III 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 426 

Designating the week of February 28 through March 7, 2010, as ‘‘School 

Social Work Week’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 26, 2010 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself, Mr. COCHRAN, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mrs. LINCOLN, Mr. BEGICH, Mr. MENENDEZ, and Mr. FEINGOLD) submitted the 

following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating the week of February 28 through March 7, 

2010, as ‘‘School Social Work Week’’. 

Whereas the importance of school social work through the inclusion of school social work programs has been recognized in the current authorizations of the Elementary 

and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 

et seq.) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education 

Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.); 

Whereas school social workers serve as vital members of a 

school educational team, playing a central role in creating 

a positive school climate and vital partnerships between 

the home, school, and community to ensure student academic success; 


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•SRES 426 IS 

Whereas school social workers are especially skilled in providing services to students who face serious challenges to 

school success, including poverty, disability, discrimination, abuse, addiction, bullying, divorce of parents, loss of 

a loved one, and other barriers to learning; 

Whereas there is a growing need for local educational agencies to offer the mental health services that school social 

workers provide when working with families, teachers, 

principals, community agencies, and other entities to address emotional, physical, and environmental needs of 

students so that students may achieve behavioral and 

academic success; 

Whereas, to achieve the goal of the No Child Left Behind Act 

of 2001 (Public Law 107–110) of helping all children 

reach their optimal levels of potential and achievement, 

including children with serious emotional disturbances, 

schools must work to remove the emotional, behavioral, 

and academic barriers that interfere with student success 

in school; 

Whereas fewer than 1 in 5 of the 17,500,000 children in need 

of mental health services actually receive these services, 

and research indicates that school mental health programs improve educational outcomes by decreasing absences, decreasing discipline referrals, and improving academic achievement; 

Whereas school mental health programs are critical to early 

identification of mental health problems and in the provision of appropriate services when needed; 

Whereas the national average ratio of students to school social workers recommended by the School Social Work Association of America is 400 to 1; and 


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•SRES 426 IS 

Whereas the celebration of ‘‘School Social Work Week’’ highlights the vital role school social workers play in the lives 

of students in the United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates the week of February 28 through 

3 March 7, 2010, as ‘‘School Social Work Week’’; 

4 (2) honors and recognizes the contributions of 

5 school social workers to the success of students in 

6 schools across the Nation; and 

7 (3) encourages the people of the United States 

8 to observe ‘‘School Social Work Week’’ with the ap9 propriate ceremonies and activities that promote 

10 awareness of the vital role of school social workers, 

11 in schools and in the community as a whole, in help12 ing students prepare for their futures as productive 

13 citizens. 

Æ 


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