Sponsors (67)
The bill directs federal investment to raise paraprofessional pay and expand credentialing and workforce development—boosting staffing stability and student support in high-need schools—while increasing federal spending and creating distributional, administrative, and local labor/budget pressures.
Paraprofessionals (school support staff) would receive higher wages or bonuses, making it easier for districts to recruit and retain them and reducing classroom vacancies.
Students in low-income and high-need schools would get more consistent in-class instructional support as districts are better able to hire and keep paraprofessionals.
Paraprofessionals would have greater access to federally supported professional development and credentialing (e.g., special education, EL, advanced paraeducator, teaching certifications), improving instructional quality and career mobility.
Taxpayers nationwide would face increased federal spending because the program authorizes open-ended funding for 2026–2030.
Raising paraprofessional pay with federal funds could raise local salary expectations and intensify collective bargaining pressures, complicating school budgets and labor negotiations for local employers and employees.
Smaller local education agencies or eligible entities that do not meet the statute's priority criteria (high-poverty, certain locales) could receive less or no funding, worsening inequities for some districts.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a competitive grant program for states to fund recruitment, training, credentialing, and wage/bonus incentives for school paraprofessionals, prioritizing high-need and rural schools.
Official title: To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a grant program to support the recruitment and retention of paraprofessionals in public elementary schools, secondary schools, and preschool programs, and for other purposes.
Introduced September 18, 2025 by Lucy Mcbath · Last progress September 18, 2025
Creates a federal grant program giving states funds to help recruit, train, credential, and retain paraprofessionals who work in public elementary and secondary schools and preschool programs. States receive allocations based on prior-year Title I, Part A funding, may reserve up to 5% for administration, and must award competitive subgrants to local education agencies and other eligible entities for induction, mentoring, professional development, credentialing, and wage or bonus incentives. Grants prioritize programs that serve higher shares of low-income students, rural schools (locale codes 41–43), or schools receiving specified special assistance; eligible uses include certification programs (special education, English learner, advanced paraeducator, teaching), training, and financial incentives to improve recruitment and retention of paraprofessionals.