                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

CHARACTER EDUCATION REQUIRED (§ 22.1-208.01)

A. Each school board shall establish, within its existing programs or as a
separate program, a character education program in its schools, which may occur
during the regular school year, during the summer in a youth development academy
offered by the school division, or both. The Department of Education shall
develop curricular guidelines for school divisions to use in establishing a
character education program through a summer youth development academy. The
purpose of the character education program shall be to instill in students civic
virtues and personal character traits so as to improve the learning environment,
promote student achievement, reduce disciplinary problems, and develop
civic-minded students of high character. The components of each program shall be
developed in cooperation with the students, their parents, and the community at
large. The basic character traits taught may include (i) trustworthiness,
including honesty, integrity, reliability, and loyalty; (ii) respect, including
the precepts of the Golden Rule, tolerance, and courtesy; (iii) responsibility,
including hard work, economic self-reliance, accountability, diligence,
perseverance, and self-control; (iv) fairness, including justice, consequences
of bad behavior, principles of nondiscrimination, and freedom from prejudice;
(v) caring, including kindness, empathy, compassion, consideration, generosity,
and charity; and (vi) citizenship, including patriotism, the Pledge of
Allegiance, respect for the American flag, concern for the common good, respect
for authority and the law, and community-mindedness.
			Classroom instruction may be used to supplement a character education
program; however, each program shall be interwoven into the school procedures
and environment and structured to instruct primarily through example,
illustration, and participation, in such a way as to complement the Standards of
Learning. The program shall also address the inappropriateness of bullying, as
defined in &#xA7; 22.1-276.01.
			This provision is intended to educate students regarding those core civic
values and virtues that are efficacious to civilized society and are common to
the diverse social, cultural, and religious groups of the Commonwealth.
Consistent with this purpose, Virginia&#8217;s civic values, which are the
principles articulated in the Bill of Rights (Article I) of the Constitution of
Virginia and the ideals reflected in the seal of the Commonwealth, as described
in &#xA7; 1-500, may be taught as representative of such civic values. Nothing
herein shall be construed as requiring or authorizing the indoctrination in any
particular religious or political belief.

B. The Board of Education shall establish criteria for character education
programs consistent with the provisions of this section. The Department of
Education shall assist school divisions in implementing character education
programs and practices that are designed to promote the development of personal
qualities as set forth in this section and the Standards of Quality and that
will improve family and community involvement in the public schools. With such
funds as are made available for this purpose, the Department of Education shall
provide resources and technical assistance to school divisions regarding
successful character education programs and shall (i) identify and analyze
effective character education programs and practices and (ii) collect and
disseminate among school divisions information regarding such programs and
practices and potential funding and support sources. The Department of Education
may also provide resources supporting professional development for
administrators and teachers in the delivery of any character education programs.

C. The Department of Education shall award, with such funds as are appropriated
for this purpose, grants to school boards for the implementation of innovative
character education programs, including a summer youth development academy.

HISTORY: 1998, c. 725; 1999, c. 944; 2003, c. 777; 2005, cc. 461, 484, 839;
2012, c. 703; 2013, c. 575.