Bill Text: TX HB3815 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to instruction in positive character traits in public schools.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-28 - Left pending in committee [HB3815 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB3815-Introduced.html
84R14008 MK-D | ||
By: Bohac | H.B. No. 3815 |
|
||
|
||
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 [ |
||
|
||
positive character traits into the essential knowledge and skills | ||
adopted for kindergarten through grade 12, as appropriate [ |
||
|
||
(b) The State Board of Education must include the following | ||
[ |
||
[ |
||
(1) [ |
||
(2) [ |
||
reliability, punctuality, and loyalty; | ||
(3) [ |
||
(4) [ |
||
(5) [ |
||
diligence, perseverance, and self-control; | ||
(6) [ |
||
from prejudice; | ||
(7) [ |
||
compassion, consideration, patience, generosity, and charity; | ||
(8) [ |
||
concern for the common good and the community, and respect for | ||
authority and the law; [ |
||
(9) [ |
||
(10) gratitude[ |
||
[ |
||
[ |
||
(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) [ |
||
proselytizing or indoctrinating concerning any specific religious | ||
or political belief. | ||
(g) [ |
||
(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); [ |
||
(B) is approved by the committee selected under | ||
Subsection (e) [ |
||
(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 [ |
||
[ |
||
|
||
|
||
[ |
||
|
||
|
||
(h) [ |
||
|
||
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 2015-2016 | ||
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, 2015. |