§9843a. Staff qualifications and development

(a) Classroom teachers

(1) Professional requirements

The Secretary shall ensure that each Head Start classroom in a center-based program is assigned one teacher who has demonstrated competency to perform functions that include-

(A) planning and implementing learning experiences that advance the intellectual and physical development of children, including improving the readiness of children for school by developing their literacy and phonemic, print, and numeracy awareness, their understanding and use of language, their understanding and use of increasingly complex and varied vocabulary, their appreciation of books, and their problem solving abilities;

(B) establishing and maintaining a safe, healthy learning environment;

(C) supporting the social and emotional development of children; and

(D) encouraging the involvement of the families of the children in a Head Start program and supporting the development of relationships between children and their families.

(2) Degree requirements

(A) In general

The Secretary shall ensure that not later than September 30, 2003, at least 50 percent of all Head Start teachers nationwide in center-based programs have-

(i) an associate, baccalaureate, or advanced degree in early childhood education; or

(ii) an associate, baccalaureate, or advanced degree in a field related to early childhood education, with experience in teaching preschool children.

(B) Progress

The Secretary shall require Head Start agencies to demonstrate continuing progress each year to reach the result described in subparagraph (A).

(3) Alternative credentialing requirements

The Secretary shall ensure that, for center-based programs, each Head Start classroom that does not have a teacher that meets the requirements of clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (2)(A) is assigned one teacher who has-

(A) a child development associate credential that is appropriate to the age of the children being served in center-based programs;

(B) a State-awarded certificate for preschool teachers that meets or exceeds the requirements for a child development associate credential; or

(C) a degree in a field related to early childhood education with experience in teaching preschool children and a State-awarded certificate to teach in a preschool program.

(4) Waiver

(A) In general

On request, the Secretary shall grant a 180-day waiver of the requirements of paragraph (3), for a Head Start agency that can demonstrate that the agency has unsuccessfully attempted to recruit an individual who has a credential, certificate, or degree described in paragraph (3), with respect to an individual who-

(i) is enrolled in a program that grants any such credential, certificate, or degree; and

(ii) will receive such credential, certificate, or degree under the terms of such program not later than 180 days after beginning employment as a teacher with such agency.

(B) Limitation

The Secretary may not grant more than one such waiver with respect to such individual.

(b) Mentor teachers

(1) "Mentor teacher" defined; function

For purposes of this subsection, the term "mentor teacher" means an individual responsible for observing and assessing the classroom activities of a Head Start program and providing on-the-job guidance and training to the Head Start program staff and volunteers, in order to improve the qualifications and training of classroom staff, to maintain high quality education services, and to promote career development, in Head Start programs.

(2) Requirement

In order to assist Head Start agencies in establishing positions for mentor teachers, the Secretary shall-

(A) provide technical assistance and training to enable Head Start agencies to establish such positions;

(B) give priority consideration, in providing assistance pursuant to subparagraph (A), to Head Start programs that have substantial numbers of new classroom staff or that are experiencing difficulty in meeting applicable education standards;

(C) encourage Head Start programs to give priority consideration for such positions to Head Start teachers at the appropriate level of career advancement in such programs; and

(D) promote the development of model curricula, designed to ensure the attainment of appropriate competencies of mentor teachers in Head Start programs.

(c) Family service workers

In order to improve the quality and effectiveness of staff providing in-home and other services (including needs assessment, development of service plans, family advocacy, and coordination of service delivery) to families of children participating in Head Start programs, the Secretary, in coordination with concerned public and private agencies and organizations examining the issues of standards and training for family service workers, shall-

(1) review and, as necessary, revise or develop new qualification standards for Head Start staff providing such services;

(2) promote the development of model curricula (on subjects including parenting training and family literacy) designed to ensure the attainment of appropriate competencies by individuals working or planning to work in the field of early childhood and family services; and

(3) promote the establishment of a credential that indicates attainment of the competencies and that is accepted nationwide.

(d) Head Start Fellowships

(1) Authority

The Secretary may establish a program of fellowships, to be known as "Head Start Fellowships", in accordance with this subsection. The Secretary may award the fellowships to individuals, to be known as "Head Start Fellows", who are staff in local Head Start programs or other individuals working in the field of child development and family services.

(2) Purpose

The fellowship program established under this subsection shall be designed to enhance the ability of Head Start Fellows to make significant contributions to programs authorized under this subchapter, by providing opportunities to expand their knowledge and experience through exposure to activities, issues, resources, and new approaches, in the field of child development and family services.

(3) Assignments of Fellows

(A) Placement sites

Fellowship positions under the fellowship program may be located (subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C))-

(i) in agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services administering programs authorized under this subchapter (in national or regional offices of such agencies);

(ii) in local Head Start agencies and programs;

(iii) in institutions of higher education;

(iv) in public or private entities and organizations concerned with services to children and families; and

(v) in other appropriate settings.

(B) Limitation for Fellows other than Head Start employees

A Head Start Fellow who is not an employee of a local Head Start agency or program may be placed only in a fellowship position located in an agency or program specified in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (A).

(C) No placement in lobbying organizations

Head Start Fellowship positions may not be located in any agency whose primary purpose, or one of whose major purposes, is to influence Federal, State, or local legislation.

(4) Selection of Fellows

Head Start Fellowships shall be awarded on a competitive basis to individuals (other than Federal employees) selected from among applicants who are working, on the date of application, in local Head Start programs or otherwise working in the field of child development and children and family services.

(5) Duration

Head Start Fellowships shall be for terms of 1 year, and may be renewed for a term of 1 additional year.

(6) Authorized expenditures

From amounts appropriated under this subchapter and allotted under section 9835(a)(2)(D) of this title, the Secretary is authorized to make expenditures of not to exceed $1,000,000 for any fiscal year, for stipends and other reasonable expenses of the fellowship program.

(7) Status of Fellows

Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, Head Start Fellows shall not be considered to be employees or otherwise in the service or employment of the Federal Government. Head Start Fellows shall be considered to be employees for purposes of compensation for injuries under chapter 81 of title 5. Head Start Fellows assigned to positions located in agencies specified in paragraph (3)(A)(i) shall be considered employees in the executive branch of the Federal Government for the purposes of chapter 11 of title 18 and for purposes of any administrative standards of conduct applicable to the employees of the agency to which they are assigned.

(8) Regulations

The Secretary shall promulgate regulations to carry out this subsection.

(e) Model staffing plans

Not later than 1 year after May 18, 1994, the Secretary, in consultation with appropriate public agencies, private agencies, and organizations and with individuals with expertise in the field of children and family services, shall develop model staffing plans to provide guidance to local Head Start agencies and programs on the numbers, types, responsibilities, and qualifications of staff required to operate a Head Start program.

(Pub. L. 97–35, title VI, §648A, as added Pub. L. 103–252, title I, §115, May 18, 1994, 108 Stat. 643 ; amended Pub. L. 105–285, title I, §115, Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2722 .)

Amendments

1998-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–285, §115(1), amended heading and text of subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (a) required Secretary to ensure that not later than Sept. 30, 1996, each Head Start classroom in a center-based program was assigned a teacher with certain specified credentials and gave Secretary limited authority to waive that requirement.

Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 105–285, §115(2), substituted "staff or that are" for "staff, that are" and struck out ", or that lack staff of a similar cultural background to that of the participating children and their families" before semicolon.

Effective Date

Section effective May 18, 1994, but not applicable to Head Start agencies and other recipients of financial assistance under the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9831 et seq.) until Oct. 1, 1994, see section 127 of Pub. L. 103–252, set out as an Effective Date of 1994 Amendment note under section 9832 of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 9835, 9837 of this title.