SenateS. 4597119th Congress
Early Childhood Workforce Advancement Act of 2026
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[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4597 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4597
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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 20, 2026
Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mrs. Gillibrand, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Lujan, Mr.
Schiff, and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill; which was read
twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
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
comprehensive local 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 (b)
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 program.--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 1 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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