By: Moncrief S.B. No. 20 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to education for self-development and life skills in 1-2 public schools. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 21, Education Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Section 21.104 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 21.104. SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION. 1-7 (a) Each school district shall offer an objective program of 1-8 education for self-development and life skills in kindergarten 1-9 through grade 12. A district may use a program developed by the 1-10 Central Education Agency or another program approved by the 1-11 district's board of trustees. The program shall incorporate 1-12 appropriate essential elements designated under Section 21.101(c) 1-13 of this code for science, health, social studies, or any other 1-14 appropriate subject. The program may consist of special classes in 1-15 self-development and life skills or may be incorporated into other 1-16 appropriate classes, or both. 1-17 (b) The program shall: 1-18 (1) include instruction in pregnancy prevention, AIDS 1-19 prevention, and substance abuse prevention; 1-20 (2) provide sequential instruction at each grade level 1-21 that is appropriate considering the age and development of students 1-22 at that grade level; 1-23 (3) assist each student to develop: 2-1 (A) critical thinking and problem-solving 2-2 skills; 2-3 (B) self-esteem; 2-4 (C) responsible behavior; 2-5 (D) respect for others; 2-6 (E) communication skills; 2-7 (F) resistance to peer pressure; 2-8 (G) self-sufficiency; and 2-9 (H) stress management skills; 2-10 (4) emphasize the importance of self-discipline, 2-11 responsibility, and ethics in making decisions relating to personal 2-12 choices and behaviors; and 2-13 (5) provide information relating to: 2-14 (A) the possible emotional, psychological, and 2-15 health consequences of adolescent sexual intercourse, including 2-16 consequences related to pregnancy and to AIDS and other sexually 2-17 transmitted diseases, and the benefits of abstaining from or 2-18 delaying sexual activity; and 2-19 (B) laws relating to child support and 2-20 paternity. 2-21 (c) A school district may establish a local advisory 2-22 committee to advise the board of trustees in the selection, 2-23 development, and implementation of the district's program. 2-24 (d) The Central Education Agency shall coordinate teacher 2-25 training for the programs of education for self-development and 3-1 life skills. The training may be provided through regional 3-2 education service centers and in-service training, using the 3-3 available resources and assistance of the Central Education Agency, 3-4 the Texas Department of Health, the Texas Department of Human 3-5 Services, public institutions of higher education, and local 3-6 services. 3-7 (e) The Central Education Agency shall collect and maintain 3-8 data relating to the programs of education for self-development and 3-9 life skills used in districts, including the content at each grade 3-10 level, and to the teacher training provided. 3-11 (f) In this section, "AIDS" means acquired immune deficiency 3-12 syndrome as defined by the Centers for Disease Control of the 3-13 United States Public Health Service. 3-14 SECTION 2. (a) Each school district shall implement a 3-15 program of education for self-development and life skills under 3-16 Section 21.104, Education Code, as added by this Act, in each 3-17 required grade level according to a schedule adopted by the State 3-18 Board of Education. 3-19 (b) The State Board of Education shall report the schedule 3-20 adopted and the status of self-development and life skills 3-21 education in public schools, including the provision of teacher 3-22 training, to the 74th Legislature not later than February 1, 1995. 3-23 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 4-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 4-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 4-3 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 4-4 passage, and it is so enacted.