[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 58 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 58

Supporting the goal of increasing public school teacher pay and public 
                           education funding.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 17, 2019

  Mr. O'Halleran (for himself and Mrs. Hayes) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting the goal of increasing public school teacher pay and public 
                           education funding.

Whereas over the last 2 decades, public school teachers are contributing more 
        toward health care and retirement costs as their pay falls further 
        behind;
Whereas after accounting for inflation, public school teacher pay fell by $30 
        per week from 1996 to 2015, while pay for other college graduates with 
        years in the workforce increased by $124 per week, equaling a 
        compensation gap of 11.1 percent, which is an increase of 9 percentage 
        points from 1996 to 2015;
Whereas despite reduced salaries, teachers' out-of-pocket costs to cover 
        necessary classroom materials and instructional supplies average $485 
        annually, with many teachers spending far more;
Whereas on average, public school teachers earn just 77 percent of what other 
        college graduates with years in the workforce earn in weekly wages;
Whereas in the State of Arizona, public school teachers earn just 63 cents on 
        the dollar compared with other college graduates with years in the 
        workforce, and this gap is 79 cents in the State of Kentucky, 67 cents 
        in the State of Oklahoma, and 75 cents in the State of West Virginia;
Whereas in 18 States, public school teacher weekly wages lag by more than 25 
        percent and there is no State where teacher wages are equal to or better 
        than those of other college graduates with years in the workforce;
Whereas education support professionals (including paraprofessionals, 
        custodians, administrative staff, cafeteria workers, specialized 
        instructional support personnel, and others) provide critical services 
        to support student success and remain chronically underpaid;
Whereas teachers at public schools in rural communities face disproportionately 
        low wages and high turnover rates;
Whereas 29 States provided less overall State funding per student in the 2015 
        school year (the most recent year available) than in the 2008 school 
        year, before the recession took hold;
Whereas in 19 States, local funding for education also declined during the same 
        period;
Whereas despite being 28 years since the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
        Act was first introduced, that Act remains less than fully funded;
Whereas title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, the 
        cornerstone of the Federal Government's commitment to help children in 
        high-poverty schools succeed, has been chronically underfunded;
Whereas part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the 
        cornerstone of the Federal Government's commitment to provide special 
        education and related services to children with disabilities, has been 
        chronically underfunded;
Whereas the Federal Government has a trust responsibility to Indian Tribes 
        affirmed in treaties, laws, court cases, and the Constitution, yet 
        consistently underfunds the construction and maintenance of Indian 
        schools so that, according to a 2017 U.S. Government Accountability 
        Office report, $1,300,000,000 is needed to address construction, 
        maintenance, and repairs of all Indian schools;
Whereas increased investment in elementary school and secondary school 
        instruction can reduce class sizes, improve teacher wages and retention, 
        and ensure that students have access to up-to-date, high-quality 
        classroom materials; and
Whereas a majority of both Democratic and Republican voters identified increased 
        investment in public education as a top priority for the 116th Congress 
        in a recent POLITICO/Harvard poll: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the compensation of public school teachers should be 
        comparable to other college graduates with years in the 
        workforce in the State or Territory in which the teachers are 
        employed; and
            (2) States, Territories, and the Federal Government should 
        increase investment in instruction, classroom materials, and 
        services available within public schools to ensure all public 
        school students graduate from high school ready for college and 
        career.
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