H.R. 8937

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8937 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8937

To direct the Secretary of Education, in coordination with the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, to award competitive grants to 
eligible partnerships to establish, expand, or support career and 
technical education programs of study in early childhood education.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 20, 2026

Mrs. McBath (for herself, Mr. Lawler, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Thompson of 
Pennsylvania, Mr. Mannion, and Mrs. Kiggans of Virginia) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To direct the Secretary of Education, in coordination with the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, to award competitive grants to 
eligible partnerships to establish, expand, or support career and 
technical education programs of study in early childhood education.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Early Childhood Workforce 
Advancement Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. GRANT PROGRAM FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS OF 
STUDY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

(a) Grant Program Authorized.--The Secretary, in coordination with 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall award grants, on a 
competitive basis, to eligible partnerships for the purpose of 
establishing, supporting, or expanding career and technical education 
programs of study in early childhood education.
(b) Application.--To be considered for a grant under this section, 
an eligible partnership shall submit an application to the Secretary at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the 
Secretary may require, including--
(1) a description of how the eligible partnership will use 
such grant to establish, support, or expand a career and 
technical education program of study in early childhood 
education;
(2) a description of the roles and responsibilities of each 
partner of the eligible partnership;
(3) a description of how such funds will be allocated for 
necessary expenses for the career and technical education 
program of study described in paragraph (1), including the use 
of additional funding provided by State, local, or private 
entities, and plans to maintain and sustain the program;
(4) a description of how the grant will directly benefit 
students, including special populations, served by the eligible 
partnership;
(5) a description of how such career and technical 
education program of study will be coordinated with the 
activities carried out under section 124 or 135 of the Carl D. 
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 
2344; 2355);
(6) a description of how the program reflects the needs of 
regional, State, or local employers, as demonstrated by the 
local comprehensive needs assessment under section 134(c) of 
the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 
(20 U.S.C. 2354(c));
(7) a description of how the program will benefit the child 
care system and early childhood education workforce;
(8) an assurance that the eligible partnership will--
(A) provide information to the Secretary, as 
requested, for evaluations that the Secretary may carry 
out; and
(B) make data available to third parties for 
validation, in accordance with applicable data privacy 
laws, including section 444 of the General Education 
Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g, commonly known as the 
``Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974'');
(9) a description of how the program will include education 
and training opportunities focused on infant and toddler 
development, including the developmental needs of infants or 
toddlers with a disability (as defined in section 632 of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1432)); 
and
(10) a description, if applicable, about how the program 
will respond to the needs or goals identified by the applicable 
State in the statewide needs assessment or statewide strategic 
plan developed, updated, or implemented for purposes of a 
preschool development grant under section 9212 of the Every 
Student Succeeds Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 note).
(c) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the 
Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services, shall--
(1) ensure an equitable national geographic distribution of 
the grants;
(2) award grants to applicants that propose to serve 
communities in rural areas and to applicants that propose to 
serve communities in urban areas;
(3) give priority to applicants located in areas with a 
documented shortage of childcare providers;
(4) give priority to applicants that provide child care 
services for infants and toddlers, child care services during 
nontraditional or extended hours, and inclusive child care 
services for children with disabilities;
(5) give priority to applicants that include an institution 
of higher education with a program of study in early childhood 
education or a consortium of such institutions; and
(6) give priority, if applicable, to applicants that 
demonstrate, in the application submitted under subsection (c) 
for a grant under this section, that the program to be funded 
with such grant will respond to the needs or goals identified 
by the applicable State in the statewide needs assessment or 
statewide strategic plan developed, updated, or implemented for 
purposes of a preschool development grant under section 9212 of 
the Every Student Succeeds Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 note).
(d) Use of Funds.--Each eligible partnership receiving a grant 
under this section shall use such grant to establish, support, or 
expand career and technical education programs of study in early 
childhood education, which shall include one or more of the following:
(1) Educational materials and resources, including 
classroom instruction, work-based learning, support attainment 
of dual or concurrent enrollment credits, industry credentials 
such as a Child Development Associate, a preapprenticeship, and 
an apprenticeship through career and technical student 
organizations.
(2) Supporting the recruiting, hiring, and training of 
effective educators in early childhood education, including 
educators who became certified through State and local 
alternative routes to certification.
(3) Improving career and technical education outcomes of 
students served by the eligible partnership through activities 
such as--
(A) supporting the development and enhancement of 
innovative delivery models for career and technical 
education-related work-based learning (including 
school-based simulated work sites, mentoring, 
apprenticeship programs, work site visits, job 
shadowing, project-based learning, and skills-based and 
paid internships); and
(B) providing academic and nonacademic wrap-around 
supports and services, including advising, tutoring, 
test preparation, child care assistance, dependent care 
assistance, transportation, and financial assistance 
(which may include scholarships or stipends), during 
the period in which such students--
(i) complete a Child Development Associate 
credential, early childhood education associate 
degree program, or baccalaureate degree 
program, as applicable;
(ii) access and complete State licensure or 
certification examinations; or
(iii) receive opportunities to develop the 
necessary content knowledge and teaching skills 
in early childhood education.
(4) Creating or expanding recruitment, retention, or 
professional development activities for career and technical 
education teachers, faculty, school leaders, administrators, 
specialized instructional support personnel, career guidance 
and academic counselors, and paraprofessionals, which may 
include--
(A) high-quality teacher mentoring by experienced 
teachers in early childhood education;
(B) providing resources and training to improve 
instruction for, and provide appropriate accommodations 
to, special populations, including the unique needs of 
teaching in rural or urban communities;
(C) the integration of coherent and rigorous 
academic content standards and career and technical 
education curricula, including through opportunities 
for appropriate academic and career and technical 
education teachers to jointly develop and implement 
curricula and pedagogical strategies;
(D) providing resources or assistance with meeting 
State teacher licensure and credential requirements;
(E) implementing initiatives that increase 
compensation for early childhood educators who attain a 
Child Development Associate credential, or an associate 
or baccalaureate degree in early childhood education; 
or
(F) training for career guidance and academic 
counselors at the secondary level to improve awareness 
of postsecondary education and postsecondary career 
options in early childhood education, and improve the 
ability of such counselors to communicate to students 
career opportunities and employment trends in early 
childhood education.
(e) Evaluation and Annual Report.--Each eligible partnership 
receiving a grant under this section shall provide for an independent 
evaluation of the activities carried out using such grant and submit to 
the Secretary an annual report that includes--
(1) a description of how funds received under this section 
were used;
(2) the performance of the career and technical education 
program of study funded with such grant with respect to, at a 
minimum, the performance indicators described under section 113 
of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 
2006 (20 U.S.C. 2323), as applicable, and disaggregated--
(A) by subgroups of students described in section 
1111(c)(2)(B) of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(c)(2)(B)); and
(B) by each special population; and
(3) a quantitative analysis of the effectiveness of such 
program.
(f) Grant Duration.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), a grant awarded 
under this section may not exceed a 5-year grant period.
(2) Extension.--The Secretary may extend the grant period 
for an eligible partnership for not more than 1 additional 2-
year period if the eligible partnership demonstrates to the 
Secretary that the eligible partnership--
(A) is achieving the program objectives for which 
the eligible partnership is receiving the grant; and
(B) has improved education outcomes for students 
participating in the programs funded by such grant, 
including special populations.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Perkins terms.--Except as otherwise provided, any term 
used in this Act that is defined in section 3 of the Carl D. 
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 
2302) has the meaning given that term in such section.
(2) Early childhood education.--The term ``early childhood 
education program'' has the meaning given the term in section 
103 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1003).
(3) Eligible child care provider.--The term ``eligible 
child care provider'' has the meaning given such term in 
section 658P(6)(A) of the Child Care and Development Block 
Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858n(6)(A)).
(4) Eligible recipient.--The term ``eligible recipient'' 
has the meaning given the term in section 3(21)(A) of the Carl 
D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 
U.S.C. 2302(21)(A)).
(5) Eligible partnership.--The term ``eligible 
partnership'' means a partnership between or among--
(A) an eligible recipient; and
(B) one or more of the following:
(i) An institution of higher education with 
a program of study in early childhood education 
or a consortium of such institutions.
(ii) An eligible child care provider.
(iii) A community stakeholder relevant to a 
career and technical education programs of 
study in early childhood education to be funded 
under this section, including a labor 
organization, a local or regional business or 
industry, or a local workforce development 
board.
(iv) A Child Care Resource and Referral 
Organization (as described in section 
658E(c)(3)(B)(iii) of the Child Care and 
Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
9858c(c)(3)(B)(iii))).
(v) A staffed family child care network.
(vi) A Head Start program (including an 
Early Head Start program) carried out under the 
Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.).
(vii) An early intervention service 
provider.
(6) Institution of higher education.--The term 
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given the 
term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
U.S.C. 1001(a)).
(7) Staffed family child care network.--The term ``staffed 
family child care network'' means a nonprofit organization--
(A) that may be a component of a State or local 
child care resource and referral organization;
(B) that has at least one paid staff member; and
(C) that offers evidence-based professional 
development, quality improvement support, business 
support, and technical assistance, including on 
achieving licensure as an eligible child care provider, 
to family child care providers.
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