Sponsors (12)
Official title: 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 July 17, 2025 by Edward John Markey · Last progress July 17, 2025
The bill increases pay, credentials, and professional supports for paraprofessionals—targeting high-need and rural schools and improving instruction—but creates potential ongoing local cost obligations and administrative/allocational limits that may leave some needy schools without sufficient aid.
Paraprofessionals in participating schools receive wage increases or bonus pay, improving earnings and retention for frontline school staff.
Paraprofessionals can obtain credentials (special education, English learner, advanced paraeducator, teaching), expanding skills and career pathways and increasing the pipeline into higher-skilled educator roles.
Students and teachers in grant-funded schools gain access to evidence-based induction, mentoring, and professional development intended to improve instruction and student achievement.
Local school districts and taxpayers may face recurring cost expectations to sustain wage increases after federal grants end, creating long-term budget pressure.
Allocating funds pro rata to Title I shares could advantage states with larger Title I allocations and limit support for states or districts with other acute paraprofessional shortages.
Priority criteria tied to specific federal program thresholds (e.g., free/reduced-price meals, TANF, Medicaid) may exclude some needy schools that don't meet those exact measures, leaving vulnerable students without aid.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates a competitive federal grant program for states to recruit, train, credential, and retain paraprofessionals in public K–12 and preschool programs.
Creates a competitive federal grant program run by the Department of Education to give states money to help recruit, train, credential, and retain paraprofessionals who work in public elementary, secondary, and preschool programs. Funds are allocated to State Educational Agencies pro rata using prior-year Title I, Part A shares; SEAs may reserve up to 5% for administration and must subgrant the rest competitively to local education agencies and other eligible entities for induction, mentoring, professional development, credentialing supports, and pay incentives. The bill requires SEAs to prioritize applicants that serve higher shares of low-income students, rural schools (specified NCES locale codes), or schools receiving certain federal assistance, and explicitly allows use of funds for training toward special education, English learner, paraeducator, or teaching credentials and for wage increases or bonus pay to retain paraprofessionals.