Texas Administrative Code
Title 19 - EDUCATION
Part 2 - TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY
Chapter 120 - OTHER TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Subchapter A - CHARACTER TRAITS
Section 120.9 - Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Positive Character Traits and Personal Skills, Grades 9-12, Adopted 2020
Universal Citation: 19 TX Admin Code ยง 120.9
Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(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 trustworthiness is viewed in society, politics, and the local
and global community. The student is expected to:
(A) examine how the power to make decisions
relates to personal actions;
(B)
analyze how the decisions and actions of leaders in society, government, and
the local and global community demonstrate loyalty and integrity; and
(C) examine the legal and social consequences
of unethical behavior.
(2) Responsibility. The student understands
how leaders demonstrate responsibility in relationships, families, societies,
politics, and the global community. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and describe personal role
models who demonstrate what it means to be accountable for words and
actions;
(B) identify and discuss
real-world examples of taking personal responsibility for one's words and
actions;
(C) identify and evaluate
strategies for practicing self-management skills in a variety of situations;
and
(D) differentiate between and
give examples of diligence and perseverance and identify strategies for
demonstrating perseverance.
(3) Caring. The student understands how
interpersonal skills and characteristics of caring influence society and impact
the global community. 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 impact professional and social relationships; and
(C) identify strategies for how a person can
show empathy through one's actions.
(4) Good citizenship. The student understands
how responsible decision making and good citizenship influence one's personal
view of society and the local and global community. The student is expected to:
(A) explain the impact of personal actions
and responsible decision making on the family, school, and local and global
community;
(B) describe how
justice, fairness, and freedom are related;
(C) apply conflict resolution skills;
and
(D) participate in constructive
dialogues with those of differing viewpoints.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Texas may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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