# Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act

This bill would provide federal funding to help states and school districts expand kindergarten programs from half-day to full-day schedules. Currently, many kindergarten programs only run for a few hours each day, but this bill would give money to schools that want to offer at least five hours of kindergarten instruction daily throughout the entire school year, at no cost to families.

The money would flow from the federal government to states, and then states would distribute it to local school districts based on how much funding those districts already receive for low-income students. Every school district would get at least $10,000 if they apply and have an approved plan. Districts could use the funds to hire teachers, pay for classroom materials, or cover other costs needed to run a longer school day. The bill requires that any teachers and assistants working in these programs meet the same professional standards as other kindergarten staff in their area.

For families, the main benefit would be access to free, full-day kindergarten instead of the shorter programs many communities currently offer. This could help working parents who struggle to find childcare for the afternoon hours and might give five-year-olds more time for learning and development. The bill also includes special provisions to ensure Native American schools and U.S. territories receive funding, and it requires the federal government to track how many schools actually offer full-day kindergarten programs. The bill would authorize federal spending for this program from 2024 through 2029, though Congress would still need to approve the actual dollar amounts each year.

Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act

Gallego, Ruben

Universal Full-Day Kindergarten Act This bill requires the Department of Education to make formula grants to states and, through them, allocations to local educational agencies to carry out full-day kindergarten programs. ED must also reserve funds for outlying areas and the Bureau of Indian Education.