SB-0222, As Passed Senate, March 31, 2004                                   

SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL NO. 222

                                                                             A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled                                             

"The revised school code,"                                                  

(MCL 380.1 to 380.1852) by adding section 1163.                             

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

1   Sec. 1163.  (1) For the 2004-2005 school year and succeeding                

2   school years, the department shall develop and make available to            

3   school districts and public school academies 1 or more model                

4   programs meeting the requirements of subsection (2) that may be             

5   adopted and implemented for the purposes of subsection (2).                 

6       (2) The board of a school district or local act school                      

7   district or board of directors of a public school academy is                

8   encouraged to provide a comprehensive character development                 

9   program for pupils in each grade level it operates.  All of the             

10  following apply to this character development program:                      

11      (a) The character development program shall be similar to the               

Senate Bill No. 222 as amended March 30, 2004                               

1   Michigan model for comprehensive school health education                    

2   character education curriculum, the character counts program, or            

3   the character first! education series <<, or the character unlimited program>>.    

4       (b) The character development program shall be secular and                  

5   research-based and shall have documented effectiveness.                     

6       (c) The character development program shall be based on the                 

7   principles of effective character education published by the                

8   national character education partnership.                                   

9       (d) The character development program shall teach core                      

10  ethical values and character qualities such as honesty, fairness,           

11  kindness, courtesy, compassion, acceptance, responsibility,                 

12  respect for self and others, respect for the property of others,            

13  and service to others and to the community.                                 

14      (e) The character education program shall be designed to                    

15  encourage each pupil to become a responsible, contributing member           

16  of society.                                                                 

17      (f) The character development program should be incorporated,               

18  as much as possible, into each school's regular curriculum and              

19  classroom instruction.                                                      

20      (g) The character development program should be integrated                  

21  into each school's procedures and environment to develop a school           

22  climate that promotes positive character traits.