S. 4864: Providing Understanding of Paraprofessionals in Learning Act

This bill would direct the federal government to commission a study on paraprofessionals and education support staff in public pre-K through 12 schools. In plain terms, it is a research bill: it does not directly change school staffing rules, pay, or benefits. Instead, it orders an in-depth review of this workforce and asks for recommendations based on the findings.

What the study would cover

The Secretary of Education would be required to try to enter into a contract, within 90 days after enactment, with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct the study. The study would examine:

• Who these workers are — including their demographic, educational, and professional backgrounds.
• How people enter these jobs — recruitment, retention, and how long they stay.
• Qualification and credential rules — including differences among states and school districts, and whether those workers meet existing federal requirements.
• What they do — the roles and responsibilities they carry out in schools and early childhood settings.
• How they affect students — evidence on academic, social-emotional, and behavioral outcomes, and the conditions where they are most effective.
• Pay and working conditions — salaries, benefits, job stability, and differences across locations and school settings.
• Training and professional development — what opportunities exist and how effective they are.
• Career pathways — ways these jobs can lead to other education roles, including teaching.
• Policy and funding factors — federal, state, and local policies that affect hiring, training, advancement, and retention.
• Data gaps — where more information or research is needed.
• Employment models — including whether workers are contracted, privatized, or outsourced, and how those arrangements affect school operations and student outcomes.

Pay comparison requirement

The study would also require the researchers to break the workforce into different job categories and, for each category, compare starting pay and average pay against the cost of living or livable wages in the places where these workers live.

Report to Congress

The National Academies would have to finish the study and submit a report to Congress, and also make it public, within 24 months after the agreement is signed.

Funding

The bill authorizes up to $2 million to carry out the act.

Relevant Companies

None found.