[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 37 (Monday, March 15, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H1404-H1406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            AUTHORIZING NEW AWARD PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL WORKERS

  Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2377) to direct the Secretary of Education to establish and 
administer an awards program recognizing excellence exhibited by public 
school system employees providing services to students in pre-
kindergarten through higher education.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2377

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds as follows:
       (1) The term ``classified school employee'' refers to 
     employees working in pre-kindergarten through higher 
     education, in the following nine job families:
       (A) Paraprofessionals.
       (B) Clerical services.
       (C) Custodial and maintenance services.
       (D) Transportation services.
       (E) Food services.
       (F) Skilled trades.
       (G) Health and student services.
       (H) Security services.
       (I) Technical services.
       (2) Classified school employees provide valuable service to 
     public schools in the United States.
       (3) Classified school employees provide essential services, 
     such as transportation, facilities maintenance and 
     operations, food service, safety, and health care.
       (4) Classified school employees play a vital role in 
     providing for the welfare and safety of students.
       (5) Classified school employees strive for excellence in 
     all areas of service to the education community.
       (6) Exemplary classified school employees should be 
     recognized for their outstanding contributions to quality 
     education in the United States.

     SEC. 2. RECOGNITION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Education shall establish 
     and administer a national recognition program to be known as 
     the ``National Classified School Employees of the Year 
     Awards''. The purpose of the program shall be to recognize 
     and promote the commitment and excellence exhibited by 
     employees within certain occupational specialties in public 
     schools who provide exemplary service to students in pre-
     kindergarten through higher education.
       (b) Occupational Specialties.--
       (1) In general.--The occupational specialties referred to 
     in subsection (a) are the following:
       (A) Paraprofessionals.
       (B) Clerical and administrative services.
       (C) Transportation services.
       (D) Food and nutrition services.
       (E) Custodial and maintenance services.
       (F) Security services.
       (G) Health and student services.
       (H) Technical services.
       (I) Skilled trades.
       (2) Number of awards.--Prior to March 31 of each year 
     (beginning with the second calendar year that begins after 
     the date of the enactment of this Act), the Secretary shall 
     select an employee from each occupational specialty described 
     in paragraph (1) to receive an award under the recognition 
     program.
       (c) Selection Process.--
       (1) Nomination process.--Not later than November 1 of each 
     year (beginning with the first calendar year that begins 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act), the Secretary 
     shall solicit nominations from each occupational specialty 
     described in subsection (b)(1) from the chief State school 
     officer of each State. The chief State school officer of each 
     State shall consider nominations submitted by the following:
       (A) Local educational agencies.
       (B) School administrators.
       (C) Professional associations.
       (D) Labor unions.
       (E) Any other group determined appropriate by the 
     Secretary.
       (2) Demonstration.--Each nomination shall be submitted to 
     the Secretary by a chief State school officer in such manner 
     as the Secretary may require and shall contain, at a minimum, 
     demonstrations of excellence in the following areas:
       (A) Work performance.
       (B) School and community involvement.
       (C) Leadership and commitment.
       (D) Local support.
       (E) Enhancement of classified school employees' image in 
     the community and schools.
       (F) Any other area of superior performance, such as health 
     and safety promotion or efficient use of energy or other 
     resources.
       (3) Selection.--The Secretary shall develop uniform 
     national guidelines for evaluating nominations submitted 
     under paragraph (2) in order to select the most deserving 
     nominees based on the demonstrations made in the areas 
     described in such paragraph.
       (d) Definitions.--The terms used in this Act shall have the 
     meaning given such terms in section 9101 of the Elementary 
     and Secondary Education Act 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).


[[Page H1405]]


  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Hawaii.


                             General Leave

  Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which 
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on H.R. 
2377 into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. HIRONO. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2377, which is a bill 
that establishes a National Classified School Employees of the Year 
Award.
  Every day in schools across the country, there are people working 
hard to make sure our students have an opportunity to learn and 
succeed. Classified school employees are critical to this effort. They 
work as paraprofessionals: clerks, custodians, bus drivers, cooks, 
maintenance employees, nurses, security guards, and technicians. The 
work they do provides essential support to students and teachers, and 
for far too long, their contributions have gone unrecognized at a 
national level. H.R. 2377 will change this and create a National 
Classified School Employees of the Year Award.
  The award will honor and recognize excellence in the classified 
school worker field. Their services vary widely, from establishing and 
promoting a high-quality instructional environment as paraeducators and 
library aides to providing other essential services, such as 
transportation, skilled maintenance, food and support services, and 
health care.
  I'm sure we can all remember our favorite bus driver who provided our 
safe arrival to and from school. We can recall the nurse that perfectly 
bandaged our scraped knee, or we can reflect on a guidance counselor 
who helped us navigate our paths to college.
  No matter the profession, classified school employees work tirelessly 
to ensure the success of America's students and public schools. Their 
dedication ensures the safety and welfare of students while improving 
the educational atmosphere, helping students meet the highest 
educational standards.
  Today we recognize this work and thank them. I ask that you join us 
in support of this bill. I urge my colleagues to recognize the 
contributions of classified school employees by voting for H.R. 2377.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 2377, to direct the Secretary of 
Education to establish and administer an awards program recognizing 
excellence exhibited by public school system employees, providing 
services to students in pre-kindergarten through higher education. In 
short, this bill would create a national recognition program for 
classified school employees in nine categories, including 
transportation, food, security, and health and student services.
  As you may well know, classified school employees provide the support 
services necessary to keep our Nation's schools open and running on 
time. These awards would be given annually by the Secretary of 
Education. Despite the fact that a school's support staff is often 
overlooked, they are an important part of the education team that we 
entrust our children to each day. These school employees provide 
transportation services that enable students to safely arrive to and 
from school, prepare and serve the food students eat each day, and keep 
the school facilities in which students learn clean and safe. Those 
classified school employees who go above and beyond deserve to be 
recognized for their efforts, and this bill would do just that.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2377.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield as much time as she 
may consume to the gentlewoman from Nevada (Ms. Titus), the sponsor of 
this legislation.
  Ms. TITUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2377, a 
bill to establish a National Classified School Employees of the Year 
Award.
  For teachers to teach and students to learn, schools must be well 
maintained; students must be kept healthy and safe; and all of the 
adults with whom students interact throughout their day, whether on the 
playground or in the lunch room, must support a school's culture of 
excellence.
  Classified employees help to create and maintain an atmosphere that 
fosters achievement by working tirelessly to ensure the success of our 
Nation's students in public schools, colleges, and universities. They 
provide essential services, including transportation, facilities 
maintenance and operations, food service, safety, health care, and 
others. Whether they are in the classroom alongside teachers, helping 
to establish and promote a high-quality instructional environment, or 
in a bus, making sure that students arrive at school on time so they 
are ready to learn, these classified employees play a vital role in our 
schools, and they should be recognized for the outstanding work that 
they do.
  There are approximately 2.8 million education support professionals 
across the country, yet too often their contributions go unrecognized. 
And that is why I am so pleased to have worked with you, Madam Speaker, 
as the lead sponsor of H.R. 2377, a bill that would establish a 
National Classified School Employees of the Year Award, and I am proud 
that this legislation has 57 bipartisan supporters and cosponsors.
  This award would be very similar to the Teacher of the Year Award but 
would recognize outstanding public school employees who provide support 
services to students from pre-kindergarten through their education in 
nine different categories: paraprofessionals, clerical services, 
custodial and maintenance services, transportation services, food 
services, skilled trades, health and students services, security 
services, and technical services.
  The Secretary of Education will solicit nominations from the States 
in each of these occupational specialties. Nominees must demonstrate 
excellence in work performance, school and community involvement, 
leadership and commitment, local support, enhancement of classified 
school employees' image in the community and the school, and any other 
area of superior performance that is determined by the Secretary. The 
award winners will then be recognized by the U.S. Secretary of 
Education and the President.
  Let me be clear, this is not a new government program, and honoring 
these special employees will not cost the government any money. Nor 
would this be the first time that government agencies have presented 
such awards to individuals who make important contributions. Both the 
Department of Defense and the Department of Commerce currently give 
such awards.
  Honoring our classified school employees will provide the recognition 
and appreciation they deserve for the important work they do every day 
on the front lines to help our students succeed. As Booker T. 
Washington said, ``Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon 
way.''
  So I urge my colleagues to reward the uncommon excellence of 
classified school employees by supporting H.R. 2377.
  Mrs. BIGGERT. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. HIRONO. Madam Speaker, once again, I want to commend my 
colleague, Ms. Titus, for bringing this bill forward, and reminding us 
that it truly takes many, many hands and hearts to enable our students 
to succeed. Again, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2377.
  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, as an original cosponsor of H.R. 2377, I 
rise in strong support of the passage of this bill. H.R. 2377 would 
create an annual award program to honor the great work classified 
school employees do for our schools every day.
  Classified school employees serve an important role in schools and 
help ensure students get the best possible education. Paraeducators, 
bus drivers, food service employees, and many other support staff help 
make the school day run smoothly. It is high time we honor their 
contributions by creating an annual award program that will honor the 
key role they play in promoting and ensuring student achievement, 
student safety and well-being.
  I look forward to working with the National Association of Classified 
School Employees and other education groups to continue to

[[Page H1406]]

honor the important work of School Classified Employees. Again, I urge 
my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Ms. HIRONO. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 2377.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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