Preparing And Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act
Sponsored By: Representative McBath
Introduced
Summary
Creates a federal grant program to recruit, retain, and develop paraprofessionals in public elementary, secondary, and preschool settings. It would fund State Educational Agencies to competitively subgrant to local agencies and certain educational service agencies for mentoring, training, credentials, and pay increases to strengthen classroom support for high-need students.
Show full summary
- Families and students: Gives priority to schools that serve higher shares of children from low-income families, including those eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, Medicaid, or TANF. This aims to target support where student need is greatest.
- Paraprofessionals and school staff: Pays for evidence-based leader induction and mentoring, high-quality professional development, credentials (special education, English learner, advanced paraeducator, teaching certification), and can fund wage increases or bonus pay to retain staff.
- State and local education agencies: Allotments to states follow a formula tied to each state's share of Title I Part A funding, and most funds must be awarded as competitive subgrants to eligible entities.
- Accountability and workforce data: Each state must report yearly on paraprofessional pay baselines, wage changes, numbers earning below state averages, actions to address shortages, and professional development activities.
- Preschool programs: Includes licensed preschool programs run by schools serving children age 5 and under as eligible for grants.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Grants to boost paraprofessional pay and training
This bill would create a federal PARA grants program for public schools and preschools. States would apply to the Education Department and could keep up to 5% for administration. Most funds would be awarded as competitive subgrants to districts or education service agencies. Money could raise wages or give bonuses, pay for mentoring, training, and credentials like special education, English learner, advanced paraeducator, or a teaching certificate. Priority would go to places with many low‑income students, very rural schools (locale codes 41–43 set by the Department), or schools getting special federal school lunch assistance that meet the required student percentage. For priority, a low‑income family would include children eligible for school lunch or Medicaid, families getting TANF, or students in schools with special lunch status. Congress would authorize whatever amounts are needed for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
State Title I share and yearly reports
Each state’s PARA share would match its prior‑year share of Title I, Part A funds. States would need an approved application to receive money. The bill does not set a total dollar amount. States that get funds would file a yearly report showing average paraprofessional pay, how wages were raised, counts below the averages, which grantees added staff, plans to fix shortages, and the training used.
Keeps school employee bargaining rights
This bill would not change employee rights or collective bargaining agreements for school staff. States and schools would still need to follow labor laws and this program when they negotiate and carry it out.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
McBath
GA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Mullin
CA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
WI • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Mannion
NY • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3]
KY • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Pingree
ME • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
McClellan
VA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]
MD • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
NV • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Keating
MA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]
VT • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Simon
CA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Craig
MN • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]
MA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]
CT • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]
PA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Scott, David
GA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Johnson (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Thompson (MS)
MS • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6]
LA • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/18/2025
Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Bishop
GA • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
NJ • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Budzinski
IL • D
Sponsored 10/3/2025
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
MA • D
Sponsored 10/3/2025
Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3]
NY • D
Sponsored 10/14/2025
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 10/14/2025
Randall
WA • D
Sponsored 10/14/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 10/14/2025
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
CA • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Jackson (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Pallone
NJ • D
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]
NM • D
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6]
PA • D
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
IL • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Friedman
CA • D
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1]
OH • D
Sponsored 12/4/2025
Bonamici
OR • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2]
NH • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
McBride
DE • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Trahan
MA • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 1/16/2026
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 1/16/2026
Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1]
NH • D
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Carson
IN • D
Sponsored 2/4/2026
Sewell
AL • D
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Rep. Foster, Bill [D-IL-11]
IL • D
Sponsored 3/4/2026
Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]
CA • D
Sponsored 4/20/2026
Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]
RI • D
Sponsored 5/12/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov