Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act | ChamberLight
Bills · S 2451
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
Senate BillS 2451Education
Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act
INTRO JUL 24· LAST ACTION JUL 24
READING
11MIN
COSPONSORS
11
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8
Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-written
This bill matters because it directly addresses the often-low wages of many essential school employees who play critical roles in student education and school operations. If passed, it would aim to lift many of these workers out of poverty or near-poverty, improving their economic well-being and potentially reducing staff turnover in schools. This could lead to more experienced and stable support staff teams, which benefits students and the overall learning environment.
If this bill becomes law, it would represent a substantial federal investment in the education workforce beyond teachers, potentially shifting how school support staff are valued and compensated nationwide. If it doesn't pass, compensation for these roles would largely remain subject to state and local budgets, collective bargaining, and existing minimum wage laws, which often leave many support staff earning wages that struggle to keep up with the cost of living. It connects to the broader issue of living wages, income inequality, and the financial stability of public sector workers.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extracted
PROVISION 01
Establishes a federal minimum annual salary target of $45,000 for full-time school paraprofessionals and support staff and a minimum hourly wage target of $30 for part-time staff, effective FY2026.
This sets a national baseline for compensation, aiming to ensure school support staff earn a living wage, directly impacting their financial stability.
PROVISION 02
Mandates that these minimum salary and wage targets be adjusted every five fiscal years based on inflation (Consumer Price Index) or a 2% increase, whichever is greater.
This ensures that the purchasing power of these wages is maintained over time, preventing future erosion by inflation.
PROVISION 03
Authorizes and directly provides $25 billion for fiscal year 2026, with annual increases based on inflation, to fund grants to states that commit to raising staff pay.
This provides significant and ongoing federal financial support to help states and local school districts meet the new compensation requirements without solely relying on local budgets.
PROVISION 04
Requires states receiving grants to submit a timeline ensuring that within four years, all full-time and part-time paraprofessionals and support staff are paid at least the state-determined minimums (which must exceed federal targets and increase with experience).
This provision creates accountability for states to implement the wage increases and provides a clear timeframe for schools to adjust staff compensation.
This bill matters because it directly addresses the often-low wages of many essential school employees who play critical roles in student education and school operations. If passed, it would aim to lift many of these workers out of poverty or near-poverty, improving their economic well-being and potentially reducing staff turnover in schools. This could lead to more experienced and stable support staff teams, which benefits students and the overall learning environment.
If this bill becomes law, it would represent a substantial federal investment in the education workforce beyond teachers, potentially shifting how school support staff are valued and compensated nationwide. If it doesn't pass, compensation for these roles would largely remain subject to state and local budgets, collective bargaining, and existing minimum wage laws, which often leave many support staff earning wages that struggle to keep up with the cost of living. It connects to the broader issue of living wages, income inequality, and the financial stability of public sector workers.
KEY PROVISIONS
AI-extracted
high
Establishes a federal minimum annual salary target of $45,000 for full-time school paraprofessionals and support staff and a minimum hourly wage target of $30 for part-time staff, effective FY2026.
This sets a national baseline for compensation, aiming to ensure school support staff earn a living wage, directly impacting their financial stability.
high
Mandates that these minimum salary and wage targets be adjusted every five fiscal years based on inflation (Consumer Price Index) or a 2% increase, whichever is greater.
This ensures that the purchasing power of these wages is maintained over time, preventing future erosion by inflation.
high
Authorizes and directly provides $25 billion for fiscal year 2026, with annual increases based on inflation, to fund grants to states that commit to raising staff pay.
This provides significant and ongoing federal financial support to help states and local school districts meet the new compensation requirements without solely relying on local budgets.
med
Requires states receiving grants to submit a timeline ensuring that within four years, all full-time and part-time paraprofessionals and support staff are paid at least the state-determined minimums (which must exceed federal targets and increase with experience).
This provision creates accountability for states to implement the wage increases and provides a clear timeframe for schools to adjust staff compensation.
Grants to States for paying paraprofessionals and education support staff
mandatory
Fiscal Year 2026
Amount appropriated for preceding fiscal year, increased by the annual adjustment percentage
Grants to States for paying paraprofessionals and education support staff
mandatory
Each succeeding fiscal year (after 2026)
GLOSSARY
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Paraprofessional
An education worker who assists teachers or other certified personnel in a school, often working directly with students.
Education Support Staff
Employees who provide essential services to schools but are not certified teachers, such as cafeteria workers, custodians, school secretaries, and bus drivers.
Local Educational Agency (LEA)
A public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within a State to administer elementary or secondary schools. Essentially, a public school district.
Living Wage
A wage sufficient to provide a worker and their family with a basic standard of living, covering essential expenses like housing, food, and healthcare.
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
A measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services, used to track inflation.
Authorization of Appropriations
Legislative action that establishes a federal program or agency and specifies how much money can be spent on it. It does not actually provide the money, but permits it to be appropriated later.
Appropriation
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTS
JUL 24, 25
Introduced in Senate
INTROREFERRAL
JUL 24, 25
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Legislative action that actually provides the money to be spent for a specific purpose, usually during a particular fiscal year. In this bill, it's a direct appropriation.
Allotment
A portion of a federal grant or funding program that is distributed to states or other entities based on a formula or specific criteria.
