Preparing And Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act
Sponsored By: Senator Edward Markey
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create the Preparing And Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act to recruit and retain paraprofessionals in public elementary, secondary, and preschool programs. It would fund state allotments and competitive local subgrants that raise pay, provide mentoring and induction, and support credential and certification pathways.
Show full summary
- Families and students: Children in low-income families could see steadier paraprofessional staffing and improved classroom support. The bill prioritizes schools serving children eligible for the National School Lunch Program, Medicaid, or in families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
- Paraprofessionals and educators: Workers could receive higher wages or bonus pay, evidence-based induction and mentoring, paid professional development, and funded routes to credentials such as special education and English learner certificates.
- State and local education agencies: State educational agencies would receive allotments tied to their share of Title I Part A funding and may reserve up to 5 percent for administration. SEAs must award competitive subgrants, report annually on pay and shortages, and the program is authorized for funding for fiscal years 2026–2030.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Grants to Recruit and Keep Paraprofessionals
If enacted, the bill would create a federal grant program to help states recruit and keep paraprofessionals in public elementary, secondary, and preschool programs. Each State Education Agency would get an allotment based on its Title I Part A funding from the previous year. A State could reserve up to 5 percent for administration and must use the rest for competitive subgrants to districts and educational service agencies. Grants could pay for mentoring, training, credentials, and higher wages or bonus pay. States would have to prioritize programs serving more low-income children, schools in rural areas (locale codes 41–43), or schools receiving certain school lunch assistance. States would file yearly reports on pay baselines, wage actions, staffing changes, shortages, and training. The program would be funded by "such sums as may be necessary" for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Edward Markey
MA • D
Cosponsors
Kirsten Gillibrand
NY • D
Sponsored 7/17/2025
Cory Booker
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/17/2025
Richard Blumenthal
CT • D
Sponsored 7/17/2025
Elizabeth Warren
MA • D
Sponsored 7/17/2025
Ron Wyden
OR • D
Sponsored 7/17/2025
Alex Padilla
CA • D
Sponsored 7/17/2025
Sheldon Whitehouse
RI • D
Sponsored 7/17/2025
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Jeanne Shaheen
NH • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Christopher Coons
DE • D
Sponsored 10/9/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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