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Education Support Professionals Living Wage Rally
Rudy Burruss, president of PSEA's Education Support Professionals
Becky Marszalek, PSEA's 2024-25 Dolores McCracken Education Support Professional of the Year
Katie Long, paraprofessional and member of Pennsbury Education Support Professionals Association
PSEA President Aaron Chapin
HARRISBURG, PA (March 25, 2025) — More than 100 school support staff gathered on the steps of the state Capitol today, along with lawmakers, educators, and union allies, for a rally in support of paying support staff in Pennsylvania’s public schools a living wage of at least $20 per hour.
Rally speakers urged lawmakers to support House Bill 777, which would ensure that paraprofessionals, cafeteria workers, custodians, and other support staff are paid a living wage of at least $20 an hour for the important work they do.
The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) estimates that House Bill 777 will provide 45% of the nearly 92,000 school support staff in Pennsylvania — about 41,505 people — wage increases of $2.90 per hour, on average.
Several speakers said it is only right to pay a living wage to the hardworking professionals who we trust to care for Pennsylvania’s 1.7 million students.
“We work hard every day to ensure students have the support they need to thrive and succeed,” said Becky Marszalek, PSEA’s 2024-25 Dolores McCracken Education Support Professional of the Year. “That is what it is all about — our students. Over 18 years, I have worked as both a classroom paraprofessional and as a one-on-one aide, with students from kindergarten all the way through 11th grade. And I have formed strong bonds with the students I’ve served.”
Marszalek, a paraprofessional and president of the Avonworth Education Support Professionals Association, made a heartfelt plea for lawmakers to do the right thing and pass House Bill 777.
“Across the state, not every education support professional is paid what they deserve,” Marszalek said. “Too many are struggling to get by, and that is wrong. We need to pass House Bill 777. We need to pay every support professional in the state a living wage. We need to empower the remarkable people out here with us today to continue to change the lives of a generation of students, without going broke.”
Katie Long, a paraprofessional and member of the Pennsbury Education Support Professionals Association, also voiced strong support for her support staff colleagues.
“There is simply no reason why caring, qualified adults like my education support professional colleagues and I should make less than a living wage,” Long said. “We need more paraprofessionals, bus drivers, custodians, and cafeteria workers in our public schools. We have a tremendous shortage right now. And the way to solve it, the way to attract more professionals like me to this wonderful profession, is to make sure that all of us get paid a living wage of at least $20 an hour.”
House Bill 777’s two prime sponsors, Reps. Dan Miller and Jim Prokopiak, spoke at the rally, along with Sen. Vincent Hughes, a supporter of the initiative in the state Senate.
Rudy Burruss, president of PSEA’s Education Support Professionals, praised the lawmakers for their commitment to support staff and their students. He also said that the 100+ support staff there for the rally planned to meet with their lawmakers individually to make their case.
“Representatives, we’re here to help you,” Burruss said. “We’re going to visit your colleagues. We’re going to ask them to support this bill. We’re going to tell our stories. And we’re going to tell everyone who will listen that every, single one of us should get paid a living wage.”
PSEA President Aaron Chapin called Pennsylvania’s support staff “the unsung heroes of our public schools,” and said they deserve to be paid a living wage that allows them to support themselves and provide for their families.
Chapin also noted that House Bill 777 will give the support staff impacted by the bill an average hourly raise of $2.90.
“$2.90 — I don’t think that’s asking a whole lot,” Chapin said. “But you know what? It will make a world of difference for many of these folks here today, and many, many others hard at work right now in our public schools. It might be the difference between staying current on rent or falling behind. Or maybe it puts another meal on the table or more money in a college fund. Not only will it make a difference for these folks. It will also give Pennsylvania’s economy a boost.”
Pennsylvanians strongly support legislation like House Bill 777. According to a PSEA-commissioned survey conducted by polling firm GBAO in September 2024, about four out of every five Pennsylvania voters said they support increasing minimum wages for school support staff to $20 per hour. In fact, respondents ranked increasing pay as the number one solution to the school staff shortage crisis.
Chapin is a Stroudsburg Area middle school teacher and president of PSEA. An affiliate of the National Education Association, PSEA represents about 177,000 active and retired educators and school employees, aspiring educators, higher education staff, and health care workers in Pennsylvania.
