II 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 547 

To direct the Secretary of Education to establish an award program recognizing excellence exhibited by public school system employees providing 

services to students in pre-kindergarten through higher education. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 10, 2011 

Mrs. MURRAY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Education to establish an award 

program recognizing excellence exhibited by public school 

system employees providing services to students in prekindergarten 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. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘The Annual National 

5 Classified School Employee of the Year Award Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) Classified school employees provide valuable 

2 service to public schools in the United States. 

3 (2) Classified school employees provide essential 

4 services, such as transportation, facilities mainte5 nance and operations, food service, safety, and 

6 health care. 

7 (3) Classified school employees play a vital role 

8 in providing for the welfare and safety of students. 

9 (4) Classified school employees strive for excel10 lence in all areas of service to the education commu11 nity. 

12 (5) Exemplary classified school employees 

13 should be recognized for their outstanding contribu14 tions to quality education in the United States. 

15 SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF CLASSIFIED SCHOOL EMPLOYEE. 

16 In this Act: 

17 (1) CLASSIFIED SCHOOL EMPLOYEE.—The term 

18 ‘‘classified school employee’’ means a public em19 ployee of a State or of any political subdivision of a 

20 State, who works in any grade from prekindergarten 

21 through higher education in any of the following 9 

22 occupational specialties: 

23 (A) Paraprofessional services. 

24 (B) Clerical and administrative services. 

25 (C) Transportation services. 


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1 (D) Food and nutrition services. 

2 (E) Custodial and maintenance services. 

3 (F) Security services. 

4 (G) Health and student services. 

5 (H) Technical services. 

6 (I) Skilled trades. 

7 (2) OTHER DEFINITIONS.—The terms used in 

8 this Act have the meaning given the terms in section 

9 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 

10 Act 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 

11 SEC. 4. RECOGNITION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED. 

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

13 establish a national recognition program to be known as 

14 the ‘‘National Classified School Employee of the Year 

15 Award program’’. The purpose of the program shall be 

16 to recognize and promote the commitment and excellence 

17 exhibited by classified school employees in public schools 

18 who provide exemplary service to students in pre-kinder19 garten through higher education. 

20 (b) AWARD.—Prior to March 31 of each year (begin21 ning with the second calendar year that begins after the 

22 date of the enactment of this Act), the National Classified 

23 School Employee Award program shall recommend to the 

24 Secretary a classified school employee to receive the Na25 tional Classified School Employee Award for the year. 


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1 (c) SELECTION PROCESS.— 

2 (1) NOMINATION PROCESS.— 

3 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than Novem4 ber 1 of each year (beginning with the first cal5 endar year that begins after the date of the en6 actment of this Act), the Secretary shall solicit 

7 nominations of classified school employees in 

8 public schools from the occupational specialties 

9 described in section 3(1) from the chief State 

10 school officer of each State. 

11 (B) NOMINATION SUBMISSIONS.—In order 

12 for individuals in a State to be eligible to re13 ceive recognition under this section, the chief 

14 State school officer of the State shall consider 

15 nominations submitted by the following: 

16 (i) Local educational agencies. 

17 (ii) School administrators. 

18 (iii) Professional associations. 

19 (iv) Labor organizations. 

20 (v) Educational service agencies. 

21 (vi) Any other group determined ap22 propriate by the National Classified School 

23 Employee Award program. 

24 (2) DEMONSTRATION.—Each chief State school 

25 officer of a State who desires individuals in the 


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1 State to receive recognition under this section shall 

2 submit the nominations described in paragraph (1) 

3 to the Secretary in such manner as may be required 

4 by the National Classified School Employee Award 

5 program. Each such nomination shall contain, at a 

6 minimum, demonstrations of excellence in the fol7 lowing areas: 

8 (A) Work performance. 

9 (B) School and community involvement. 

10 (C) Leadership and commitment. 

11 (D) Local support. 

12 (E) Enhancement of classified school em13 ployees’ image in the community and schools. 

14 (F) Any other area of superior perform15 ance, such as health and safety promotion or ef16 ficient use of energy or other resources. 

17 (3) SELECTION.—The National Classified 

18 School Employee Award program shall develop uni19 form national guidelines for evaluating nominations 

20 submitted under paragraph (2) in order to select the 

21 most deserving nominees based on the demonstra22 tions made in the areas described in such paragraph. 

Æ 


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