Bill Text: FL S1770 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Required Instruction in the Public Schools

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2012-03-09 - Died in Education Pre-K - 12 [S1770 Detail]

Download: Florida-2012-S1770-Introduced.html

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       Florida Senate - 2012                                    SB 1770
       
       
       
       By Senator Flores
       
       
       
       
       38-01070-12                                           20121770__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to required instruction in the public
    3         schools; providing a short title; amending s. 1003.42,
    4         F.S.; revising the curriculum of the character
    5         development program required in kindergarten through
    6         grade 12; providing an effective date.
    7  
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Character
   11  Education Act.”
   12         Section 2. Paragraph (s) of subsection (2) of section
   13  1003.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   14         1003.42 Required instruction.—
   15         (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public
   16  schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education
   17  and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and
   18  faithfully, using the books and materials required that meet the
   19  highest standards for professionalism and historic accuracy,
   20  following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
   21  approved methods of instruction, the following:
   22         (s) A character-development program in kindergarten through
   23  grade 12 the elementary schools, similar to Character First, or
   24  Character Counts, or The Leader in Me, which is secular in
   25  nature. The character-development curriculum shall stress the
   26  virtues of wisdom, pursuit of excellence, equality,
   27  responsibility, honesty, courage, patriotism, self-discipline,
   28  perseverance, duty, honor, charity, civility, tolerance, and
   29  other qualities of character that better prepare students to
   30  recognize and accept the responsibility for preserving the
   31  blessings of liberty inherited from prior generations. Beginning
   32  in school year 2004-2005, the character-development program
   33  shall be required in kindergarten through grade 12. Each
   34  district school board shall develop or adopt a curriculum for
   35  the character-development program that shall be submitted to the
   36  department for approval. Members of the administrative and
   37  instructional staff must be informed of the requirements of this
   38  paragraph at the beginning of each school year. The character
   39  development curriculum shall stress the qualities of patriotism;
   40  responsibility; citizenship; kindness; respect for authority,
   41  life, liberty, and personal property; honesty; charity; self
   42  control; racial, ethnic, and religious tolerance; and
   43  cooperation.
   44  
   45  The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
   46  and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
   47         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.