What This Bill Does
This bill allows the federal government to give grants to states and Native American tribes to help them grow the child care workforce and build or improve child care facilities. The grants aim to increase access to quality child care in areas that do not have enough child care providers.
##
Who It Affects
- States and Native American tribes applying for grants
- People who want to work in child care or early childhood education
- Families in areas with few child care options
- Child care providers (both center-based and home-based)
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (which runs the program)
##
Key Provisions
- The federal government provides grants on a competitive basis to states and tribal entities to pay for half the cost of child care workforce and facility projects (Sec. 2(b)(1))
- States and tribes can use workforce grants to help people get education and training in child care or early childhood education, including paying for tuition, fees, textbooks, and equipment (Sec. 2(b)(3)(A))
- States and tribes can use facility grants to build, expand, or renovate child care buildings and homes through construction loans and other funding methods (Sec. 2(b)(3)(B))
- Grants last no longer than 5 years (Sec. 2(b)(1)(C))
- States and tribes can spend no more than 10 percent of grant money on administrative costs (Sec. 2(b)(4))
- The federal government must evaluate the grants and report to Congress within 2 years after the first grant period ends (Sec. 2(d))
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What Changes
If this becomes law, states and tribes can apply for federal money to hire and train more child care workers and build child care facilities in areas that currently lack them. People seeking child care careers can receive help paying for education and training. Child care facilities can receive funding for construction, expansion, and renovation projects.
##
Important Definitions
**Child care desert:** An area within a census tract (a small geographic region used by the Census Bureau) where there are more than 3 times as many children under age 5 as there are child care slots available, or a community that a state or tribe determines does not have enough affordable, quality child care (Sec. 2(a)(2))
**Stackable credential:** A qualification that can be earned step-by-step toward a larger credential (Sec. 2(a)(5))
**Portable credential:** A qualification that is recognized across different employers or locations (Sec. 2(a)(5))
**Family child care provider:** Someone who provides child care in their home (Sec. 2(a)(3))
**Licensed family child care home:** A home-based child care facility operated by a family child care provider (Sec. 2(a)(4))
##
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 268
To assist States in carrying out projects to expand the child care workforce
and child care facilities in the States, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 2, 2023
Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. KING, Ms. SINEMA, Mrs.
SHAHEEN, Mr. HEINRICH, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Mrs.
FEINSTEIN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, and Mr. MERKLEY) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To assist States in carrying out projects to expand the child
care workforce and child care facilities in the States,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Child Care Workforce
4
and Facilities Act of 2023’’.
5
SEC. 2. CHILD CARE WORKFORCE AND FACILITIES GRANTS.
6
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act:
7
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(1) CHILD
CARE
AND
DEVELOPMENT
BLOCK
1
GRANT ACT OF 1990 DEFINITIONS.—The terms ‘‘eli-
2
gible child care provider’’, ‘‘Indian Tribe’’, ‘‘Tribal
3
organization’’, and ‘‘State’’ have the meanings given
4
the terms in section 658P of the Child Care and De-
5
velopment Block Grant Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C.
6
9858n).
7
(2) CHILD
CARE
DESERT.—The term ‘‘child
8
care desert’’ means—
9
(A) an area—
10
(i) within a census tract; and
11
(ii) in which the number of children
12
who are under age 5 (as determined using
13
the most recent American Community Sur-
14
vey 1-year Estimates, as published by the
15
Bureau of the Census) is more than 3
16
times the number of slots provided by child
17
care providers who are licensed or reg-
18
istered by the State involved; or
19
(B) a community that the State or Tribal
20
entity involved determines has a low supply of
21
quality, affordable child care.
22
(3) FAMILY CHILD CARE PROVIDER.—The term
23
‘‘family child care provider’’ means such a provider
24
that is described in paragraph (6)(A) of section
25
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658P of the Child Care and Development Block
1
Grant Act of 1990.
2
(4) LICENSED FAMILY CHILD CARE HOME.—
3
The term ‘‘licensed family child care home’’ means
4
a facility of a family child care provider.
5
(5) PORTABLE CREDENTIAL; STACKABLE CRE-
6
DENTIAL.—The terms ‘‘portable’’ and ‘‘stackable’’,
7
used with respect to a credential, have the meanings
8
given the terms in the guidance document entitled
9
‘‘Training and Employment Guidance Letter No.
10
15–10’’, issued by the Assistant Secretary for Em-
11
ployment and Training of the Department of Labor
12
on December 15, 2010.
13
(6) POSTSECONDARY
EDUCATIONAL
INSTITU-
14
TION.—The term ‘‘postsecondary educational institu-
15
tion’’ means an institution of higher education, as
16
defined in section 102 of the Higher Education Act
17
of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002).
18
(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
19
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, after
20
consultation with the Secretary of Education and
21
the Secretary of Labor.
22
(8) TRIBAL
AREA.—The term ‘‘Tribal area’’
23
means a reservation or other area that is served by
24
a Tribal entity.
25
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•S 268 IS
(9) TRIBAL ENTITY.—The term ‘‘Tribal entity’’
1
means an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization.
2
(b) GRANTS TO STATES AND TRIBAL ENTITIES.—
3
(1) GRANTS.—
4
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall
5
make grants to States and Tribal entities on a
6
competitive basis under subparagraph (B) to
7
pay for the Federal share of the cost of car-
8
rying out projects described in this Act, in
9
order to increase access to quality child care, by
10
eligible child care providers, in the States and
11
Tribal areas.
12
(B) TYPES OF GRANTS.—In making those
13
grants, the Secretary may make—
14
(i) a child care workforce grant for a
15
State or Tribal project to develop and ex-
16
pand the workforce of eligible child care
17
providers in child care deserts in the State
18
or Tribal area; or
19
(ii) a child care facility grant for a
20
State or Tribal project through which a
21
State or Tribal entity may use or disburse
22
the grant funds, including by making
23
loans, for the construction, expansion, or
24
renovation of facilities of eligible child care
25
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•S 268 IS
providers, including licensed family child
1
care homes of family child care providers
2
(including combinations of such providers)
3
who are eligible child care providers, in
4
child care deserts in the State or Tribal
5
area.
6
(C) PERIOD OF GRANTS.—The Secretary
7
shall make a grant under this paragraph for a
8
period of not more than 5 years.
9
(2) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a
10
grant under this subsection, a State or Tribal entity
11
shall submit an application to the Secretary for a
12
project described in paragraph (1) at such time, in
13
such manner, and containing a plan that contains
14
such information related to the project as the Sec-
15
retary may reasonably require, including—
16
(A) information identifying the lead State
17
agency that will administer the grant as deter-
18
mined by the Governor of the State, including
19
whether the lead agency will be different from
20
the lead agency referred to in section 658D of
21
the Child Care and Development Block Grant
22
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858b), or cor-
23
responding information for a lead Tribal agency
24
in the case of a Tribal area;
25
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•S 268 IS
(B) in the case of a child care workforce
1
grant—
2
(i) information specifying how the
3
project carried out under the grant will in-
4
crease the number of individuals attaining
5
stackable and portable credentials in child
6
care or early childhood education;
7
(ii) information describing how the
8
State or Tribal agency will emphasize the
9
provision of—
10
(I) outreach to individuals who
11
do not have degrees from postsec-
12
ondary educational institutions, re-
13
garding career pathways to careers in
14
child care or early childhood edu-
15
cation; and
16
(II) outreach to individuals who
17
seek a career working with children,
18
but who have not completed the re-
19
quirements for, or cannot afford to
20
obtain, a degree from a postsecondary
21
educational institution in education,
22
child care, or early childhood edu-
23
cation;
24
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•S 268 IS
(iii) information describing how the
1
project will provide assistance, including
2
assistance described in paragraph (3)(A),
3
to individuals—
4
(I) who are pursuing or with
5
such project assistance would pursue
6
secondary education, postsecondary
7
education, or training, that leads to a
8
recognized postsecondary credential
9
(as defined in section 3 of the Work-
10
force Innovation Opportunity Act (29
11
U.S.C. 3102)), and that is eligible for
12
support under the Carl D. Perkins
13
Career and Technical Education Act
14
of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) or
15
the Workforce Innovation and Oppor-
16
tunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.),
17
to enable the individuals to success-
18
fully complete the education or train-
19
ing involved; or
20
(II) who are pursuing or with
21
such project assistance would pursue
22
secondary education, postsecondary
23
education, or training, that meets
24
such requirements as the State or
25
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•S 268 IS
Tribal entity shall specify, even if the
1
education or training does not lead to
2
credit toward such a recognized post-
3
secondary credential or a degree from
4
a postsecondary educational institu-
5
tion;
6
(iv) information describing how the
7
project will—
8
(I) increase the availability of
9
quality child care provided by eligible
10
child care providers in child care
11
deserts (referred to in this clause as
12
‘‘target child care’’) in the State or
13
Tribal area;
14
(II) address the affordability of
15
target child care; and
16
(III) address the provision of tar-
17
get child care during nontraditional
18
hours;
19
(v) information describing how the
20
project will increase access to quality child
21
care provided by eligible child care pro-
22
viders in centers or other child care facili-
23
ties;
24
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•S 268 IS
(vi) information describing how the
1
project will enhance retention or compensa-
2
tion of eligible child care providers; and
3
(vii) a description of how the State
4
agency or Tribal entity will—
5
(I) coordinate activities carried
6
out under the child care workforce
7
grant with activities carried out under
8
the Carl D. Perkins Career and Tech-
9
nical Education Act of 2006 (20
10
U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) and the Work-
11
force Innovation and Opportunity Act
12
(29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) to support
13
education and training described in
14
clause (iii)(I);
15
(II)
leverage
funds
provided
16
under the Acts specified in subclause
17
(I) to support that education and
18
training; and
19
(III) utilize, and encourage indi-
20
vidual participants in projects sup-
21
ported under this subsection to utilize,
22
available Federal and State financial
23
assistance, including assistance avail-
24
able under the Workforce Innovation
25
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•S 268 IS
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101
1
et seq.), education assistance benefits
2
available to veterans, and Federal Pell
3
Grants available under section 401 of
4
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
5
U.S.C. 1070a), prior to using assist-
6
ance made available under this Act;
7
and
8
(C) in the case of a child care facility
9
grant—
10
(i) information, with respect to the
11
child care facility project involved, de-
12
scribed in clause (v) of subparagraph (B);
13
(ii) information on how the State or
14
Tribal entity will use the grant funds to
15
expand the supply of family child care pro-
16
viders (including combinations of such pro-
17
viders); and
18
(iii) information describing how the
19
project will—
20
(I) directly and indirectly, in-
21
crease the availability of quality child
22
care provided by eligible child care
23
providers in child care deserts (re-
24
ferred to in this clause as ‘‘target
25
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•S 268 IS
child care’’) in the State or Tribal
1
area, including through the construc-
2
tion, expansion, or renovation of child
3
care facilities, including center-based
4
child care facilities and licensed family
5
child care homes;
6
(II) address the affordability of
7
target child care; and
8
(III) address the provision of tar-
9
get child care during nontraditional
10
hours.
11
(3) USE OF FUNDS.—
12
(A) CHILD CARE WORKFORCE GRANTS.—A
13
State or Tribal entity that receives a child care
14
workforce grant under paragraph (1)(B)(i) may
15
use the funds made available through the grant
16
to support programs that assist individuals in
17
obtaining the education or training described in
18
paragraph (2)(B)(iii)(I), or education or train-
19
ing described in paragraph (2)(B)(iii)(II), in-
20
cluding using the funds to defray any of the fol-
21
lowing costs of related instruction:
22
(i) Tuition and fees.
23
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•S 268 IS
(ii) Cost of textbooks, equipment, cur-
1
riculum development, and other required
2
educational materials.
3
(iii) Cost of creating or expanding ca-
4
pacity for statewide, regional, or local child
5
care resource and referral organizations, or
6
similar entities, to conduct outreach, tech-
7
nical assistance, or State-recognized and
8
credentialed training.
9
(iv) Cost of any other item or service
10
determined by the State or Tribal entity to
11
be necessary.
12
(B) CHILD
CARE
FACILITY
GRANTS.—A
13
State or Tribal entity that receives a child care
14
facility grant under paragraph (1)(B)(ii) may
15
use the funds made available through the grant
16
to increase the availability of quality child care
17
as described in paragraph (2)(C)(iii)(I) by con-
18
structing, expanding, or renovating child care
19
facilities, including using the funds to defray
20
any of the following costs:
21
(i) Cost of equipment or materials.
22
(ii) Cost of construction, expansion, or
23
renovation.
24
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•S 268 IS
(iii) Cost of any other item or service
1
determined by the State or Tribal entity to
2
be necessary.
3
(4) ADMINISTRATIVE
COSTS.—The State or
4
Tribal entity that receives a grant under paragraph
5
(1) may use not more than 10 percent of the grant
6
funds for administrative costs relating to carrying
7
out a project described in paragraph (1).
8
(c) FEDERAL SHARE.—
9
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal share of the
10
cost described in subsection (b)(1) shall be 50 per-
11
cent.
12
(2) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—The State or Trib-
13
al entity may make the non-Federal share avail-
14
able—
15
(A) in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, in-
16
cluding plant, equipment, or services; and
17
(B) directly or through donations from
18
public or private entities (other than recipients
19
of assistance from a State or Tribal entity
20
under this section).
21
(d) EVALUATION AND REPORT.—
22
(1) EVALUATION.—The Secretary shall conduct
23
an evaluation of the activities carried out under the
24
grants, which shall include an analysis of—
25
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