Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB729 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R4341 MK-D
2	2	By: Bohac H.B. No. 729
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to instruction in positive character traits in public
8	8	schools.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 29.906, Education Code, is amended to
11	11	read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 29.906. CHARACTER TRAITS INSTRUCTION [EDUCATION
13	13	PROGRAM]. (a) The State Board of Education shall integrate
14	14	positive character traits into the essential knowledge and skills
15	15	adopted for kindergarten through grade 12, as appropriate [A school
16	16	district may provide a character education program].
17	17	(b) The State Board of Education must include the following
18	18	[A character education program under this section must:
19	19	[(1) stress] positive character traits [, such as]:
20	20	(1) [(A)] courage;
21	21	(2) [(B)] trustworthiness, including honesty,
22	22	reliability, punctuality, and loyalty;
23	23	(3) [(C)] integrity;
24	24	(4) [(D)] respect and courtesy;
25	25	(5) [(E)] responsibility, including accountability,
26	26	diligence, perseverance, and self-control;
27	27	(6) [(F)] fairness, including justice and freedom
28	28	from prejudice;
29	29	(7) [(G)] caring, including kindness, empathy,
30	30	compassion, consideration, patience, generosity, and charity;
31	31	(8) [(H)] good citizenship, including patriotism,
32	32	concern for the common good and the community, and respect for
33	33	authority and the law; [and]
34	34	(9) [(I)] school pride; and
35	35	(10) gratitude[;
36	36	[(2) use integrated teaching strategies; and
37	37	[(3) be age appropriate].
38	38	(c) The State Board of Education shall create a report that
39	39	identifies the manner in which the character traits listed under
40	40	Subsection (b) have been integrated into the curriculum. The board
41	41	shall make the report publicly available on the board's Internet
42	42	website.
43	43	(d) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school
44	44	must adopt a character education program that includes the positive
45	45	character traits listed in Subsection (b). The district or
46	46	open-enrollment charter school shall submit the adopted program to
47	47	the agency annually, in a manner determined by the commissioner.
48	48	(e) In developing or selecting a character education
49	49	program under this section, a school district shall consult with a
50	50	committee selected by the district that consists of:
51	51	(1) parents of district students;
52	52	(2) educators; and
53	53	(3) other members of the community, including
54	54	community leaders.
55	55	(f) [(d)] This section does not require or authorize
56	56	proselytizing or indoctrinating concerning any specific religious
57	57	or political belief.
58	58	(g) [(e)] The agency shall:
59	59	(1) maintain a list of character education programs
60	60	that school districts have implemented that meet the criteria under
61	61	Subsection (b); and
62	62	(2) using the services of a center for education
63	63	research established under Section 1.005, and based on data
64	64	reported by districts, annually designate as a Character Plus
65	65	School each school that provides a character education program
66	66	that:
67	67	(A) meets the criteria prescribed by Subsection
68	68	(b); [and]
69	69	(B) is approved by the committee selected under
70	70	Subsection (e) [(c)]; and
71	71	(C) demonstrates a correlation between the
72	72	character education program adopted by the school, an increase in
73	73	student attendance levels, and a decrease in student disciplinary
74	74	problems [(3) include in the report required under Section 39.332:
75	75	[(A) based on data reported by districts, the
76	76	impact of character education programs on student discipline and
77	77	academic achievement; and
78	78	[(B) other reported data relating to character
79	79	education programs the agency considers appropriate for
80	80	inclusion].
81	81	(h) [(f)] The agency may accept money from [federal
82	82	government and] private sources to use in assisting school
83	83	districts in implementing character education programs that meet
84	84	the criteria prescribed by Subsection (b).
85	85	(i) The State Board of Education may adopt rules as
86	86	necessary to implement this section.
87	87	SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018
88	88	school year.
89	89	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
90	90	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
91	91	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
92	92	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
93	93	Act takes effect September 1, 2017.