Comprehensive Child Care and Child Development Act

Comprehensive Child Care and Child Development Act - Authorizes to be appropriated $1.5 billion for fiscal year 1975 for carrying out child care programs. Authorizes to be appropriated the sum of $100,000,000 for fiscal year 1974 for the purpose of providing training, technical assistance, planning, and such other activities as the Secretary deems necessary to prepare for the implementation of the program.

Provides that the amounts appropriated for carrying out this title for any fiscal year after June 30, 1974 shall be made available in the following manner: (1) $500,000,000 shall first be used for the purpose of providing assistance for child care programs focused upon young children from low-income families, giving priority to continued financial assistance for Headstart projects; (2) not to exceed 10 percent of the remaining amounts so appropriated shall be used for the purpose of carrying out parts of this program as the Secretary deems appropriate; and (3) the remainder of such amounts shall be used for the purpose of carrying out comprehensive child care programs.

Provides that the amounts available for comprehensive child development shall be reserved as specified in this Act.

Provides that the amounts remaining after such reservations shall be allocated by the Secretary on an equitable basis.

Provides that the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare shall provide financial assistance for carrying out child development programs to prime sponsors and to other public and private nonprofit agencies and organizations pursuant to plans and applications approved in accordance with this Act.

Provides that funds under this part may be used for planning and developing child development programs, including pilot programs to test the effectiveness of new concepts, programs, and delivery systems; establishing, maintaining, and operation child development programs, including a range of services and activities enumerated in the Act; and staff and other administrative expenses of child development.

Provides that the Secretary shall approve a plan submitted by any State which sets forth satisfactory provisions for establishing and maintaining a State Child Care Council which meets the requirements of this Act and which sets forth provisions for carrying out activities under the supervision of such Council.

States that a State, unit or combination of units of general local government, Indian tribal organization, or public or private nonprofit agency or organization, meeting the requirements of this part may be designated by the Secretary as a prime sponsor for the purpose of entering into arrangements to carry out child care programs under this part, if the Secretary determines that any such applicant for prime sponsorship designation has the capability of effectively carrying out child care programs under this part and has submitted a satisfactory prime sponsorship plan.

Provides that the Secretary shall approve a prime sponsorship plan submitted by a State if he determines that the plan so submitted meets the requirements of this Act and sets forth adequate arrangements for serving all geographical areas under its jurisdiction except for areas with respect to which local prime sponsors are designated.

Provides that the Governor shall be given not less than thirty days nor more than sixty days to review and make recommendations on prime sponsorship plans submitted under this Act.

Provides that when units of general local government, or an Indian tribal organization, has submitted a comprehensive child care plan or not submitted a comprehensive child care plan or the Secretary has not approved a plan so submitted, or where the Secretary has not designated or has withdrawn designation or prime sponsorship, or where the needs of migrants, pre-school-age children, or the children of working mothers or single parents, minority groups, or the economically disadvantaged are not being served, the Secretary may directly fund projects, including those in rural areas without regard to population in order to serve the children of the particular area.

Provides that a prime sponsorship plan may be disapproved or a prior designation of a prime sponsor may be withdrawn only if the Secretary provides written notice, a reasonable time for corrective amendments or action, and an opportunity for a hearing upon which an appeal to the Secretary may be based.

Provides for review by the court of appeals of the Secretary's final action with respect to prime sponsorship.

Provides that each prime sponsor shall establish and maintain a child care council consisting of not less than 10 members, half of whom must be parents of children served in child development programs and the remainder of whom are to be appointed by the prime sponsor's chief executive to represent the public.

Provides that, in accordance with regulations which the Secretary shall establish, each prime sponsor shall provide that the parent members of child care councils shall be chosen by the membership of Headstart policy committees where they exist and, at the earliest practicable time, by project policy committees required of project applicants under this legislation.

Provides that in the case of the Child Care Council of a State the parent members shall be chosen by the parent members of local policy councils and the public members shall be appointed by the Governor.

Provides that not less than one-third of the total membership of such council shall be persons broadly representative of the economically disadvantaged. Provides that the council is to be responsible for approving basic goals, policies, actions, and procedures for the prime sponsor. Provides that the council shall, upon its own initiative or upon request of a project applicant or any other party in interest, conduct public hearings before action upon applications for financial assistance submitted by project applicants.

Provides that financial assistance to a State or other prime sponsor may be provided for any fiscal year pursuant to a comprehensive child care plan approved by the Secretary. Provides that, in addition to other enumerated provisions, such plan shall state that programs or services shall be provided only for children whose parents or legal guardians request them.

Requires that funds be reserved for economically disadvantaged children from Federal funds allocated in any fiscal year in an amount at least equal to the aggregate funds in the prime sponsorship areas for Headstart programs in fiscal year 1972. Provides that 65 percent of the remainder of such funds be for children of families having an annual income below the lower budget for an urban family of four persons.

Provides that a comprehensive child care plan may be disapproved or a prior approval withdrawn only if the Secretary has provided written notice, reasonable time for corrective amendments or action, and an opportunity for a public hearing upon which an appeal may be based.

Provides that the Secretary shall establish procedures to permit prime sponsors to submit jointly a single comprehensive child care plan for the areas served by such prime sponsors. Requires that funds be provided only to qualified public or private agencies and that project policy committees be established and maintained. Provides that such project policy committees must consist of not less than 10 members and half must be parents of children served in such projects and the remaining half shall be comprised of persons who are representative of the community approved by the parent members and not less than less than one-third nor more than one-half of such nonparent members must be persons skilled in child development. Directs that project policy committees must participate directly in the development and preparation of project applications and have responsibility for approving basic goals, policies, actions, and procedures for the project applicant.

Provides that no charges be made to families with an annual income equal to or less than $4,320, with adjustments in the case of families with more than two children. States that charges for other families may be made in accordance whith a fee schedule established by the Secretary based on ability to pay.

Directs that Federal assistance for child service facilities construction may not exceed 50 percent of the cost in the case of funds to be paid to other than public or private nonprofit agencies and organizaions. Provides that a maximum of 15 percent of a prime sponsor's total financial assistance may be used for construction.

Requires reports as to the extent to which facilities owned or leased by Federal agencies, prime sponsors, and other agencies may be made available for child care programs during times when such facilities are not being utilizes fully for their usual purposes.

Provides that a Federal share of 90 percent is provided for child care programs, but the Secretary has discretion to exceed that percentage and requires the Secretary to pay 100 percent of programs for migrants and Indians.

Authorizes the Secretary to provide financial assistance or preservice or inservice training for professional and nonprofessional personnel.

Provides that the Secretary shall make an evaluation of Federal involvement in child care activities and services reporting to Congress within 18 months after the enactment of this legislation. Provides that the Secretary must reserve 1 percent, and may reserve up to 2 percent, of the apportioned funds for the evaluating required by this Act.

Provides that the Secretary shall promulgate a common set of programs standards to be applicable to all programs providing child care services with Federal assistance under this title, to be known as the Federal Standards for Child Development Services, and establishes a special committee on Federal Standards for Child Development Services, consisting of parents and child development experts for the purpose of participating in the development of such standards.u

Provides for a special committee to develop a uniform minimum code for facilities, to be used in licensing child care facilities dealing principally with matters of health, safety, and physical confort. Sets forth provisions authorizing mortgage insurance for child development facilities.

Authorizes financial assistance for child care programs for the children of employees of the Federal Government. Provides that not to exceed 80 percent of the total cost of child care programs under this part shall be paid from Federal funds.

Provides that the Secretary shall carry out research and demonstration projects, including research on the nature of child development process, research to test alternative methods of providing child development and related services, dissemination and application of research and development efforts.

Authorizes the transfer, with the approval of other agency heads of funds to the Secretary for research purposes. Provides that the Secretary shall, through the Office of Child Development, coordinate all child development research, training, and development efforts conducted within the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and establishes by statute the Child Development Research Council.

Provides for the Office of Child Development to be the principal agency in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare for the administration of this title and for the coordination of programs and other activities relating to child care.

Provides that the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare shall establish procedures to assure that adequate nutrition services will be provided in child care programs.

Requires the Secretary to prescribe regulations to assure that programs have adequate internal administrative controls and policies to promote the effective use of funds.

Provides that for the purpose of affording adequate notice of funding available under this title such funding for grants, contracts or other payments under this title is authorized to be included in the appropriations Act for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which they are available for obligation. Provides that applications for designation as prime sponsors, comprehensive child development plans, project applications, and all written material pertaining thereto shall be made readily available without charge to the public by the prime sponsor, the applicant, and the Secretary. States that no department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States shall, under authority of this title, exercise any direction, supervision, or conditions with respect to the administration of any educational institution.

Provides that the Secretary shall not provide financial assistance for any programs under this title unless the grant, contract, or agreement with respect to such programs specifically provides that no person with responsibilities in the operation of such program will discriminate with respect to any program because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, political affiliation, or beliefs.