Preparing And Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 5476
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-09-18: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-30T08:07:00Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Preparing And Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act (H.R. 5476) aims to address shortages of paraprofessionals—support staff who assist teachers in classrooms—by creating a federal grant program. It focuses on improving recruitment and retention in public elementary schools, secondary schools, and preschool programs, particularly in high-need areas, to enhance classroom support and student outcomes.
Key Provisions
- Grant Structure: The Secretary of Education will allocate funds to State educational agencies (SEAs, which oversee education at the state level) based on their share of prior-year funding under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA, a federal law supporting education for disadvantaged students).
- Fund Usage:
- SEAs may reserve up to 5% of funds for administrative tasks and statewide efforts to recruit and retain paraprofessionals.
- Remaining funds are awarded as competitive subgrants to eligible entities, such as local educational agencies (LEAs, like school districts) or educational service agencies serving high-need schools (schools with high poverty or other challenges).
- Allowed activities include:
- Evidence-based mentoring and induction programs to boost retention and improve teaching quality.
- High-quality professional development to attract and keep paraprofessionals.
- Support for obtaining certifications, such as in special education, English learners (students learning English as a second language), advanced paraeducator roles, or even full teaching credentials.
- Wage increases or bonus pay to make jobs more appealing.
- Priorities for Subgrants: SEAs must prioritize entities serving:
- High numbers or percentages of low-income families (defined by eligibility for programs like free school lunches, Medicaid, or temporary assistance for needy families).
- Rural schools (based on U.S. Department of Education locale codes for remote or small-town areas).
- Schools receiving special federal assistance for high-poverty student populations under the National School Lunch Act.
- Applications and Reporting:
- SEAs must apply to the Secretary, assuring priority compliance and annual reporting.
- Eligible entities apply to SEAs.
- Annual SEA reports to the Secretary must cover paraprofessional pay baselines, wage increases, employment data (especially for lower-paid staff), subgrant impacts on hiring, plans for shortages, and professional development details.
- Protections and Funding:
- The law preserves existing employee rights under labor laws and collective bargaining agreements (negotiated contracts between employers and unions), but requires compliance with the program's goals.
- Authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
- Definitions: Key terms like "paraprofessional" (from ESEA: aides who support instructional staff), "high-need school," and "preschool program" (publicly supported early childhood education for children 5 and under) are drawn from existing federal education laws.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces a new standalone grant program under the Department of Education, building on but not amending the ESEA or other laws like the National School Lunch Act. It expands federal support for paraprofessionals beyond current ESEA requirements (which mandate qualifications but not dedicated recruitment funding), creating targeted incentives like wage boosts and certifications not previously funded at this scale.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The Department of Education gains new administrative responsibilities for grant oversight and reporting, while SEAs and LEAs receive flexible funding to address staffing shortages, potentially easing workload burdens in understaffed schools.
- Citizens: Paraprofessionals benefit from better pay, training, and job stability, which could attract more diverse workers to education roles. Students, especially in low-income, rural, or high-poverty schools, may see improved classroom support, leading to better learning outcomes. Families in these areas gain indirect benefits through stronger public education and preschool access.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as this is a domestic education policy focused on U.S. public schools.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Paraprofessionals: Primary beneficiaries through recruitment, retention, and career advancement opportunities.
- Schools and Educators: Public elementary/secondary schools, preschools, LEAs, and SEAs, which can use funds to build support staff capacity.
- Students and Families: Particularly those from low-income, rural, or high-need backgrounds, who rely on paraprofessionals for individualized help in areas like special education or English learning.
- Federal and State Governments: The Department of Education for program management; states for allocation and subgrant decisions.
- Labor Unions: Protected in collective bargaining but involved in wage and condition negotiations tied to the grants.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Reinforces federal education funding tied to equity (e.g., prioritizing disadvantaged areas), aligning with ESEA's focus on closing achievement gaps without overriding state or local control. The collective bargaining provision avoids conflicts with labor laws like the National Labor Relations Act.
- Constitutional: Supports the Spending Clause (Congress's power to fund programs with conditions) and promotes equal educational opportunity under the 14th Amendment, with no apparent free speech or privacy issues.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (119th Congress, introduced September 18, 2025) signals broad support for workforce investment in education. It could influence debates on teacher shortages and public school funding, potentially setting a model for similar programs in special education or early childhood, but depends on congressional appropriations for implementation.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (64)
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2], Rep. Mannion, John W. [D-NY-22], Rep. McGarvey, Morgan [D-KY-3], Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4], Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9], Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27], Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6], Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6], Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17], Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2], Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5], Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Suozzi, Thomas R. [D-NY-3], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6], Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3], Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42], Rep. Friedman, Laura [D-CA-30], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2], Rep. McBride, Sarah [D-DE-At Large], Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] and 14 more
Recent Actions
- 2025-09-18: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-09-18: Introduced in House
- 2025-09-18: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Preparing And Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act — issued 2025-09-18 — PDF (11 pages)