PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS.

SEC. 115. PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS. Section 648A of the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9843a) is amended— (1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows: “(a) Classroom Teachers.— “(1) Professional Requirements.—The Secretary shall ensure that each Head Start classroom in a center–based program is assigned one teacher who has demonstrated competency to perform functions that include— “(A) planning and implementing learning experiences that advance the intellectual and physical development of children, including improving the readiness of children for school by developing their literacy and phonemic, print, and numeracy awareness, their understanding ana use of language, their understanding and use of increasingly complex and varied vocabulary, their appreciation of books, and their problem solving abilities; “(B) establishing and maintaining a safe, healthy learning environment; “(C) supporting the social and emotional development of children; and “(D) encouraging the involvement of the families of the children in a Head Start program and supporting the development of relationships between children and their families. “(2) Degree requirements.— “(A) In general.—The Secretary shall ensure that not later than September 30, 2003, at least 50 percent of all Head Start teachers nationwide in center-based programs have— “(i) an associate, baccalaureate, or advanced degree in early childhood education; or “(ii) an associate, baccalaureate, or advanced degree in a field related to early childhood education, with experience in teaching preschool children. 112 STAT. 2723 “(B) Progress.—The Secretary shall require Head Start agencies to demonstrate continuing progress each year to reach the result described in subparagraph (A). “(3) Alternative credentialing requirements.—The Secretary shall ensure that, for center-based programs, each Head Start classroom that does not have a teacher that meets the requirements of clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (2)(A) is assigned one teacher who has— “(A) a child development associate credential that is appropriate to the age of the children being served in center-based programs; “(B) a State-awarded certificate for preschool teachers that meets or exceeds the requirements for a child development associate credential; or “(C) a degree in a field related to early childhood education with experience in teaching preschool children and a State-awarded certificate to teach in a preschool program. “(4) Waiver.— “(A) In general.—On request, the Secretary shall grant a 180-day waiver of the requirements of paragraph (3), for a Head Start agency that can demonstrate that the agency has unsuccessfully attempted to recruit an individual who has a credential, certificate, or degree described in paragraph (3), with respect to an individual who— “(i) is enrolled in a program that grants any such credential, certificate, or degree; and “(ii) will receive such credential, certificate, or degree under the terms of such program not later than 180 days after beginning employment as a teacher with such agency. “(B) Limitation.—The Secretary may not grant more than one such waiver with respect to such individual.”; and (2) in subsection (b)(2)(B)— (A) by striking “staff,” and inserting “staff or”; and (B) by striking “, or that” and all that follows through “families”.