By Telford H.B. No. 946
77R589 CAS-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to character education programs in public schools and in
1-3 certain alternative education programs.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Section 29.903 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 29.903. CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM. (a) Teaching
1-8 positive character traits in public schools is essential to
1-9 improving the learning environment, promoting student achievement,
1-10 reducing disciplinary problems and violence, and developing
1-11 civic-minded students. Recognizing that the character of this
1-12 state is only as strong as the character of its citizens and that
1-13 the state's well-being requires involved, caring citizens of strong
1-14 character, the purposes of this section are to:
1-15 (1) identify, promote, and instill in the children of
1-16 this state essential character traits and civic responsibility and
1-17 teach those traits and that responsibility in a practical manner;
1-18 and
1-19 (2) improve the behavior and enhance the future of
1-20 this state's young people by developing positive character traits
1-21 relating to family, personal relationships, school, the workplace,
1-22 and civic life.
1-23 (b) Each school district may:
1-24 (1) implement its own character education program; or
2-1 (2) use a character education program proposed or used
2-2 by another district.
2-3 (c) A character education program under this section must:
2-4 (1) be nonsectarian in nature;
2-5 (2) stress positive character traits, such as:
2-6 (A) courage;
2-7 (B) trustworthiness, including honesty,
2-8 reliability, punctuality, and loyalty;
2-9 (C) respect and courtesy;
2-10 (D) responsibility, including accountability,
2-11 diligence, perseverance, and self-control;
2-12 (E) fairness, including justice and freedom from
2-13 prejudice;
2-14 (F) caring, including kindness, empathy,
2-15 compassion, consideration, patience, generosity, and charity;
2-16 (G) good citizenship, including patriotism,
2-17 concern for the common good and the community, and respect for
2-18 authority and the law;
2-19 (H) school pride; and
2-20 (I) cleanliness;
2-21 (3) involve district parents in selecting the
2-22 district's character education program; and
2-23 (4) include at least one hour of classroom instruction
2-24 in character education each week.
2-25 (d) A school district that implements a character education
2-26 program is encouraged, to the greatest extent practicable, to:
2-27 (1) incorporate instruction in the positive character
3-1 traits emphasized in the program into the district's regular
3-2 curriculum and classroom instruction;
3-3 (2) integrate the program into a school's procedures
3-4 and environment; and
3-5 (3) provide instruction in the positive character
3-6 traits primarily through definition, example, illustration,
3-7 application, and participation.
3-8 (e) This section does not require or authorize proselytizing
3-9 or indoctrinating concerning any specific religious or political
3-10 belief.
3-11 (f) The agency shall maintain a list of character education
3-12 programs that a school district has approved as meeting the
3-13 criteria under Subsections (c) and (d). The agency shall
3-14 distribute the list to each district in this state, indicating for
3-15 each program listed the district that has approved that program.
3-16 (g) The agency shall review and evaluate the effectiveness
3-17 of comprehensive character education programs that a school
3-18 district has approved as meeting the criteria under Subsections (c)
3-19 and (d), assess the impact of those programs on student discipline,
3-20 academic achievement, and other performance indicators, and include
3-21 the agency's findings and recommendations in the comprehensive
3-22 biennial report required under Section 39.182.
3-23 (h) The agency shall award, out of funds appropriated for
3-24 that purpose, grants to school districts for implementing and
3-25 providing innovative character education programs.
3-26 (i) A school district may recognize a school for its
3-27 character education program, a character education class, a
4-1 character education program teacher, or a student in a character
4-2 education program. The recognition may include money or another
4-3 type of award. The award may be paid for with school district
4-4 funds or with funds solicited from the community.
4-5 SECTION 2. Section 37.008(a), Education Code, is amended to
4-6 read as follows:
4-7 (a) Each school district shall provide an alternative
4-8 education program that:
4-9 (1) is provided in a setting other than a student's
4-10 regular classroom;
4-11 (2) is located on or off of a regular school campus;
4-12 (3) provides for the students who are assigned to the
4-13 alternative education program to be separated from students who are
4-14 not assigned to the program;
4-15 (4) focuses on English language arts, mathematics,
4-16 science, history, and self-discipline;
4-17 (5) provides for students' educational and behavioral
4-18 needs; [and]
4-19 (6) provides supervision and counseling; and
4-20 (7) includes a comprehensive character education
4-21 program as described under Section 29.903.
4-22 SECTION 3. Section 37.011(d), Education Code, is amended to
4-23 read as follows:
4-24 (d) A juvenile justice alternative education program must
4-25 focus on English language arts, mathematics, science, social
4-26 studies, [and] self-discipline, and character education as
4-27 described under Sections 29.903(c) and (d). Each school district
5-1 shall consider course credit earned by a student while in a
5-2 juvenile justice alternative education program as credit earned in
5-3 a district school. Each program shall administer assessment
5-4 instruments under Subchapter B, Chapter 39, and shall offer a high
5-5 school equivalency program. The juvenile board or the board's
5-6 designee, with the parent or guardian of each student, shall
5-7 regularly review the student's academic progress. In the case of a
5-8 high school student, the board or the board's designee, with the
5-9 student's parent or guardian, shall review the student's progress
5-10 towards meeting high school graduation requirements and shall
5-11 establish a specific graduation plan for the student. The program
5-12 is not required to provide a course necessary to fulfill a
5-13 student's high school graduation requirements other than a course
5-14 specified by this subsection.
5-15 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately and applies
5-16 beginning with the 2001-2002 school year.