Bill > HB779

This bill establishes the Head Start Teacher Salary Supplement Pilot Program, which aims to bring Head Start teachers' salaries in line with elementary school teachers' salaries for comparable skills. The program will operate for three school years and requires the Department of Education to select school districts and Head Start programs based on specific poverty rate criteria. The department will compare the salaries and qualifications of Head Start teachers with public school teachers in kindergarten through fourth grade, and calculate a subsidy to increase Head Start teachers' salaries to match what they would earn in the public school district. Participating Head Start programs must provide salary information and prove that funds are used solely to increase teacher salaries. The department is required to collect data, submit a report to the General Assembly detailing the program's implementation and outcomes, and provide recommendations for potential improvements. Additionally, the department will seek funding from federal, state, private, or other non-state sources, and must recover any misused funds. The pilot program is designed to address potential wage disparities and provide more equitable compensation for Head Start teachers with similar qualifications to public school teachers.

Education

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=779