§1161i–4. State Task Force activities

(a) Activities

The State Task Force shall-

(1) coordinate and communicate regularly with the State Advisory Council on Early Care and Education (hereafter in this part referred to as "State Advisory Council") or a similar State entity charged with creating a comprehensive system of early care and education in the State, for the purposes of-

(A) integrating recommendations for early childhood professional development and career activities into the plans of the State Advisory Council; and

(B) assisting in the implementation of professional development and career activities that are consistent with the plans described in subparagraph (A);

(2) conduct a review of opportunities for and barriers to high-quality professional development, training, and higher education degree programs, in early childhood development and learning, including a periodic statewide survey concerning the demographics of individuals working in early childhood education programs in the State, which survey shall include information disaggregated by-

(A) race, gender, and ethnicity;

(B) compensation levels;

(C) type of early childhood education program setting;

(D) specialized knowledge of child development;

(E) years of experience in an early childhood education program;

(F) attainment of-

(i) academic credit for coursework;

(ii) an academic degree;

(iii) a credential;

(iv) licensure; or

(v) certification in early childhood education; and

(G) specialized knowledge in the education of children with limited English proficiency and students with disabilities; and

(3) develop a plan for a comprehensive statewide professional development and career system for individuals working in early childhood education programs or for early childhood education providers, which plan may include-

(A) methods of providing outreach to early childhood education program staff, directors, and administrators, including methods for how outreach is provided to non-English speaking providers, in order to enable the providers to be aware of opportunities and resources under the statewide plan;

(B) developing a unified data collection and dissemination system for early childhood education training, professional development, and higher education programs;

(C) increasing the participation of early childhood educators in high-quality training and professional development by assisting in paying the costs of enrollment in and completion of such training and professional development courses;

(D) increasing the participation of early childhood educators in undergraduate and graduate education programs leading to degrees in early childhood education by providing assistance to pay the costs of enrollment in and completion of such programs, which assistance-

(i) shall only be provided to an individual who-

(I) in the case of an individual pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree, enters into an agreement under which the individual agrees to work, for a reasonable number of years after receiving such a degree, in an early childhood education program that is located in a low-income area; and

(II) has a family income equal to or less than the annually adjusted national median family income as determined by the Bureau of the Census; and

(ii) shall be provided in an amount that does not exceed $17,500;

(E) supporting professional development activities and a career lattice for a variety of early childhood professional roles with varying professional qualifications and responsibilities for early childhood education personnel, including strategies to enhance the compensation of such personnel;

(F) supporting articulation agreements between two- and four-year public and private institutions of higher education and mechanisms to transform other training, professional development, and experience into academic credit;

(G) developing mentoring and coaching programs to support new educators in and directors of early childhood education programs;

(H) providing career development advising with respect to the field of early childhood education, including informing an individual regarding-

(i) entry into and continuing education requirements for professional roles in the field;

(ii) available financial assistance for postsecondary education; and

(iii) professional development and career advancement in the field;

(I) enhancing the capacity and quality of faculty and coursework in postsecondary programs that lead to an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree in early childhood education;

(J) consideration of the availability of on-line graduate level professional development offered by institutions of higher education with experience and demonstrated expertise in establishing programs in child development, in order to improve the skills and expertise of individuals working in early childhood education programs; and

(K) developing or enhancing a system of quality assurance with respect to the early childhood education professional development and career system, including standards or qualifications for individuals and entities who offer training and professional development in early childhood education.

(b) Public hearings

The State Task Force shall hold public hearings and provide an opportunity for public comment on the activities described in the statewide plan described in subsection (a)(3).

(c) Periodic review

The State Task Force shall meet periodically to review implementation of the statewide plan and to recommend any changes to the statewide plan the State Task Force determines necessary.

(Pub. L. 89–329, title VIII, §815, as added Pub. L. 110–315, title VIII, §801, Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3398 .)