| (a) Implementation. The provisions of this section
shall be implemented by school districts beginning with the 2021-2022
school year.
(1) School districts and open-enrollment charter schools
are required to provide instruction in the essential knowledge and
skills for positive character traits and personal skills outlined
in this subchapter at least once in the following grade bands: Kindergarten-Grade
2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12.
(2) School districts may provide the required instruction
in a variety of arrangements, including through a stand-alone course
or by integrating the positive character traits standards in the essential
knowledge and skills for one or more courses or subject areas at the
appropriate grade levels.
(b) Introduction.
(1) Character education introduces students to character
traits and personal skills that empower them to be good citizens who
are trustworthy, responsible, and caring. The character traits and
personal skills reflect positive beliefs, attitudes, and mindsets;
provide opportunities for self-reflection; and permit students to
apply effective strategies to make decisions, solve problems, and
behave responsibly.
(2) The standards for positive character traits and
personal skills are comprised of four strands: trustworthiness, responsibility,
caring, and citizenship. Each strand consists of the following character
traits and personal skills.
(A) Trustworthiness: honesty, integrity, loyalty, punctuality,
and reliability.
(B) Responsibility: accountability, diligence, perseverance,
self-control, and self-management.
(C) Caring: interpersonal skills, including charity,
compassion, consideration, cooperation, empathy, generosity, kindness,
and patience.
(D) Good citizenship: having concern for the common
good and the community; having respect for authority, law, justice,
and the rights of others; being free from prejudice; having gratitude
and school pride; being courteous, fair, and patriotic; and making
responsible decisions.
(3) Students are expected to develop an awareness of
self-identity as well as recognize multiple perspectives, differences,
diversity, biases, and the social and cultural context in which they
live.
(4) The knowledge and skills for positive character
traits and personal skills are organized in the following grade bands:
Kindergarten-Grade 2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, and Grades 9-12. However,
due to the complexity of the concepts, student expectations and knowledge
and skills statements cannot be taught, discussed, or viewed in isolation.
(5) Statements that contain the word "including" reference
content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such
as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.
(c) Knowledge and skills.
(1) Trustworthiness. The student understands how personal
skills, choices, and actions build trustworthiness. The student is
expected to:
(A) describe what it means to be reliable and loyal;
(B) define and give examples of honesty and integrity;
(C) examine the benefits of being trustworthy; and
(D) describe personal actions that demonstrate trustworthiness
at school, home, with peers, and within the community.
(2) Responsibility. The student understands how personal
beliefs and feelings and self-management skills influence one's sense
of responsibility. The student is expected to:
(A) examine how personal beliefs, thoughts, and feelings
about self can build responsibility;
(B) identify and describe personal role models who
demonstrate what it means to be accountable for words and actions;
(C) discuss the benefits of practicing self-management
skills; and
(D) compare the benefits of responsible behavior with
the consequences of irresponsible behavior.
(3) Caring. The student understands how interpersonal
skills and characteristics of caring impact personal relationships.
The student is expected to:
(A) evaluate one's personal attitudes and mindsets
about self and others;
(B) discuss how feelings, decision making, personal
behaviors, and interpersonal skills can influence relationships with
others; and
(C) explain and identify examples of how a person can
demonstrate empathy through kindness, charity, generosity, and courtesy.
(4) Good citizenship. The student understands how responsible
decision making and good citizenship impact personal relationships.
The student is expected to:
(A) differentiate between personal responsibility and
responsible decision making and give examples of each;
(B) explain how one's personal actions can impact the
perception of others; and
(C) identify and practice a variety of conflict-resolution
skills and strategies.
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