New Act Funds Wage Hikes, Mentoring for School Paraprofessionals in High-Need Districts

The Preparing And Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act is setting up a brand-new federal grant program aimed squarely at keeping essential staff—paraprofessionals, often called paras or teacher aides—in public schools. Think of this as targeted funding to stabilize the classroom workforce, especially in the places that need it most.

This bill tasks the Secretary of Education with distributing funds to states. The amount each state gets is directly proportional to the amount of federal Title I funding they received last year (SEC. 2). This means states with larger populations of low-income students will see a larger piece of this new pie. Once the state educational agency (SEA) receives the money, they can hold onto up to 5% for their own administrative costs or statewide efforts, but the rest must be distributed as competitive subgrants to local school districts and educational service agencies.

The Direct Investment in Classroom Support

For the busy parent or the taxpayer, the most important part is what the local districts must do with this money. The subgrants are designed to fund specific, evidence-based activities to help recruit and retain paras. This isn't just a general fund; it's prescriptive. Districts must use the money for things like setting up high-quality mentoring programs, providing professional development, and helping paras earn necessary credentials—such as special education or English learner certificates (SEC. 2).

Crucially, the bill explicitly allows districts to use the funds for increasing paraprofessional wages or offering bonus pay incentives. If you’re a para currently making minimum wage or just above, this bill creates a direct mechanism for your district to secure federal money specifically to boost your income, making the job more sustainable and attractive. For the parent, this means less staff turnover and more stable support for kids in the classroom, especially those with special needs or language barriers.

Targeting the Highest Need Schools

The structure of the grant program is designed to prioritize equity. When states hand out these subgrants, they must give preference to districts serving the highest number or percentage of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch (SEC. 2). Priority also goes to entities serving schools in rural areas. This means if you live in a high-poverty urban center or a remote rural community, your local school district has a higher chance of securing this funding compared to a wealthy suburban district.

This focus is key because high-need schools often struggle the most with staff retention. By prioritizing these districts, the PARA Act aims to stabilize the workforce where the stability is needed most, directly benefiting the students who rely most heavily on the support services provided by dedicated paraprofessionals.

Accountability and the Wage Watch

One of the most robust parts of this legislation is the reporting requirement. Every year, states must report back to the Secretary of Education with detailed data. This isn't just a general report; it requires the state to track and report the current average pay rates for paraprofessionals across the state and within each recipient district. They also have to describe how they actually increased those average pay rates compared to their yearly goals (SEC. 2. Annual Reporting Requirements).

This mandatory "wage watch" creates significant transparency. It means states and districts can't just claim they are retaining staff; they have to show the numbers, including how many paras are still earning less than the state average. While the bill authorizes funding for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, the actual dollar amount is left open for Congress to decide later. This uncertainty is a common feature of authorization bills, but the intent—to use federal money to directly address low wages and high turnover among critical school staff—is clear.