Creating Early Childhood Leaders Act
Sponsored By: Representative Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7]
Introduced
Summary
Early childhood leadership training for principals and school leaders. This bill would amend the Higher Education Act to require knowledge of child development from birth through age 8, social and emotional development, developmentally appropriate behavioral interventions, and effective instructional leadership, and to require school leaders to engage parents, community members, the local educational agency, businesses, and early childhood program providers to leverage resources and improve pre-kindergarten instruction.
Show full summary
- Principals and school leaders: Would be required to gain specific skills in child development and instructional leadership for children birth through age 8 so they can better support pre-kindergarten teachers.
- Teachers: Would get stronger, more informed leadership support for developmentally appropriate instruction in early childhood classrooms.
- Families and community partners: Would face formalized engagement expectations from school leaders, creating clearer pathways to participate in and support early learning.
- Early childhood programs and local agencies: Would be more directly connected to K-12 leaders to coordinate resources and align supports aimed at improving early academic outcomes.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
School leader training in early childhood
This bill would change Higher Education Act rules for programs that train principals and school leaders. If enacted, these programs would have to teach leaders how to work with parents, community groups, local school districts, businesses, and early childhood program providers to leverage resources for students. They would also have to teach child development, social and emotional growth, developmentally appropriate behavioral interventions and supports, and instructional leadership for children from birth through age 8. The new rules would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7]
CO • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 5/15/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov