Whereas paraprofessionals (also sometimes known as paraeducators ) include education assistants and instructional assistants who work in elementary schools, secondary schools, or public institutions of higher education; Whereas education support staff (also sometimes known as classified school employees or education support professionals ) include professionals who work in elementary schools, secondary schools, or public institutions of higher education in clerical and administrative services, transportation services, food and nutrition services, custodial and maintenance services, health and student services, technical services, and skilled trades; Whereas more than 3,000,000 paraprofessionals and education support staff are the frontline workers who transform schools in the United States from brick and mortar buildings to places of learning and support for more than 49,000,000 students across the United States; Whereas, since the onset of the COVID–19 pandemic, school staff employment has fallen across positions and there are still 331,000 fewer school staff than before the COVID–19 pandemic, leaving schools without the necessary staff in almost every position; Whereas, since the onset of the COVID–19 pandemic, a shortage of teachers has resulted in some paraprofessionals and education support staff being expected to assume the duties of teachers without commensurate compensation or benefits; Whereas many paraprofessionals and education support staff are undercompensated for their work, and do not receive a living wage, much less a competitive, family-sustaining living wage; Whereas many paraprofessionals and education support staff are, as a matter of practice, laid off at the end of each school year and rehired annually, and lack job security; Whereas, unlike most school employees, many paraprofessionals and education support staff are not full-time employees because their services, including those of bus drivers and food service workers, are time delimited