Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act

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.