HEADWAY Act

Summary#

This bill amends section 645A(h) of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9840a(h)). It changes teacher credential rules for Early Head Start centers. Instead of requiring that all teachers already hold a child development associate (CDA) credential, the bill requires at least one teacher per classroom to have the credential. Other teachers may provide direct services while they work toward earning a CDA, complete required training or equivalent coursework, and must be given a mentor by the Early Head Start agency to guide their progress.

What it means for you#

• Parents and families: Each Early Head Start classroom must have at least one teacher who holds a CDA credential.
• Teachers: Additional teachers can be employed and teach while they earn a CDA, and an agency must provide a mentor to support their training.
• Early Head Start agencies: Agencies must ensure additional teachers are actively working toward the credential and must assign mentors to oversee their progress.
• Timelines and enforcement: No publicly available information on specific new deadlines or enforcement details beyond the text of the amendment.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on costs, funding, or fiscal effects is provided in the bill text or metadata.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information on proponents' stated reasons or supporting statements is provided in the bill text or metadata.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opponents' stated concerns or opposition is provided in the bill text or metadata.