[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 702 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 702

   Recognizing the work and importance of special education teachers.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 16, 2010

  Mr. Roberts (for himself, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Hatch, and Ms. Murkowski) 
 submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

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                               RESOLUTION


 
   Recognizing the work and importance of special education teachers.

Whereas, in 1972, the Supreme Court ruled that children with disabilities have 
        the same right to receive a quality education in the public schools as 
        their nondisabled peers and, in 1975, the Congress passed Public Law 94-
        142 guaranteeing students with disabilities the right to a free 
        appropriate public education;
Whereas, according to the Department of Education, approximately 6,600,000 
        children (roughly 13 percent of all school-aged children) receive 
        special education services;
Whereas there are over 370,000 highly qualified special education teachers in 
        the United States;
Whereas the work of special education teachers requires special education 
        teachers to be able to interact and teach students with specific 
        learning disabilities, hearing impairments, speech or language 
        impairments, orthopedic impairments, visual impairments, autism, 
        combined deafness and blindness, traumatic brain injury, and other 
        health impairments;
Whereas special education teachers--

    (1) are dedicated;

    (2) possess the ability to understand the needs of a diverse group of 
students;

    (3) have the capacity to use innovative teaching methods tailored to a 
unique group of students; and

    (4) understand the differences of the children in their care;

Whereas special education teachers must have the ability to interact and 
        coordinate with a child's parents or legal guardians, social workers, 
        school psychologists, occupational and physical therapists, and school 
        administrators, as well as other educators to provide the best quality 
        education for their students;
Whereas special education teachers help to develop an individualized education 
        program for every special education student based on the needs and 
        abilities of the student; and
Whereas special education teachers dedicate themselves to preparing special 
        education students for success in school and beyond: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the amount of work required to be a special 
        education teacher; and
            (2) commends special education teachers for their 
        sacrifices and dedication to preparing individuals with special 
        needs for high school graduation, college success, and 
        rewarding careers.
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