Sponsors (26)
The bill would raise and standardize pay for paraprofessionals and other support staff—especially in high‑need districts—using a sizable federal investment, but it increases federal spending and could shift costs, administrative burdens, or staffing pressures onto states, districts, contractors, or taxpayers.
Paraprofessionals and other education support staff nationwide would receive guaranteed pay increases, establishing federal minimums of $45,000/year or $30/hour for FY2026–2030 with required state increases thereafter.
States and local districts would receive a substantial federal investment (initial $25 billion plus ongoing inflation‑indexed funding) to help raise wages, reducing immediate local budget pressure for many LEAs.
Local education agencies (LEAs) that serve high shares of low-income students would be prioritized for subgrants, accelerating wage increases in high-need districts and benefiting students in those communities.
Taxpayers would bear large new federal costs from the $25 billion initial appropriation plus ongoing inflation‑indexed funding.
States and LEAs may still need to reallocate local funds or cut other programs to meet timing and non‑supplanting rules if federal funds are insufficient or delayed.
Mandating equivalent pay for contracted staff could raise costs for LEAs that rely on contractors, potentially reducing availability of contracted services or increasing prices.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced January 13, 2026 by Jesús García · Last progress January 13, 2026
Creates a federal grant program at the Department of Education to raise pay for paraprofessionals and education support staff to state-set living wages. The law sets nationwide baseline pay thresholds ($45,000 annual / $30 hourly for FY2026–2030), provides an initial $25 billion appropriation for FY2026 and then annual increases indexed to inflation, and requires States to subgrant at least 98% to local educational agencies (LEAs) so that full-time and part-time staff meet the State minimums within four years (two years for LEAs prioritized for high-poverty students). The Secretary must issue regulations, States must submit timelines and formulas, and funds must supplement—not supplant—existing State/local education funds while preserving collective bargaining rights.