85R4341 MK-D
By: Bohac H.B. No. 729
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to instruction in positive character traits in public
schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 29.906, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 29.906. CHARACTER TRAITS INSTRUCTION [EDUCATION
PROGRAM]. (a) The State Board of Education shall integrate
positive character traits into the essential knowledge and skills
adopted for kindergarten through grade 12, as appropriate [A school
district may provide a character education program].
(b) The State Board of Education must include the following
[A character education program under this section must:
[(1) stress] positive character traits [, such as]:
(1) [(A)] courage;
(2) [(B)] trustworthiness, including honesty,
reliability, punctuality, and loyalty;
(3) [(C)] integrity;
(4) [(D)] respect and courtesy;
(5) [(E)] responsibility, including accountability,
diligence, perseverance, and self-control;
(6) [(F)] fairness, including justice and freedom
from prejudice;
(7) [(G)] caring, including kindness, empathy,
compassion, consideration, patience, generosity, and charity;
(8) [(H)] good citizenship, including patriotism,
concern for the common good and the community, and respect for
authority and the law; [and]
(9) [(I)] school pride; and
(10) gratitude[;
[(2) use integrated teaching strategies; and
[(3) be age appropriate].
(c) The State Board of Education shall create a report that
identifies the manner in which the character traits listed under
Subsection (b) have been integrated into the curriculum. The board
shall make the report publicly available on the board's Internet
website.
(d) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school
must adopt a character education program that includes the positive
character traits listed in Subsection (b). The district or
open-enrollment charter school shall submit the adopted program to
the agency annually, in a manner determined by the commissioner.
(e) In developing or selecting a character education
program under this section, a school district shall consult with a
committee selected by the district that consists of:
(1) parents of district students;
(2) educators; and
(3) other members of the community, including
community leaders.
(f) [(d)] This section does not require or authorize
proselytizing or indoctrinating concerning any specific religious
or political belief.
(g) [(e)] The agency shall:
(1) maintain a list of character education programs
that school districts have implemented that meet the criteria under
Subsection (b); and
(2) using the services of a center for education
research established under Section 1.005, and based on data
reported by districts, annually designate as a Character Plus
School each school that provides a character education program
that:
(A) meets the criteria prescribed by Subsection
(b); [and]
(B) is approved by the committee selected under
Subsection (e) [(c)]; and
(C) demonstrates a correlation between the
character education program adopted by the school, an increase in
student attendance levels, and a decrease in student disciplinary
problems [(3) include in the report required under Section 39.332:
[(A) based on data reported by districts, the
impact of character education programs on student discipline and
academic achievement; and
[(B) other reported data relating to character
education programs the agency considers appropriate for
inclusion].
(h) [(f)] The agency may accept money from [federal
government and] private sources to use in assisting school
districts in implementing character education programs that meet
the criteria prescribed by Subsection (b).
(i) The State Board of Education may adopt rules as
necessary to implement this section.
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018
school year.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2017.