This Act provides federal grants to state education agencies to help states raise teacher base salaries. It sets a goal that full-time teachers at qualifying public schools earn at least $60,000 per year starting in the 2026–2027 school year, with that amount increased each year for inflation. Grants are four years long. States must plan to keep the minimum salary after the grant ends. States must use at least 85 percent of grant funds for local school districts and give priority to districts serving many Title I schools or entirely rural districts. The Act also lets the Secretary reserve up to 4 percent of funds for a national campaign to promote teaching. The Act includes rules that grant funds must supplement, not replace, other federal, state, or local teacher pay and that states and districts cannot reduce other teacher pay because of these grants.
Section 8 authorizes "such sums as may be necessary" for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. There is no specific dollar total in the text. No publicly available information on the total federal cost or annual appropriation amounts is provided in the bill text.
The bill text says raising and stabilizing teacher pay will address teacher shortages, improve recruitment and retention, and recognize the value of teaching. It notes concerns such as teachers working multiple jobs and lower pay for teachers compared with other college-educated workers, and it describes targeted help for high-need and rural districts.
No publicly available information.