Bill Text: FL S1770 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
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
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 12the elementary schools, similar to Character First,or24 Character Counts, or The Leader in Me, which is secular in25nature. 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.Beginning32in school year 2004-2005, the character-development program33shall 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 character39development curriculum shall stress the qualities of patriotism;40responsibility; citizenship; kindness; respect for authority,41life, liberty, and personal property; honesty; charity; self42control; racial, ethnic, and religious tolerance; and43cooperation.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.