RAISE Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
Introduced
Summary
boost teacher compensation by creating a refundable teacher tax credit, expanding educator expense deductions to early childhood staff, and funding formula grants to districts that maintain or raise teacher pay.
Show full summary
- Would create a refundable teacher tax credit with a $1,000 base and extra amounts tied to a school’s student poverty rate. The credit would be capped at $14,000 for most qualifying schools.
- Would raise the educator expense deduction from $250 to $500 and extend it to early childhood educators who work at least 1,020 hours per year. These amounts would be indexed for inflation after 2026.
- Would establish mandatory, formula grants to local educational agencies starting at $5.2 billion in FY2026 and rising with inflation. Funds would be used for salary supports, preparation and certification programs, mentoring, professional development, and other workforce activities, and must supplement existing State efforts.
*Would create mandatory federal spending starting at $5.2 billion in FY2026 and a refundable tax credit, which would increase federal outlays over time.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Bigger tax write-off for educators
If enacted, you could deduct up to $500 of classroom expenses instead of $250. This would be an above‑the‑line deduction, so you could claim it even if you don’t itemize. Starting in 2026, the $500 cap would adjust for inflation. Early childhood educators who work at least 1,020 hours in a year could also qualify.
Refundable tax credit for teachers
If enacted, eligible teachers would get a refundable $1,000 tax credit. You could get more if you work at a qualifying high‑poverty school: the extra amount grows as the school’s student poverty rate rises above 39%, up to $14,000 (or $9,000 for early childhood teachers without a bachelor’s degree). You would need to meet state credential rules and spend at least 75% of full‑time hours teaching, and your school must qualify under the bill’s definitions. Amounts would adjust for inflation after 2026, and employers and agencies would be barred from cutting pay or moving staff to offset the credit.
Grants to districts that raise teacher pay
If enacted, the government would provide $5.2 billion in 2026 for Title I Part A, with yearly increases tied to inflation. When annual funding is above $2.2 billion, 20% of the excess would be set aside for grants to districts that kept or raised teacher salary schedules. Districts would apply and get funds based on their Title I child counts. The money would have to add to, not replace, state efforts to raise teacher pay.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]
CT • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
McBath
GA • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]
MN • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
NV • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20]
FL • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [D-GA-4]
GA • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Elfreth
MD • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Bynum, Janelle S. [D-OR-5]
OR • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]
VA • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]
TX • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Latimer
NY • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6]
LA • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [D-GA-2]
GA • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3]
KY • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
WI • D
Sponsored 2/26/2025
Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/27/2025
McBride
DE • D
Sponsored 2/27/2025
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]
MA • D
Sponsored 2/27/2025
Friedman
CA • D
Sponsored 2/27/2025
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/27/2025
Rep. Stansbury, Melanie Ann [D-NM-1]
NM • D
Sponsored 3/3/2025
Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1]
OH • D
Sponsored 3/4/2025
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Sponsored 3/5/2025
Mannion
NY • D
Sponsored 3/5/2025
Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32]
TX • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11]
OH • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Fletcher
TX • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3]
MA • D
Sponsored 3/24/2025
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
MA • D
Sponsored 4/1/2025
Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]
MO • D
Sponsored 4/8/2025
Rep. Carson, Andre [D-IN-7]
IN • D
Sponsored 4/8/2025
Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]
MS • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13]
IL • D
Sponsored 4/17/2025
Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]
NC • D
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]
WA • D
Sponsored 6/12/2025
Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
NC • D
Sponsored 6/25/2025
Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/2/2025
Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]
RI • D
Sponsored 9/23/2025
Craig
MN • D
Sponsored 10/3/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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