A bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to States to improve the knowledge, credentials, compensation, and professional development of early childhood educators working with children in early childhood education programs.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · August 5, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
This bill authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide five-year grants to states for improving early childhood educators' qualifications, pay, and professional development. The grants would fund scholarships for educators pursuing bachelor's degrees in early childhood education, credential programs for those with degrees in other fields, increased compensation during and after degree completion, and ongoing professional development covering child development, teaching practices, family engagement, and cultural competence. States applying for grants must develop comprehensive professional development systems in collaboration with local stakeholders including higher education institutions, child care agencies, and early childhood educator organizations, and must coordinate with colleges to create accessible pathways for working students. The bill does not specify exact funding amounts but authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" for fiscal years 2027 through 2032, with grants renewable after the initial five-year period if states meet compliance and performance requirements. The legislation requires that grant funds supplement rather than replace existing federal, state, and local early childhood education funding.
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