January 29, 2020 Committee of the Full Board Item 5
Discussion of Character Traits Instruction
January 29, 2020
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION
SUMMARY: This item provides the opportunity for the board to discuss the integration of positive character traits into the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for kindergarten through grade 12 in accordance with House Bill (HB) 1026, 86th Texas Legislature, 2019.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4); 28.002(a) and (c); and 29.906 as amended by HB 1026, 86th Texas Legislature, 2019.
TEC, §7.102(c)(4), requires the State Board of Education (SBOE) to establish curriculum and graduation requirements.
TEC, §28.002(a), identifies the subjects of the required curriculum.
TEC, §28.002(c), requires the SBOE to by rule identify the essential knowledge and skills of each subject in the required curriculum that all students should be able to demonstrate and that will be used in evaluating instructional materials and addressed on the state assessment instruments.
TEC, §29.906, as amended by HB 1026, 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, requires the SBOE to integrate positive character traits into the essential knowledge and skills adopted for kindergarten through grade 12, as appropriate.
The full text of statutory citations can be found in the statutory authority section of this agenda.
FUTURE ACTION EXPECTED: At the request of the committee, rules regarding the integration of character education instruction may be presented for consideration by the SBOE at a future meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: In 2019, the 86th Texas Legislature passed HB 1026, requiring the SBOE to integrate positive character traits into the essential knowledge and skills adopted for kindergarten through grade 12, as appropriate. The legislation requires the SBOE to include the following positive character education traits in the standards: courage; trustworthiness, including honesty, reliability, punctuality, and loyalty; integrity; respect and courtesy; responsibility, including accountability, diligence, perseverance, and self-control; fairness, including justice and freedom from prejudice; caring, including kindness, empathy, compassion, consideration, patience, generosity, and charity; good citizenship, including patriotism, concern for the common good and the community, and respect for authority and the law; school pride; and gratitude. The legislation also requires school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to adopt a character education program that includes the required positive character traits.
This item presents an opportunity for the committee to discuss how to integrate, as appropriate positive character traits into the essential knowledge and skills adopted for kindergarten through grade 12.
Staff Members Responsible:
Monica Martinez, Associate Commissioner, Standards and Programs
Shelly Ramos, Division Director, Curriculum