IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 876 

Supporting the goal of increasing public school teacher pay and public 

education funding. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 8, 2018 

Mr. O’HALLERAN (for himself, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. POCAN, Mr. RYAN

of Ohio, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. 

VARGAS, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mrs. BUSTOS, Ms. BONAMICI, 

Mr. PALLONE, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Mr. ENGEL, 

Mr. CARBAJAL, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. MOORE, Mr. HASTINGS, 

Ms. PINGREE, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. JOHNSON of 

Georgia, Ms. BARRAGA ́N, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mr. 

PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. NORCROSS, Mr. COURTNEY, Ms. TITUS, 

Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. DELAURO, Ms. HANABUSA, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. 

GONZALEZ of Texas, Ms. SINEMA, Mr. PETERSON, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mrs. 

DAVIS of California, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. NORTON, Mr. BROWN of Maryland, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. HIMES, Mrs. LAWRENCE, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Mr. TONKO, Mr. COSTA, Mr. 

AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI, Mr. EVANS, Mr. BRENDAN

F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Ms. FUDGE, Ms. 

JACKSON LEE, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. SABLAN, 

Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. TED

LIEU of California, Ms. ROSEN, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. CORREA, Ms. 

MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico, Miss RICE of New York, Mr. 

PETERS, Mr. KILDEE, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. VELA, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. 

DESAULNIER, Mr. RASKIN, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. 

MCGOVERN, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mrs. DINGELL, 

Mr. PANETTA, Mr. CICILLINE, Ms. LEE, Mr. FOSTER, Mr. SIRES, Mr. 

MCEACHIN, Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. 

NADLER, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. LANGEVIN, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, 

Mr. BEYER, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mr. SCHRADER, Mr. BEN RAY LUJA ́N of 

New Mexico, Ms. JUDY CHU of California, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. SOTO, Mr. 

MOULTON, Mr. LAWSON of Florida, Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. 

LOWENTHAL, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. CRIST, Ms. JAYAPAL, 

Ms. BASS, and Ms. BROWNLEY of California) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 

Workforce 


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•HRES 876 IH 

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 


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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 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 May 8, 2018, is National Teacher Day: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that— 

3 (1) the compensation of public school teachers 

4 should be comparable to other college graduates with 


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1 years in the workforce in the State or Territory in 

2 which the teachers are employed; and 

3 (2) States, Territories, and the Federal Govern4 ment should increase investment in instruction, 

5 classroom materials, and services available within 

6 public schools to ensure all public school students 

7 graduate from high school ready for college and ca8 reer. 

Æ 


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