Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
The Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act authorizes federal grants to states to ensure paraprofessionals and other education support staff receive a "living wage." It establishes federal baseline pay floors—$45,000 annual base for full-time equivalent staff (FY2026–2030 baseline, then indexed) and $30/hour for part-time staff (FY2026–2030 baseline, then indexed)—and requires states receiving grants to adopt timelines (generally up to 4 years) to raise wages to at least those levels. The bill appropriates $25 billion for FY2026 and then an annually CPI‑adjusted amount thereafter, sets grant-allotment rules tied to Title I Part A shares, reserves small amounts for technical assistance and research, requires states to subgrant at least 98% to LEAs, and includes provisions on contracting, collective bargaining, monitoring, and a supplement-not-supplant requirement.
Scope of federal role: liberal/centrist support targeted federal funding; conservatives oppose federal mandates and recurring spending.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a clearly framed substantive statutory proposal that establishes minimum salary/hourly floors, funding, and a federal grant framework to induce State and LEA compliance.
The Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act authorizes federal grants to states to ensure paraprofessionals and other education support staff receive a "living wage." It establishes federal baseline pay floors—$45,000 annual base for full-time equivalent staff (FY2026–2030 baseline, then indexed) and $30/hour for part-time staff (FY2026–2030 baseline, then indexed)—and requires states receiving grants to adopt timelines (generally up to 4 years) to raise wages to at least those levels.
The bill appropriates $25 billion for FY2026 and then an annually CPI‑adjusted amount thereafter, sets grant-allotment rules tied to Title I Part A shares, reserves small amounts for technical assistance and research, requires states to subgrant at least 98% to LEAs, and includes provisions on contracting, collective bargaining, monitoring, and a supplement-not-supplant requirement.
It also prohibits waivers under ESEA section 8401 and authorizes monitoring and enforcement by the Department of Education.
Content alone suggests low-to-moderate likelihood: the bill is sympathetic in purpose and contains implementation flexibility, but it establishes large, recurring federal spending and federal conditions on state/local pay systems—features that have historically made enactment difficult absent strong bipartisan consensus or inclusion in a larger funding or reconciliation vehicle. The need for new appropriations and potential objections about federal jurisdiction over local school pay are major hurdles.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a clearly framed substantive statutory proposal that establishes minimum salary/hourly floors, funding, and a federal grant framework to induce State and LEA compliance. It specifies funding amounts and integrates with ESEA formula mechanisms while preserving collective bargaining rights.
Scope of federal role: liberal/centrist support targeted federal funding; conservatives oppose federal mandates and recurring spending.
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Scope of federal role: liberal/centrist support targeted federal funding; conservatives oppose federal mandates and recurring spending.
This persona is likely to view the bill favorably as a targeted federal effort to raise wages for low-paid school workers, reduce poverty among education staff, and improve student outcomes by reducing turnover and increasing expertise among paraprofessionals.
They will welcome federal funding to help cash-strapped districts meet wage floors and the indexing provisions that protect gains against inflation.
They may push for stronger enforcement, higher baselines in high-cost areas, and assurances that funds actually benefit paraprofessionals and marginalized students.
A centrist is likely to view the bill as a reasonable federal intervention to address low pay for essential school staff but will want to scrutinize fiscal sustainability, program design, and implementation details.
They will appreciate the targeted grant approach and alignment with Title I formulas, while worrying about annual appropriations growth, long-term state obligations after grants end, and the potential for unintended local labor-market distortions.
They will look for clearer metrics, phased implementation, and accountability to ensure efficient use of funds.
This persona is likely to oppose the bill as an overreach of federal authority into local salary-setting, an open-ended and large recurring spending commitment, and a mandate that could increase costs for school districts and taxpayers.
They will see federal wage floors and the requirement to meet them within 4 years as intrusive and potentially distortionary to local labor markets and district budgets.
While acknowledging the importance of school support staff, they will prefer state/local solutions, limited-duration grants, or block grants with fewer federal conditions.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Content alone suggests low-to-moderate likelihood: the bill is sympathetic in purpose and contains implementation flexibility, but it establishes large, recurring federal spending and federal conditions on state/local pay systems—features that have historically made enactment difficult absent strong bipartisan consensus or inclusion in a larger funding or reconciliation vehicle. The need for new appropriations and potential objections about federal jurisdiction over local school pay are major hurdles.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Scope of federal role: liberal/centrist support targeted federal funding; conservatives oppose federal mandates and recurring spending.
Content alone suggests low-to-moderate likelihood: the bill is sympathetic in purpose and contains implementation flexibility, but it estab…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a clearly framed substantive statutory proposal that establishes minimum salary/hourly floors, funding, and a federal grant framework to induce State and LEA compl…
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