; (G) child-to-staff ratios of at least 1 early childhood or elementary educator for every 7 children; and (H) an enhanced transition from pre-kindergarten to elementary school, so that the cognitive and social gains of the pre-kindergarten program are sustained through the remainder of a child’s educational career. 4. Grant program to close the achievement gap (a) Grant program authorized From the amount appropriated under section 10, the Secretary shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible partnerships to implement innovative early learning curricula in early childhood education programs and elementary schools in high-need communities for children from birth through age 9. (b) Grant period A grant under this section shall be awarded for a 5-year period and may be renewed for an additional 5-year period upon a showing of adequate progress, as determined by the Secretary. (c) Application To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an eligible partnership shall submit to the Secretary a grant application at such time and in such manner as the Secretary shall require, and containing the following information: (1) A description of the high-need community to be served by the eligible partnership, including the number and percent of English-language learners that will be served and other demographic and socioeconomic information as the Secretary may request. (2) An assessment of the need for such a grant in the high-need community, including— (A) the number of low-income families