I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2234 
To direct the Secretary of Education to establish the Recognizing Inspiring 
School Employees (RISE) Award Program recognizing excellence exhib-
ited by public school system employees providing services to students 
in prekindergarten through higher education. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 28, 2017 
Ms. TITUS (for herself, Mr. POCAN, Ms. DELBENE, Ms. LEE, Mr. KILMER, 
Mr. TAKANO, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. SWALWELL of California, Ms. HER-
RERA BEUTLER, Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. GARAMENDI, and Mr. MCGOVERN) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Education and the Workforce 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Education to establish the Recog-
nizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award Pro-
gram recognizing excellence exhibited by public school 
system employees providing services to students in pre-
kindergarten through higher education. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Recognizing Achieve-
ment in Classified School Employees Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Classified school employees provide valuable 
service to public schools in the United States. 
(2) Classified school employees provide essential 
services, such as transportation, facilities mainte-
nance and operations, food service, safety, and 
health care. 
(3) Classified school employees play a vital role 
in providing for the welfare and safety of students. 
(4) Classified school employees strive for excel-
lence in all areas of service to the education commu-
nity. 
(5) Exemplary classified school employees 
should be recognized for their outstanding contribu-
tions to quality education in the United States. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF CLASSIFIED SCHOOL EMPLOYEE. 
In this Act: 
(1) CLASSIFIED SCHOOL EMPLOYEE.—The term 
‘‘classified school employee’’ means a public em-
ployee of a State or of any political subdivision of a 
State, who works in any grade from prekindergarten 
through higher education in any of the following oc-
cupational specialties: 
(A) Paraeducator services. 
(B) Clerical and administrative services. 
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(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) OTHER DEFINITIONS.—The terms used in 
this Act have the meaning given the terms in section 
8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 
SEC. 4. RECOGNITION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education shall 
establish a national recognition program to be known as 
the ‘‘Recognizing Inspiring School Employees Award Pro-
gram’’ or the ‘‘award program’’. The purpose of the award 
program shall be to recognize and promote the commit-
ment and excellence exhibited by classified school employ-
ees in public schools who provide exemplary service to stu-
dents in prekindergarten through higher education. 
(b) AWARD.—Prior to March 31 of each year (begin-
ning with the second calendar year that begins after the 
date of the enactment of this Act), the award program 
shall recommend to the Secretary a classified school em-
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ployee to receive the Recognizing Inspiring School Em-
ployees Award for the year. 
(c) SELECTION PROCESS.— 
(1) NOMINATION PROCESS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than Novem-
ber 1 of each year (beginning with the first cal-
endar year that begins after the date of the en-
actment of this Act), the Secretary shall solicit 
nominations of classified school employees in 
public schools from the occupational specialties 
described in section 3(1) from the chief State 
school officer of each State. 
(B) NOMINATION SUBMISSIONS.—In order 
for individuals in a State to be eligible to re-
ceive recognition under this section, the chief 
State school officer shall consider nominations 
submitted by the following: 
(i) Local educational agencies. 
(ii) School administrators. 
(iii) Professional associations. 
(iv) Labor organizations. 
(v) Educational service agencies. 
(vi) Any other group determined ap-
propriate by the award program. 
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(2) DEMONSTRATION.—Each chief State school 
officer of a State who desires individuals in the 
State to receive recognition under this section shall 
submit the nominations described in paragraph (1) 
to the Secretary in such manner as may be required 
by the award program. Each such nomination 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 em-
ployees’ image in the community and schools. 
(F) Any other area of superior perform-
ance, such as health and safety promotion or ef-
ficient use of energy or other resources. 
(3) SELECTION.—The award program shall de-
velop 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. 
Æ 
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