House Bill hb1273

    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 1273

        By Representative Mack






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to required instruction in the

  3         public schools; amending s. 233.061, F.S.;

  4         providing that the character-development

  5         program shall be required instruction in

  6         kindergarten through grade 12; requiring

  7         curriculum development and approval; amending

  8         s. 233.0612, F.S., relating to authorized

  9         instruction, to conform; providing effective

10         dates.

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12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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14         Section 1.  Paragraph (q) of subsection (2) of section

15  233.061, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

16         233.061  Required instruction.--

17         (2)  Members of the instructional staff of the public

18  schools, subject to the rules and regulations of the

19  commissioner, the state board, and the school board, shall

20  teach efficiently and faithfully, using the books and

21  materials required, following the prescribed courses of study,

22  and employing approved methods of instruction, the following:

23         (q)  A character-development program in the elementary

24  schools, similar to Character First or Character Counts. Such

25  a program must be secular in nature and must stress such

26  character qualities as attentiveness, patience, and

27  initiative. Beginning in school year 2004-2005, the

28  character-development program shall be required in

29  kindergarten through grade 12. Each district school board

30  shall develop a curriculum for the character-development

31  program which shall be submitted to the Department of

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 2002                HB 1273

    780-112-02






  1  Education for approval. The character-development curriculum

  2  shall stress the qualities of patriotism, responsibility,

  3  citizenship, kindness, respect, honesty, self-control,

  4  tolerance, and cooperation.

  5         Section 2.  Effective July 1, 2004, subsection (1) of

  6  section 233.0612, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  7         233.0612  Authorized instruction.--Each school district

  8  may provide students with programs and instruction at the

  9  appropriate grade levels in areas including, but not limited

10  to, the following:

11         (1)  Character development, Ethics, and law education.

12         Section 3.  Except as otherwise provided herein, this

13  act shall take effect July 1, 2002.

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16                          HOUSE SUMMARY

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      Provides that the character-development program in the
18    public schools shall be required instruction in
      kindergarten through grade 12 beginning in school year
19    2004-2005. Requires curriculum development and approval.

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.