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H0752..........................................................by EDUCATION
EDUCATION - ETHICS/PRINCIPLES/VIRTUE - Adds to existing law to create the
ethics, principles and virtue education fund to be administered to provide
grants to teachers and a teacher honorarium to encourage and recognize
programs which successfully teach ethics, principles and virtue.
03/16 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
03/17 Rpt prt - to Educ
H0752
|||| LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ||||
Fifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2000
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE BILL NO. 752
BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
1 AN ACT
2 RELATING TO CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION IN ETHICS, PRINCIPLES AND VIRTUE; AMENDING
3 TITLE 33, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW CHAPTER 54, TITLE 33, IDAHO
4 CODE, TO PROVIDE A STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS, TO CREATE THE ETH-
5 ICS, PRINCIPLES AND VIRTUE EDUCATION FUND, TO PROVIDE DUTIES FOR THE
6 ADMINISTRATION OF THE FUND, TO AUTHORIZE GRANTS TO TEACHERS AND TO PROVIDE
7 A TEACHER HONORARIUM.
8 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
9 SECTION 1. That Title 33, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby amended
10 by the addition thereto of a NEW CHAPTER, to be known and designated as Chap-
11 ter 54, Title 33, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
12 CHAPTER 54
13 ETHICS, PRINCIPLES AND VIRTUE EDUCATION FUND
14 33-5401. FINDINGS. The legislature finds:
15 (1) That ethical, principled and virtuous citizens are necessary for the
16 existence of a well-mannered, secure and decent society in Idaho;
17 (2) That parents are primarily responsible for instilling ethics, princi-
18 ples and virtue in their children;
19 (3) That every educator has great opportunity to influence children
20 through reinforcement of parents' training and further complementary education
21 in ethics, principles and virtue;
22 (4) That "The Book of Virtues" and "The Children's Book of Virtues,"
23 edited by William Bennett, and George Washington's "Rules of Civility" are
24 premier examples of writings suitable and effective for instilling ethics,
25 principles and virtue in students;
26 (5) That the matters set out in this chapter are in fulfillment of the
27 legislature's obligation set forth in section 24, article III, of the consti-
28 tution of the state of Idaho.
29 33-5402. ETHICS, PRINCIPLES AND VIRTUE EDUCATION FUND. There is hereby
30 created in the treasury of the state of Idaho the ethics, principles and vir-
31 tue education fund. All moneys appropriated to the fund and all donations of
32 money to the fund shall be deposited to the credit of such fund. The treasurer
33 may also accept donations of property on behalf of the fund. The treasurer may
34 authorize the expenditure and transfer of money in the fund and other dona-
35 tions for the purposes and upon the conditions set out in this chapter. The
36 treasurer may hire or contract with a party to serve as administrator of the
37 fund. The treasurer may promulgate rules necessary to implement the purposes
38 of this chapter.
39 33-5403. DUTIES OF ADMINISTRATOR. The administrator shall:
40 (1) Establish simple forms by which teachers may apply for grants as set
2
1 out in this chapter;
2 (2) Review writings submitted by the governor for approval as writings
3 suitable and effective for teaching of ethics, principles and virtue in
4 Idaho's classrooms and may prepare and submit legislation for approval of such
5 writings for use as core writings in programs for which grants can be awarded.
6 Approval of additional writings shall be by concurrent resolution of the leg-
7 islature expressly identifying the approved writings;
8 (3) Review grant applications and, subject to available funds and autho-
9 rization to the treasurer, award grants for proposals meeting the conditions
10 set out herein.
11 33-5404. GRANTS TO TEACHERS. Any teacher at a public elementary school in
12 Idaho may apply to the fund administrator for a grant upon the following con-
13 ditions:
14 (1) Only one (1) grant of up to one hundred fifty dollars ($150) may be
15 awarded to any teacher per school year and award of grants is subject to
16 available funds.
17 (2) Grants may be made only for proposals that:
18 (a) Utilize "The Book of Virtues," "The Children's Book of Virtues,"
19 George Washington's "Rules of Civility" or other writings approved by the
20 legislature as the core text for teaching of ethics, principles and virtue
21 in the teacher's classroom; and
22 (b) Follow a schedule of at least one-half (1/2) hour of dedicated eth-
23 ics, principles and virtue instruction in each school week; and
24 (c) Include provision for integration of the grant program with other
25 subjects throughout the remainder of the school week.
26 (3) After purchase of core writings and other materials set out in the
27 application, the remainder of the grant funds may be used at the discretion of
28 the teacher.
29 (4) The teacher must agree to submit information relating to classroom
30 discipline and academic performance of students as is required by the adminis-
31 trator.
32 33-5405. TEACHER HONORARIUM. Subject to available funds, the governor may
33 award an honorarium from the ethics, principles and virtue education fund of
34 up to two hundred dollars ($200) to any teacher who has completed a proposal
35 for which a grant was awarded. Honorariums may be awarded to any teacher who
36 has demonstrated exemplary success from the teaching of ethics, principles and
37 virtue as evidenced by improved academic performance or decreased incidence of
38 disciplinary actions for the teacher's students.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 10047C2
This creates a fund to promote voluntary character education in Idaho's public
schools.
FISCAL IMPACT
None Required.
Contact
Name: Rep. Bill Sali
Phone: 208/332-1000
Name: John Elliott
Idaho Family Forum
Phone: 208/376-9009
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE H 752