By Delisi H.B. No. 911 76R4351 CAS-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to character education programs in public schools. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Section 29.903 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 29.903. CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM. (a) Each school 1-7 district is encouraged to implement in district schools a 1-8 comprehensive character education program such as "Character 1-9 Counts," "Character First! Education," or the "Keystone 1-10 Curriculum." 1-11 (b) A character education program under this section must: 1-12 (1) be secular; 1-13 (2) stress positive character traits such as good 1-14 citizenship, honesty, responsibility, respect, patience, and 1-15 initiative; 1-16 (3) be taught for the entire school year; 1-17 (4) provide at least one hour of instruction each 1-18 week; and 1-19 (5) provide a curriculum that includes: 1-20 (A) definitions of positive character traits; 1-21 (B) examples of positive character traits; 1-22 (C) application of positive character traits in 1-23 the classroom through activities and projects; and 1-24 (D) praise to commend students who demonstrate 2-1 positive character traits. 2-2 (c) A district that implements a character education program 2-3 under this section shall, to the greatest extent practicable, 2-4 incorporate the positive character traits emphasized in the program 2-5 into the district's regular curriculum. 2-6 (d) A district may offer the character education program at 2-7 one or more grade levels. 2-8 SECTION 2. Section 39.092(a), Education Code, is amended to 2-9 read as follows: 2-10 (a) The governor may present a financial award to the 2-11 schools or districts that the commissioner determines have 2-12 demonstrated the highest levels of sustained success or the 2-13 greatest improvement in achieving the education goals or to the 2-14 districts that have implemented a comprehensive character education 2-15 program that satisfies the requirements prescribed by Section 2-16 29.903. For each student in average daily attendance, each of 2-17 those schools or districts is entitled to an amount set for the 2-18 award for which the school or district is selected by the 2-19 commissioner, subject to any limitation set by the commissioner on 2-20 the total amount that may be awarded to a school or district. 2-21 SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 1999-2000 2-22 school year. 2-23 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-24 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-25 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-26 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-27 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-1 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-2 passage, and it is so enacted.