0222: COMMITTEE SUMMARY (3-11-04) - CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

<"tml> 0222: COMMITTEE SUMMARY (3-11-04) - CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM S.B. 222: COMMITTEE SUMMARY

Senate Bill 222 (as introduced 2-26-03)
Sponsor: Senator Valde Garcia
Committee: Education

Date Completed: 3-11-04

CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to require the Michigan Department of Education to develop and make available to school districts and public school academies one or more model character development programs. A school board or the board of directors of a public school academy would be encouraged to provide a comprehensive character development program for pupils in each grade level it operated.

All of the following would apply to the character development program:

-- It would have to be secular in nature.
-- It would have to teach core ethical values and character qualities such as honesty, fairness, kindness, courtesy, compassion, acceptance, responsibility, respect for self and others, respect for the property of others, and service to others and to the community.
-- It would have to be designed to encourage each pupil to become a responsible, contributing member of society.
-- It should be incorporated, as much as possible, into each school's regular curriculum and classroom instruction.
-- It should be integrated into each school's procedures and environment to develop a school climate that promoted positive character traits.

(The bill includes a deadline of December 31, 2003, for the Department to develop the model program.)

Proposed MCL 380.1163 Legislative Analyst: Claire Layman

FISCAL IMPACT
The Department of Education would face increased costs due to this legislation. Specifically, the Department would see increased labor costs for those employees necessary to develop and disseminate a character development curriculum, and there would be associated research, development, and distribution costs.

Fiscal Analyst: Kathryn Summers-Coty

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb222/0304