HB 419

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 the
4	curriculum of the character-development program required
5	in kindergarten through grade 12; providing an effective
6	date.
7
8	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
9
10	Section 1.  Paragraph (s) 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 that meet the
17	highest standards for professionalism and historic accuracy,
18	following the prescribed courses of study, and employing
19	approved methods of instruction, the following:
20	(s)  A character-development program in kindergarten
21	through grade 12 the elementary schools, similar to Character
22	First or Character Counts, which is secular in nature. Core
23	values that should be stressed are honesty, virtue, moral
24	courage, dignity of honest labor, patriotism, self-discipline,
25	self-respect, perseverance, duty, honor, compassion, charity,
26	and other qualities of character that better prepare students to
27	recognize and accept the responsibility for preserving the
28	blessings of liberty inherited from prior generations. In the
29	primary classroom in kindergarten through grade 5, the goal
30	should be to integrate the core values into lessons throughout
31	subject matter. Beginning in school year 2004-2005, the
32	character-development program shall be required in kindergarten
33	through grade 12. Each district school board shall develop or
34	adopt a curriculum for the character-development program that
35	shall be submitted to the department for approval. Each
36	principal, administrator, teacher, and other appropriate school
37	personnel must be informed of this paragraph at the beginning of
38	each school year. The character-development curriculum shall
39	stress the qualities of patriotism; responsibility; citizenship;
40	kindness; respect for authority, life, liberty, and personal
41	property; honesty; charity; self-control; racial, ethnic, and
42	religious tolerance; and cooperation.
43
44	The State Board of Education is encouraged to adopt standards
45	and pursue assessment of the requirements of this subsection.
46	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.

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