Even Start Act

Even Start Act - Establishes a pilot program to combine adult basic education for parents and school readiness training for children into a single educational program.

Requires that funds made available to a grant recipient under this Act be used to provide a program of adult literacy training which includes as a major component involving parents and children together to enhance the likelihood of educational achievement.

Requires that each such program receiving a grant include the following elements: (1) identifying and recruiting eligible participants; (2) screening and preparing parents and children for participation (including testing, referral to necessary counseling, and related services); (3) carrying out programs and furnishing support services to suit the participants' work and other responsibilities (including child care, transportation, and scheduling and locating services to allow joint participation by parents and children); (4) establishing instruction programs that promote adult literacy, equip parents to support the education and growth of their children, and prepare children for success in regular school programs; (5) providing and monitoring integrated instructional services to participants through home-based programs (including direct limited access cable television and other media, where applicable); and (6) coordinating programs assisted under this Act with programs assisted under chapter 1 (Financial Assistance to Meet Special Educational Needs of Disadvantaged Children) of the Education Consolidation and Improvement Act of 1981 (ECIA) in the area.

Makes eligible for participation in such programs families that: (1) include a parent eligible to participate in an adult basic education program under the Adult Education Act; and (2) reside in a school attendance area designated for receipt of funds under chapter 1 of ECIA with a child aged two through seven who is enrolled in or will, upon reaching school age, enroll in a school in which 20 percent of the students are eligible to participate in programs assisted by chapter 1 of ECIA.

Makes eligible to apply for such program grants any agency, organization, or institution that operates an adult basic education program under the Adult Education Act.

Sets forth grant application requirements, including: (1) a demonstration that the applicant can coordinate programs under the Adult Education Act with program under chapter 1 of ECIA, with other related programs such as Head Start, health care, nutrition, child abuse, and substance abuse control and with State and local educational agencies; (2) a statement of methods to be used to provide program services for those most in need of them and for special populations, such as the handicapped and those with limited English proficiency; and (3) a demonstration that the applicant has qualified personnel to provide staff training and preparation.

Directs the Secretary of Education to select 15 to 20 applications for final review. Requires that these selected applicants serve areas in which the unemployment rates are higher and the need for the programs for which assistance is sought is the greatest. Requires that two-thirds of these selected applicants serve urban areas and that one-third serve rural areas. Provides that applications shall be selected for receipt of funds by a review panel composed of the Secretary, and specified members of State and local directors of programs under chapter 1 of ECIA and the Adult Education Act, a chief State school officer, a representative from a local Parent-Teacher Association, and professionals with training, respectively, in early childhood education and in adult literacy training.

Sets forth program agreement requirements, including: (1) participant enrollment for at least 12 months; and (2) grant recipient provision of at least 25 percent of program costs for the third year of operation, 50 percent for the fourth year, and continued program operation after the expiration of assistance under this Act, if the program has been demonstrated to be effective.

Sets forth requirements for evaluation and dissemination of results of such pilot projects. Requires that the results of such evaluation be submitted by the end of FY 1992 to the national diffusion network for possible dissemination. Limits the amount of funds available for this Act which may be used to carry out such evaluation and dissemination activities.

Directs the Secretary, in order to carry out this Act, to reserve specified amounts from FY 1987 through 1991 funds which would otherwise be available for programs under chapter 2 (Consolidation of Federal Programs for Elementary and Secondary Education) of ECIA.