SECTION 120.9. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Positive Character Traits and Personal Skills, Grades 9-12, Adopted 2020

(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.

Source Note: The provisions of this §120.9 adopted to be effective August 1, 2021, 45 TexReg 7423; amended to be effective June 14, 2022, 47 TexReg 3458