| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to required instruction in the public |
| 3 | schools; amending s. 1003.42, F.S.; revising provisions |
| 4 | relating to the development and adoption of character- |
| 5 | development curricula by district school boards; revising |
| 6 | components of the curricula; providing an effective date. |
| 7 |
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| 8 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 9 |
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| 10 | Section 1. Paragraph (q) of subsection (2) of section |
| 11 | 1003.42, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 12 | 1003.42 Required instruction.-- |
| 13 | (2) Members of the instructional staff of the public |
| 14 | schools, subject to the rules of the State Board of Education |
| 15 | and the district school board, shall teach efficiently and |
| 16 | faithfully, using the books and materials required, following |
| 17 | the prescribed courses of study, and employing approved methods |
| 18 | of instruction, the following: |
| 19 | (q) A character-development program in the elementary |
| 20 | schools, similar to Character First or Character Counts, which |
| 21 | is secular in nature and stresses such character qualities as |
| 22 | attentiveness, patience, and initiative. Beginning in school |
| 23 | year 2004-2005, the character-development program shall be |
| 24 | required in kindergarten through grade 12. Each district school |
| 25 | board shall develop or adopt a curriculum for the character- |
| 26 | development program that shall be submitted to the department |
| 27 | for approval. A curriculum developed or adopted by a district |
| 28 | school board and approved by the department may be shared with |
| 29 | other district school boards for purpose of compliance with this |
| 30 | paragraph. Additionally, the department may develop a model |
| 31 | character-development curriculum to enable district school |
| 32 | boards to meet the requirements of this paragraph. The |
| 33 | character-development curriculum shall define character to |
| 34 | include its cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions; |
| 35 | stress the qualities of patriotism, responsibility, citizenship, |
| 36 | kindness, respect, honesty, self-control, tolerance, and |
| 37 | cooperation; provide for an orderly learning environment to |
| 38 | enable students to make positive lifestyle choices and avoid |
| 39 | unhealthy behavior; create a positive moral culture in the |
| 40 | classroom and the school; and develop moral character and civic |
| 41 | virtue in students as one means of creating a responsible and |
| 42 | compassionate society. |
| 43 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2005. |