[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 167 (Thursday, December 16, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S10367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE WORK AND IMPORTANCE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS

  Mr. DORGAN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 702 which was submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 702) recognizing the work and 
     importance of special education teachers.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DORGAN. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table.
  The resolution (S. Res. 702) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, read as follows:

                              S. Res. 702

       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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