The Pay Teachers Act: $60K Minimum Salary for Teachers, $45K for Support Staff, Plus Billions in Mandated Federal Funding

The “Pay Teachers Act” is a massive overhaul of K-12 education funding centered on two huge mandates: setting a national pay floor for teachers and support staff, and pumping billions of dollars in mandatory federal funding into public schools. If this bill passes, it fundamentally changes how teachers are paid and how much money the federal government guarantees to state education systems.

The New Paycheck Floor: $60,000 and $30/Hour

Let’s start with the money in your pocket. The bill mandates that every full-time public elementary and secondary school teacher must earn a minimum annual base salary of $60,000 (Sec. 201). This isn't just for new hires; the bill requires that pay must consistently increase as teachers gain experience. For the 2022–2023 school year, the average starting salary nationwide was only $44,530, so this would be a significant pay bump for nearly 40% of all teachers who currently make less than $60,000.

But it’s not just teachers. The bill also establishes a living wage for essential school support staff—think paraprofessionals, bus drivers, and custodians. Full-time staff must earn at least $45,000 annually, or $30.00 per hour for part-time workers (Sec. 214). This is huge for the 38% of support staff who currently earn less than $25,000, many of whom rely on public assistance just to get by.

The State Homework Assignment: Show Your Work

To get federal funding, states have to submit a “State Teacher Pay Plan Addendum” showing exactly how they plan to meet these new salary floors within four years (Sec. 203). It’s not enough to just hit $60K; states must also prove that teacher pay is “livable and competitive” compared to other college-educated professionals in that region. If a state is struggling, they can apply for a six-year “Teacher Salary Improvement pathway,” but they have to submit detailed public data on current salaries and annual goals for increasing pay for every experience level.

Here’s the catch for state and local education agencies (LEAs): The bill explicitly states that federal money must add to, not replace, existing state and local spending (Sec. 215). This means states can’t just use the new federal cash to cover the mandated raises while simultaneously cutting their own education budgets. They have to find a way to fund the increases while maintaining or growing their current spending levels, which could put a serious strain on state treasuries that are already stretched thin.

Billions Flowing to K-12

This isn't just about pay; it’s about mandatory, non-discretionary federal spending. The bill establishes massive, automatic appropriations directly from the U.S. Treasury for critical programs, starting in Fiscal Year 2026. This isn't money Congress might approve; it’s money that must be spent, with amounts increasing every year based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment rate (Sec. 101-104):

• Title I (High-Poverty Schools): $36.8 billion
• Rural Education: $440 million
• Impact Aid (Federal Property Schools): $1.474 billion
• Bureau of Indian Education (BIE): $1.131 billion

These mandatory appropriations are designed to provide stable, growing funding, especially for schools serving high-need populations, which should help LEAs meet the massive new salary requirements.

Transparency and the Career Ladder

The bill also tackles the issue of resource equity and teacher retention. First, it requires states and LEAs to report per-pupil expenditures for every school, breaking down exactly how much comes from federal, state, and local sources (Sec. 224). If your child’s school is spending less per student than the district average, the LEA must notify you.

Second, new grant programs aim to modernize the teaching profession (Sec. 213). States can get funding to establish career ladders, which give experienced teachers higher pay for taking on roles like mentoring or curriculum development. Notably, teachers in high-need schools who reach a specialized level on the ladder are guaranteed a minimum salary increase of $10,000. On top of that, every public school teacher would get an annual “classroom award” of at least $1,000 to $1,200 to buy supplies, finally putting an end to teachers constantly dipping into their own wallets for basic materials.