Ready to Learn Act
Public Law 102-545 · S. 3134 · 102nd Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Oct 27, 1992 · Education
Sponsor: Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
Cosponsors (11): Sen. Thad Cochran, Sen. Claiborne Pell,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Ready to Learn Act - Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish Ready to Learn Television programs to: (1) expand availability of educational and instructional video programming and supporting educational resources for preschool and elementary school children as a tool to improve school readiness; and (2) develop and distribute such programming and support materials for parents, child care providers, and educators of young children.
Directs the Secretary of Education (the Secretary) to award contracts, cooperative agreements, or grants to eligible nonprofit nongovernmental entities to: (1) develop such programming (reflecting recognition of diverse cultural experiences and needs) and accompanying support materials and services; and (2) contract with public broadcasting, the Star Schools program, and other entities to distribute such programming to the widest possible audience.
Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) establish and administer a Special Projects of National Significance program of contracts, cooperative agreements, and grants to develop programming and support materials for young children in English-limited households, increase family literacy skills, and support innovative school readiness programs; (2) establish within the Department of Education a clearinghouse for information, referrals, and model program materials and programming; (3) develop and disseminate training materials, including interactive and distance-learning programs; and (4) coordinate activities with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make such programming and training materials available to other federally funded programs serving preschool and elementary school children.
Sets forth requirements for applications, annual reports and evaluations, and administrative costs.
Authorizes appropriations.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee · Senate · hearings by (full committee), markup by, referred to, reported by
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 15 actions.
- Oct 27, 1992Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 102-545.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 20, 1992PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 7, 1992Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendment by Voice Vote.
- Oct 6, 1992FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Kildee moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Oct 1, 1992FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Sep 24, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Sep 16, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Aug 6, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- Aug 5, 1992CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.