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.