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LEGISLATION COMMITTEE

Meeting Date:	05/08/2017
Subject: H.R. 1921 and S. 185 – Head Start Improvement Act of 2017--OPPOSE
Submitted For:	LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Department:	County Administrator
Referral No.:	2017-27
Referral Name:	HR 1921 and S. 185 – Head Start Improvement Act of 2017--OPPOSE
Presenter:	Susan Jeong	Contact:	L. DeLaney, 925-335-1097

Information

Referral History:

These bills were referred to the Legislation Committee by the Director of Employment & Human Services (EHSD) Director, Kathy Gallagher.

Referral Update:

House bill, H.R. 1921, and its companion Senate bill, S. 185, amend the Head Start Act to replace the existing Head Start program with block grants to states and Indian tribes for pre-kindergarten (pre-K) education.

Instead of providing direct financial assistance to Head Start agencies, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall allot block grant funds for pre-K education among eligible states and Indian tribes in accordance with their relative proportions of children, age five and younger, from low-income households. Grant recipients shall use the grant funds to: (1) award subgrants to eligible entities that provide pre-K education programs; (2) administer such programs; and (3) provide technical assistance, oversight, monitoring, research, and training.

Under current law, HHS is authorized to designate, monitor, and establish standards for Head Start agencies. The bill instead shifts pre-K program oversight and control to states and Indian tribes, which shall have full flexibility to use grant funds to finance the pre-K programs of their choice. In addition, grant recipients may use grant funds to establish portable voucher systems that allow costs to be paid for attendance at private pre-K education programs.

Under current law, federal financial assistance for a Head Start program is generally limited to 80% of total program costs. The bill maintains this limitation by requiring grant recipients to provide matching funds equal to 20% of the grant amount.

HR 1921:

Sponsor:

Banks (R)

Title:

Prekindergarten Education Block Grants

Introduced:

04/05/2017

Disposition:

Pending

Location:

House Education and the Workforce Committee

Summary:

Amends the Head Start Act; authorizes block grants to states for prekindergarten education.

Status:

04/05/2017	INTRODUCED.
04/05/2017	To HOUSE Committee on EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE.

S. 185

Sponsor:

Lee M (R)

Cosponsor

Cruz (R)

Sponsor Date: 01/23/2017

Title:

Prekindergarten Education Block Grants

Introduced:

01/23/2017

Disposition:

Pending

Location:

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee

Summary:

Amends the Head Start Act; authorizes block grants to states for prekindergarten education.

Status:

01/23/2017	INTRODUCED.
01/23/2017	In SENATE. Read second time.
01/23/2017	To SENATE Committee on HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR AND PENSIONS

The text of S. 185 is Attachment A. A letter from the National Head Start Association expressing its concerns to the authors is Attachment B

Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):

CONSIDER recommending to the Board of Supervisors an "Oppose" position on H.R. 1921 (Banks): Prekindergarten Education Block Grants and S. 185 (Lee): Prekindergarten Education Block Grants, as recommended by the Director of Employment & Human Services Department.

Attachments
Bill Text S. 185
National Head Start Association Letter