Congress·In Committee·S. 2451

Senate Bill Would Guarantee $45,000 Minimum Pay for School Support Staff With $25B in Grants

Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act

8 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Part of: Congress Proposes $25 Billion to Raise School Support Staff Pay

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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

Sets a pay floor for K-12 school support workers: states must require at least $45,000 a year for full-time staff or $30 an hour for part-time staff (for 2026–2030).
Creates a new federal grant program at the Education Department to help states and school districts afford these raises, starting with $25 billion in 2026 and growing with inflation.
To get the money, a state must submit a plan with yearly goals and reach the pay minimums within 4 years of getting a grant (and within 4 years of final federal rules).
Requires states to pass at least 98% of the grant money down to local school districts (including charter schools that run like districts) to cover pay increases.
Says contracted school workers covered by district contracts must also meet the state’s minimum pay, and the law doesn’t cancel union bargaining rights or extra pay like bonuses and stipends.

EducationLabor EmploymentTaxes

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Positive Impacts(1)

Student

Helps

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Jul 24, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Jul 24, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Targeted to be met within 2 years after a district receives a subgrant

High-poverty districts are expected to hit the new minimum pay levels faster under the state’s subgrant formula.

Paraprofessionals in districts serving more low-income students could see earlier or larger raises compared with other districts, depending on the state plan.

Related News

1 article

Education Week·8 months ago

The Push for a $60K Minimum Salary for Teachers Has Reached Congress—Again

Sens. Bernie Sanders and Edward Markey reintroduced bills to increase teacher salaries to $60,000 and support staff wages to $45,000 or $30 per hour. The Pay Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Act would set state minimums and provide benefits like health care and paid leave.