Smart Start: The Community Collaborative for Early Childhood Development Act of 1989

Smart Start: The Community Collaborative for Early Childhood Development Act of 1989 - Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to make grants to States and localities with approved plans and applications to assist them to expand or establish full-day, full-year early childhood development services for prekindergarten children.

Authorizes appropriations for FY 1990 through 1993. Prohibits appropriations for Smart Start for any fiscal year unless minimum appropriations for certain programs are achieved. Directs the Secretary, in years when such funding levels are not met, to make, instead, a certain number of discretionary grants for model programs to States and localities according to specified criteria.

Sets forth application, planning, and other requirements relating to State and local eligibility for Federal assistance under this Act, including establishment or designation of a State Advisory Task Force, a Lead State Agency, and a Local Policy Group. Provides for Federal assistance to localities in States which elect not to participate.

Allows any locality to apply for a six-month planning grant to the State or, if the State does not participate, to the Secretary.

Provides for State Advisory Task Forces. Requires each Task Force to report annually to the Governor and the Secretary on the status of early childhood development programs and child care programs operating within the State. Allows a State to use an existing comparable task force for such purposes.

Directs the Governor to designate a Lead State Agency to administer the early childhood development programs assisted under this Act.

Requires any locality desiring to receive a grant under this Act to form a Local Policy Group. Requires each Group to report annually to the State Advisory Task Force on the status of early childhood development programs and child care within the locality.

Requires selection of a local administering agency by specified local officials from among specified types of local agencies.

Makes a child eligible to participate in programs assisted under this Act in the school year two years prior to the school year in which the child would be eligible under State law to enter first grade. Permits any State or locality which has served all children of the eligible age group requesting services to use funds to serve children in the school year three years prior to the school year in which they would be eligible under State law to enter first grade.

Sets forth family contribution requirements. Provides services under this Act without charge to eligible children in families with incomes under 115 percent of the poverty line. Requires, for eligible children from families with incomes at or above 115 percent of the poverty line, payment of fees on a sliding scale up to the full cost of such services.

Allows localities to use Smart Start funds to: (1) expand or upgrade, by grant or contract, existing public or nonsectarian nonprofit programs for prekindergarten children to operate them full-day and full-year and in compliance with minimum standards; or (2) create, through grant or contract to public or nonsectarian nonprofit entities, full-day, full-year early childhood development programs in compliance with this Act.

Allows the use of Smart Start grants, with respect to early childhood development programs, for: (1) development and training in the use of developmentally appropriate curricula; (2) services to enable a program to operate full-day and full-year; (3) health screening and diagnosis of children; (4) health, mental health, and social services for children in families with income under 115 percent of the poverty line; (5) nutrition services and education; (6) parent outreach and involvement including family home visits; (7) family support and parenting education; (8) referral and assistance in obtaining education, nutrition, health, mental health, and other social services for families of children in the program; (9) prenatal health and education for parents; (10) distribution of information about services and locality outreach; (11) staff and personnel training; (12) upgrading of staff salaries; (13) program activities designed to mix children from different backgrounds; (14) materials and equipment; (15) space rental, and minor program space renovation; (16) transportation of children; (17) recruitment of senior citizens to work with children; and (18) evaluation of services.

Gives priority to expanding and upgrading existing programs, rather than to creating new ones.

Requires that at least: (1) 50 percent of spaces created by funds under this Act be filled by children whose families earn less than 115 percent of the poverty line; and (2) 67 percent of such funds be used by service providers or programs that serve such children.

Sets forth minimum standards for service providers, including maximum group size and child to adult ratios, staff training and credentials, parental involvement, and health, safety, and nutrition requirements.

Sets forth Federal administrative provisions. Gives the Secretary responsibility to carry out this Act, but requires that the Secretary and the Secretary of Health and Human Services jointly develop and issue policy regulations for such purpose.

Requires Local Policy Groups to arrange for periodic on-site evaluation of local programs, and make the results available to the Task Force, service providers, parents, and interested members of the locality. Requires the Lead State Agency to arrange for periodic on-site monitoring and inspection. Requires the Task Force to evaluate programs, and make the results available to the Secretary, service providers, parents, and interested members of the locality. Directs the Secretary to: (1) ensure that programs are inspected and monitored for compliance with minimum standards; and (2) report annually to the appropriate congressional committees, summarizing State reports. Directs the Secretary, either directly or by grant or contract, to provide for continuing evaluation of programs, including use of appropriate nonparticipant control groups. Directs the Secretary to: (1) publish results of such research and evaluations within 90 days of their completion; and (2) submit copies to the appropriate congressional committees.

Prohibits awards of financial assistance for any program, project, or activity under this Act unless the grant or contract specifically provides that no person with operational responsibilities will discriminate with respect to any such program, project, or activity because of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, political affiliation, handicap, or age.

Sets forth requirements relating to program payments, non-Federal share, supplementation of funding, and records and audits.