Sponsors (11)
Introduced July 28, 2025 by Bernard Sanders · Last progress July 28, 2025
The bill would substantially raise and stabilize pay and supports for teachers and support staff—likely improving recruitment, retention, and equity for students—at the cost of large, recurring federal spending increases and new fiscal, administrative, and equity challenges for states, districts, and taxpayers.
K–12 teachers, paraprofessionals, and education support staff would receive statutory pay floors (first‑year teachers at $60,000; paraprofessionals/support staff at $45,000 or $30/hr) and dedicated FY2026 funding to help implement them.
Students (especially in high‑need and underserved schools) and teachers would likely see improved teacher recruitment, retention, and instructional quality as higher, career‑oriented pay and supports make the profession more attractive and stable.
Low‑income districts, rural schools, Bureau‑funded (tribal) schools, and federally connected children would get increased and more predictable federal dollars (e.g., Title I, rural formula, Impact Aid, Bureau funding) targeted to support operations and supplemental services.
Taxpayers nationally would face substantially higher and recurring federal spending commitments (new appropriations and indexed increases) that could increase deficits or require higher taxes or reduced spending elsewhere.
State and local governments (and local school budgets) would likely experience fiscal strain—requiring reallocation of funds, use of matching funds, tax increases, or cuts to other services and staff—to meet mandated pay floors if federal funding is insufficient or conditional.
Rural, low‑revenue, and otherwise resource‑constrained districts (and their students) could be unevenly affected—struggling to implement pay and program requirements, delaying benefits for teachers, or suffering relative declines in services compared with wealthier districts.
Based on analysis of 18 sections of legislative text.
Sets a $60,000 first‑year teacher floor (FY2026–30), $45,000/$30/hr for paraprofessionals, creates career‑ladder/grants and funds programs with CPI‑indexed mandatory appropriations.
Raises pay and invests federal money to make teaching a career with livable wages and stronger career pathways. It sets a federal floor for first-year public K–12 teacher pay at $60,000 (FY2026–FY2030) with scheduled upward adjustments every five years, sets a living wage for paraprofessionals/education support staff (at least $45,000 per year or $30.00 per hour), and creates several grant programs (career ladders, classroom awards, Grow Your Own residencies) plus mandatory annual funding boosts for key elementary and secondary programs. The Department of Education must write rules within one year, administer grants that require some state matching, improve educator data and equitable distribution, and report on progress to Congress.