(a) The course of instruction in all public schools shall include character education to help each student develop positive values and improve student conduct as students learn to act in harmony with their positive values and learn to become good citizens in their school, community and society. Public schools are urged to include the use of nonviolence as a means of conflict resolution within character education.(b)(1) The department of education shall provide the appropriate method of instruction in kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12), in conformity with the elementary school curriculum provided for in subsection (c).(2) Local boards of education may implement additional courses and materials in character education at their discretion.(c) Each LEA shall provide the character education curriculum set forth in the curriculum provided by the department or a comparable program approved by the department.(d) Human resource agencies created pursuant to title 13, chapter 26 may serve as the service delivery system for the character education program.(e) Local education agencies are authorized and encouraged to adopt as their course of instruction in character education the Congressional Medal of Honor Character Development Program. This program may be adopted for the appropriate grade levels and integrated into a number of academic subjects, including, but not limited to, government, contemporary issues, history, sociology, psychology, language arts, leadership, and mathematics.
