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S. 294: Foundations for Success Act of 2011

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S. 294: Foundations for Success Act of 2011

112th Congress · introduced 2011-02-07 · Education · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2011-02-07 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Foundations for Success Act of 2011

Plain summary

Foundations for Success Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Education to award grants to states to establish and support Early Care and Education Systems providing children, from the age of six weeks until they reach kindergarten, with universal access to high quality early care and education programs. Allows early care and education programs that demonstrate sustainability and continuity and have been operating for at least five years to participate in their state's Early Care and Education System. Requires states to establish: (1) state child care licensing standards, which shall also apply to nonparticipating programs; (2) statewide Quality Rating and Improvement Systems that assign a rating to each early care and education program, even nonparticipating programs; and (3) statewide early learning standards for children from the age of six weeks until they reach kindergarten. Requires states to place an emphasis on using grant funds to help participating programs increase their ratings under the statewide Quality Rating and Improvement System. Requires participating programs to: (1) be aligned with statewide early learning standards; (2) incorporate evidence-based teaching and learning practices; (3) provide required services for disabled children; (4) provide English language instruction for English language learners; and (5) provide, or partner with community-based organizations for the provision of, child health and family support services. Prohibits grant funds from supplanting federal, state, and local funds otherwise available to support early learning programs and services. Requires each state to design and implement a method for evaluating their Early Care and Education System.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Foundations for Success Act of 2011

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] reported raising $26.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong112-s294 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112