Bill > HR736

This bill proposes to authorize the appropriation of funds, specifically $1 billion annually for fiscal years 2016 through 2020, to recruit, hire, and train 100,000 new classroom paraprofessionals, who are individuals working under the supervision of a certified teacher, to improve educational achievement for children. The Secretary of Education would allot these funds to states, which would then distribute them to local educational agencies (LEAs), defined as public school districts. A significant portion, 80%, of the funds allocated to LEAs must be based on the number of low-income schoolchildren in their district, with the remaining 20% distributed based on the overall student enrollment in public and private nonprofit schools within the LEA's boundaries. These funds can be used for recruiting, hiring, and training paraprofessionals, including those who assist teachers in bilingual education, special education, and migrant education programs, and up to 25% can be used for professional development or to help paraprofessionals become highly qualified or even licensed teachers. The bill emphasizes that these funds are meant to supplement, not replace, existing state and local funding for these activities and limits administrative costs for LEAs to 2%. States receiving funds must report biennially on their use, and both states and LEAs must publicly report to parents on their progress in reducing student-to-personnel ratios and the impact on student achievement, with schools also required to provide parents with the qualifications of their child's instructional staff upon request.