I 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION 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 THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 12, 2009 

Ms. TITUS (for herself and Ms. WOOLSEY) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 

A BILL 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. FINDINGS. 

4 The Congress finds as follows: 

5 (1) The term ‘‘classified school employee’’ re6 fers to employees working in pre-kindergarten 

7 through higher education, in the following nine job 

8 families: 


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1 (A) Paraprofessionals. 

2 (B) Clerical services. 

3 (C) Custodial and maintenance services. 

4 (D) Transportation services. 

5 (E) Food services. 

6 (F) Skilled trades. 

7 (G) Health and student services. 

8 (H) Security services. 

9 (I) Technical services. 

10 (2) Classified school employees provide valuable 

11 service to public schools in the United States. 

12 (3) Classified school employees provide essential 

13 services, such as transportation, facilities mainte14 nance and operations, food service, safety, and 

15 health care. 

16 (4) Classified school employees play a vital role 

17 in providing for the welfare and safety of students. 

18 (5) Classified school employees strive for excel19 lence in all areas of service to the education commu20 nity. 

21 (6) Exemplary classified school employees 

22 should be recognized for their outstanding contribu23 tions to quality education in the United States. 


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1 SEC. 2. RECOGNITION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education shall 

3 establish and administer a national recognition program 

4 to be known as the ‘‘National Classified School Employees 

5 of the Year Awards’’. The purpose of the program shall 

6 be to recognize and promote the commitment and excel7 lence exhibited by employees within certain occupational 

8 specialties in public schools who provide exemplary service 

9 to students in pre-kindergarten through higher education. 

10 (b) OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES.— 

11 (1) IN GENERAL.—The occupational specialties 

12 referred to in subsection (a) are the following: 

13 (A) Paraprofessionals. 

14 (B) Clerical and administrative services. 

15 (C) Transportation services. 

16 (D) Food and nutrition services. 

17 (E) Custodial and maintenance services. 

18 (F) Security services. 

19 (G) Health and student services. 

20 (H) Technical services. 

21 (I) Skilled trades. 

22 (2) NUMBER OF AWARDS.—Prior to March 31 

23 of each year (beginning with the second calendar 

24 year that begins after the date of the enactment of 

25 this Act), the Secretary shall select an employee 

26 from each occupational specialty described in paraVerDate Nov 24 2008 05:02 May 14, 2009 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2377.IH H2377

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1 graph (1) to receive an award under the recognition 

2 program. 

3 (c) SELECTION PROCESS.— 

4 (1) NOMINATION PROCESS.—Not later than No5 vember 1 of each year (beginning with the first cal6 endar year that begins after the date of the enact7 ment of this Act), the Secretary shall solicit nomina8 tions from each occupational specialty described in 

9 subsection (b)(1) from the chief State school officer 

10 of each State. The chief State school officer of each 

11 State shall consider nominations submitted by the 

12 following: 

13 (A) Local educational agencies. 

14 (B) School administrators. 

15 (C) Professional associations. 

16 (D) Labor unions. 

17 (E) Any other group determined appro18 priate by the Secretary. 

19 (2) DEMONSTRATION.—Each nomination shall 

20 be submitted to the Secretary by a chief State school 

21 officer in such manner as the Secretary may require 

22 and shall contain, at a minimum, demonstrations of 

23 excellence in the following areas: 

24 (A) Work performance. 

25 (B) School and community involvement. 


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1 (C) Leadership and commitment. 

2 (D) Local support. 

3 (E) Enhancement of classified school em4 ployees’ image in the community and schools. 

5 (F) Any other area of superior perform6 ance, such as health and safety promotion or ef7 ficient use of energy or other resources. 

8 (3) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall develop 

9 uniform national guidelines for evaluating nomina10 tions submitted under paragraph (2) in order to se11 lect the most deserving nominees based on the dem12 onstrations made in the areas described in such 

13 paragraph. 

14 (d) DEFINITIONS.—The terms used in this Act shall 

15 have the meaning given such terms in section 9101 of the 

16 Elementary and Secondary Education Act 1965 (20 

17 U.S.C. 7801). 

Æ 


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