IV 

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; 


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•HRES 58 IH 

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 GovernVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:45 Jan 17, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HR58.IH HR58

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ment’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 

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 

5 years in the workforce in the State or Territory in 

6 which the teachers are employed; and 


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1 (2) States, Territories, and the Federal Govern2 ment should increase investment in instruction, 

3 classroom materials, and services available within 

4 public schools to ensure all public school students 

5 graduate from high school ready for college and ca6 reer. 

Æ 


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