HSB 586

This bill requires school districts and charter schools to provide instruction related to character development to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12. The bill establishes what the character development curriculum is to include. The bill prohibits the character development curriculum from defining or teaching character traits in any manner that might promote or encourage students to participate in conduct that would violate any federal, state, or local law. The bill provides that any assessment of a student’s understanding of character development shall be limited to and must reflect the material taught in the classroom. _____ also provides that any character development assessment that is administered shall not evaluate whether a student evidences a specific character trait in the student’s life.3.2, subsection 3, which would relieve a school district from complying with a state mandate if funding for the cost of the state mandate is not provided or specified. Therefore, school districts are required to comply with any state mandate included in the bill.