H.R. 8334 – Educators are Heroes Act

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Updated April 14, 2026 at 3:03 PM UTC

The Educators are Heroes Act would give public‑school teachers and other staff an extra 25 percent of their hourly wage for every hour they work in‑person during the COVID‑19 emergency. The extra pay would be funded through a new Educator Fund in the Treasury, with grants provided to local school districts that apply for them.

Key Provisions

Local school districts that receive a grant from the new Educator Fund must pay eligible educators a 25 % premium on their hourly wage for each hour of in‑person work during the declared emergency period.
The Educator Fund is created in the Treasury and is administered by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Secretary of Education; it is funded by appropriations as needed.
School districts must apply to the Treasury for a grant to receive the premium‑pay funding, and must begin paying the premium within 15 days of receiving the grant.
The "emergency period" runs from the law’s enactment date until the end of the public‑health emergency declared for COVID‑19 on January 31, 2020.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Education and Workforce Committee

September 22, 2020

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 22, 2020

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Education and Workforce Committee

September 22, 2020

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued September 22, 2020

I

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 8334

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 22, 2020

Ms. Kendra S. Horn of Oklahoma (for herself, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Carson of Indiana, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, and Mr. San Nicolas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

A BILL

To provide premium pay to educators at public schools for each hour of in-person work.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Educators are Heroes Act.

2.

Educator premium pay

(a)

In general

Not later than 15 days after a local educational agency receives a grant under subsection (b), the local educational agency, for the duration of the emergency period, shall provide to each educator for each hour that the educator works, in-person at a public school served by the agency with premium pay equal to 25 percent of the educator’s wage per hour.

(b)

Educator Fund

(1)

In general

There is established in the Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the “Educator Fund” (referred to in this section as the “Fund”), consisting of amounts appropriated to the fund under subsection (c).

(2)

Fund administration

The fund shall be administered by the Secretary of Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of Education.

(3)

Use of funds

(A)

In general

Amounts in the Fund shall be available to award a grant to each local educational agency that applies for a grant under subparagraph (B), for the purpose of providing premium pay under subsection (a).

(B)

Application

Any local educational agency seeking a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Secretary of the Treasury at such time, in such manner, and complete with such information as the Secretary may require.

(c)

Authorization and appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated, and there is hereby appropriated, such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section, to remain available until expended.

(d)

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Educator

The term educator includes teachers and other staff.

(2)

Emergency period

The term emergency period means the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, and ending on the last day of the public health emergency first declared on January 31, 2020, by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) with respect to COVID–19.

(3)

ESEA terms

The terms elementary school, local educational agency, other staff, and secondary school have the meaning given such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).

(4)

Public school

The term public school means a public elementary school or secondary school.