood community partnerships and build toward a community system of care that brings together child-serving agencies or organizations to provide individualized supports for eligible children and their families.

(5) To evaluate the success of strategies and services provided pursuant to this section in promoting young children’s successful entry to school and to maintain data systems required for effective evaluations.

(6) To pay for the expenses of administering the activities authorized under this section, including assessment of children’s eligibility for services.

(d) Limitations

(1) Services not otherwise funded

A local educational agency, local council, community-based organization, or other public or nonprofit private entity may use funds under this section only to pay for services that cannot be paid for using other Federal, State, or local public resources or through private insurance.

(2) Administrative expenses

A grantee may not use more than 3 percent of the amount of the grant to pay the administrative expenses described in subsection (c)(6) of this section.

(e) Evaluations

The Secretary shall directly evaluate, or enter into a contract for an outside evaluation of, each program carried out under this section and shall disseminate the findings with respect to such evaluation to appropriate public and private entities.

(f) Definitions In this section:

(1) Eligible child The term “eligible child” means a child who has not attained the age of 7 years, and to whom two or more of the following characteristics apply:

(A) The child has been abused, maltreated, or neglected.

(B) The child has been exposed to violence.

(C) The child has been homeless.

(D) The child has been removed from child care, Head Start, or preschool for behavioral reasons or is at risk of being so removed.

(E) The child has been exposed to parental depression or other mental illness.

(F) The family income with respect to the child is below 200 percent of the poverty line.

(G) The child has been exposed to parental substance abuse.

(H) The child has had early behavioral and peer relationship problems.

(I) The child had a low birth weight.

(J) The child has a cognitive deficit or developmental disability.

(2) Local council

The term “local council” means a council that is established or designated by a local government entity, Indian tribe, regional corporation, or native Hawaiian entity, as appropriate, which is composed of representatives of local agencies directly affected by early learning programs, parents, key community leaders, and other individuals concerned with early learning issues in the locality, such as elementary education, child care resource and referral services, early learning opportunities, child care, and health services.

(3) Provider of early childhood services

The term “provider of early childhood services” means a public or private entity that has regular contact with young children, including child welfare agencies, child care providers, Head Start and Early Head Start providers, preschools, kindergartens, libraries, mental health professionals, family courts, homeless shelters, and primary care providers.

(Pub. L. 89–10, title V, § 5542, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title V, § 501, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1853.)