Federal wage floor for school staff: $45K salary, $30/hour minimum
H.R. 7032 — Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act · Filed by Chuy García (D-IL) · 25 cosponsors · Introduced Jan 13, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill establishes federal minimum salary and wage standards for school paraprofessionals and support staff, requiring states to ensure full-time staff earn at least $45,000 annually and part-time staff earn at least $30/hour (both indexed to inflation after 2030). The federal government appropriates $25 billion in fiscal year 2026 (plus inflation adjustments thereafter) to help states and school districts meet these requirements through a grant program, with states required to reach compliance within 4 years and prioritize high-poverty districts.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a federal appropriation and grant program designed to raise compensation for school support workers—a direct public-sector wage intervention, not a tax incentive, deregulation, or private-sector subsidy.
What the text implies
- States retain discretion to set actual minimum salaries/wages above federal floors and to distribute funds, creating potential for unequal implementation across districts and states.
- The 'supplement not supplant' requirement may be difficult to enforce, risking federal funds replacing rather than augmenting state/local education budgets.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
school paraprofessionals and education support staff (direct wage recipients); school districts and states (grant recipients to fund wage increases)