256.18 - CHARACTER EDUCATION POLICY.

        256.18  CHARACTER EDUCATION POLICY.
         1. a.  It is the policy of the general assembly that Iowa's
      schools be the best and safest possible.  To that end, each school is
      encouraged to instill the highest character and academic excellence
      in each student, in close cooperation with the student's parents, and
      with input from the community and educators.
         b.  Schools should make every effort, formally and informally,
      to stress character qualities that will maintain a safe and orderly
      learning environment, and that will ultimately equip students to be
      model citizens.  These qualities may include caring, civic virtue and
      citizenship, justice and fairness, respect, responsibility,
      trustworthiness, giving, honesty, self-discipline, respect for and
      obedience to the law, citizenship, courage, initiative, commitment,
      perseverance, kindness, compassion, service, loyalty, patience, the
      dignity and necessity of hard work, and any other qualities deemed
      appropriate by a school.
         2.  The department of education shall assist schools in accessing
      financial and curricular resources to implement programs stressing
      these character qualities.  Schools are encouraged to use their
      existing resources to implement programs stressing these qualities.
      Whenever possible, the department shall develop partnerships with
      schools, nonprofit organizations, or an institution of higher
      education, or with a consortium of two or more of those entities, to
      design and implement character education programs that may be
      integrated into classroom instruction and may be carried out with
      other educational reforms.  
         Section History: Recent Form
         94 Acts, ch 1131, §1; 2002 Acts, ch 1083, §1; 2003 Acts, ch 180,
      §6; 2009 Acts, ch 54, §3