BP BHEAD INT H [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to character education; adding new sections to chapter 28A.300 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that academic success rests on a foundation of character. The legislature further finds that parents are the first and primary moral educators of children, and that schools have a role in reinforcing the character traits and values deemed important by parents and the local community. The legislature further finds that when character education is integrated into a school's curriculum there is a decline of incidences involving violence, bullying, and harassment.

The legislature finds and reasserts that the goal of the state basic education act for the schools of the state of Washington is to provide students with the opportunity to become responsible citizens, to contribute to their own economic well-being and to that of their families and communities, and to enjoy productive and satisfying lives. The legislature recognizes and reasserts that certain basic values and character traits are essential to liberty, fulfillment, and happiness, however these traits are not intended to be assessed or be standards for graduation. The legislature intends that local communities have the responsibility for determining how these values and character traits are learned. The legislature further intends to assist interested schools in their efforts to implement character education programs developed in partnership with parents and the entire spectrum of stakeholders in the local community.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The Washington character education partnership program is established. The purpose of the program is to assist public schools in their efforts to design and implement character education programs developed in partnership with parents and the schools' local communities. The program shall be administered by the office of the superintendent of public instruction. In its administration of the program, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall simplify, to the extent feasible, the administrative and reporting requirements of participants and shall provide to interested schools and districts a simple application of no more than three pages, including attachments, for the program. In its selection of participants, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall seek state-wide balance geographically and in terms of size of districts and schools.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Subject to funding appropriated by the legislature for the character education partnership program, the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall design and implement a competitive grant program to provide character education partnership grants of up to twenty-five thousand dollars each to schools, school districts, or educational service districts applying on behalf of two or more schools or school districts. The grants may be used exclusively for the design and implementation of each applicant's character education partnership program. Participants in the program shall meet the following conditions, and any other conditions contained in any legislative appropriation for the program:

(1) Participants are eligible to receive a grant for a maximum of two years.

(2) Grant applications must be supported by the school's or school district's superintendent and local board of directors.

(3) Participants must create and maintain for at least the duration of the grant partnerships with parents and the entire spectrum of the local community to:

(a) Develop the community's definition of character;

(b) Identify the character traits and values that will be reinforced through the school's character education partnership program; and

(4) Grants may be used for the following purposes:

(a) To meet the requirements of subsection (3) of this section, however, no more than one thousand dollars of the grant funds may be used for this purpose;

(b) To determine how to integrate the identified traits and values into the school's curriculum and culture, and to develop a set of strategies for the implementation of the school's or district's character education partnership program;

(c) To construct and offer staff development materials that support the instruction developed for the school's or district's character education partnership program;

(d) To provide training for students, educators, and staff in conflict resolution and personal accountability and responsibility; and

(e) To develop or purchase curriculum materials and learning resources, integrated with the state essential learnings and keyed to children's developmental levels, for reinforcing the values and character traits identified by the process instituted under subsection (3) of this section.

(5) Participants shall provide information at least annually to parents and the community on the implementation of the character education partnership programs.

(6) Participants shall provide to the office of the superintendent of public instruction a summary report of the process, strategies, and materials used in the program, an explanation of the strategies used to achieve and maintain the parental and community partnership of the participant's program, and information on any achievements that result from the program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The office of the superintendent of public instruction shall:

(1) Provide a central clearinghouse for reports from participants in the character education partnership program;

(2) To the extent that funding is provided for this purpose, provide technical assistance to participants and to schools or school districts interested in applying for character education partnership grants; and

(3) Designate a coordinator for character education who, to the extent that funding is provided for this purpose, shall have full-time responsibility for character education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Sections 2 through 4 of this act are each added to chapter 28A.300 RCW.