Recognizing Achievement in Classified School Employees Act

II 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 323 To direct the Secretary of Education to establish the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Program recognizing excellence exhibited by classified school employees providing services to students in prekinder- garten through high school. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES FEBRUARY 4, 2019 Mrs. MURRAY (for herself, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Ms. DUCKWORTH, and Mrs. FEINSTEIN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and re- ferred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To direct the Secretary of Education to establish the Recog- nizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Program rec- ognizing excellence exhibited by classified school employ- ees providing services to students in prekindergarten through high school. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Recognizing Achieve- 4 ment in Classified School Employees Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 Congress finds the following: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:58 Feb 12, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S323.IS S323 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •S 323 IS (1) Classified school employees provide valuable 1 service in the United States. 2 (2) Classified school employees provide essential 3 services, such as transportation, facilities mainte- 4 nance and operations, food service, safety, and 5 health care. 6 (3) Classified school employees play a vital role 7 in providing for the welfare and safety of students. 8 (4) Classified school employees strive for excel- 9 lence in all areas of service to the education commu- 10 nity. 11 (5) Exemplary classified school employees 12 should be recognized for their outstanding contribu- 13 tions to quality education in the United States. 14 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 15 In this Act: 16 (1) CLASSIFIED SCHOOL EMPLOYEE.—The term 17 ‘‘classified school employee’’ means an employee of a 18 State or of any political subdivision of a State, or an 19 employee of a nonprofit entity, who works in any 20 grade from prekindergarten through high school in 21 any of the following occupational specialties: 22 (A) Paraprofessional, including paraeduca- 23 tor services. 24 (B) Clerical and administrative services. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:58 Feb 12, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S323.IS S323 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •S 323 IS (C) Transportation services. 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 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education 10 Act of 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 ‘‘Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) 15 Award Program’’. The purpose of the award program shall 16 be to recognize and promote the commitment and excel- 17 lence exhibited by classified school employees who provide 18 exemplary service to students in prekindergarten through 19 high school. 20 (b) AWARD.—Prior to May 31 of each year (begin- 21 ning with the second calendar year that begins after the 22 date of enactment of this Act), the Secretary shall select 23 a classified school employee to receive the Recognizing In- 24 spirational School Employees (RISE) Award for the year. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:58 Feb 12, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S323.IS S323 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •S 323 IS (c) NONMONETARY VALUE.—The award and recogni- 1 tion provided under this Act shall have no monetary value. 2 (d) SELECTION PROCESS.— 3 (1) NOMINATION PROCESS.— 4 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than Novem- 5 ber 1 of each year (beginning with the first cal- 6 endar year that begins after the date of enact- 7 ment of this Act), the Secretary shall solicit 8 nominations of classified school employees from 9 the occupational specialties described in section 10 3(1) from the Governor of each State. 11 (B) NOMINATION SUBMISSIONS.—In order 12 for individuals in a State to be eligible to re- 13 ceive recognition under this section, the Gov- 14 ernor shall consider nominations submitted by 15 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) Nonprofit entities. 22 (vii) Parents and students. 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:58 Feb 12, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S323.IS S323 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS 5 •S 323 IS (viii) Any other group determined ap- 1 propriate by the Recognizing Inspirational 2 School Employees (RISE) Award Program. 3 (2) DEMONSTRATION.—Each Governor of a 4 State who desires individuals in the State to receive 5 recognition under this section shall submit the nomi- 6 nations described in paragraph (1) to the Secretary 7 in such manner as may be required by the Secretary. 8 Each such nomination shall contain, at a minimum, 9 demonstrations of excellence in the following areas: 10 (A) Work performance. 11 (B) School and community involvement. 12 (C) Leadership and commitment. 13 (D) Local support. 14 (E) Enhancement of classified school em- 15 ployees’ image in the community and schools. 16 (3) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall develop 17 uniform national guidelines for evaluating nomina- 18 tions submitted under paragraph (2) in order to se- 19 lect the most deserving nominees based on the dem- 20 onstrations made in the areas described in such 21 paragraph. 22 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 22:58 Feb 12, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S323.IS S323 pamtmann on DSKBFK8HB2PROD with BILLS