States could seek grants to raise public school teacher salaries

The Education Secretary would award four-year grants to state education agencies to help meet a minimum teacher salary. Covered schools are public elementary and secondary schools. Covered teachers must teach directly, hold the required state license, and meet the bill’s skill requirements. The state must apply and provide a plan to maintain and adjust the minimum salary after the grant ends. The state must promise to set minimum salary rules if needed and pay covered full-time and part-time teachers at least the threshold, with part-time pay reduced in proportion to hours worked. At least 85 percent of the grant must go to local education agencies as subgrants, with priority for districts serving more Title I schools or only rural schools. Grant money must add to other public salary funds. States and districts may not reduce teacher pay or state loan forgiveness because of the grant, and must show their funding method if the Secretary asks. The minimum starts at $60,000 for school year 2026–2027 and rises each school year with inflation. Each grant lasts four years; the state plan must cover the period after the grant ends.

The Education Secretary would award grants to eligible states for inflation-based salary increases. A state qualifies only if full-time teachers at its public elementary and secondary schools already have a base salary of at least $60,000. The state must apply and show that inflation leaves it unable to provide the increases itself. Funding must be made available for the grants. The increase would match the annual inflation rate for the most recent calendar year.

The Education Secretary may reserve money for a national campaign about teaching. The campaign would promote the value of teaching, encourage secondary school and college students to consider teaching, and seek a more diverse group of people entering the profession. The Secretary may reserve no more than 4 percent of the funds appropriated under section 8 for the campaign. The bill authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.