Bill  Florida Senate - 2024 CS for SB 1044, allowing chaplains at schools.

Key Points of the Policy:
 

• Authorization and Transparency:

  • School districts and charter schools can adopt a policy to allow volunteer school chaplains.
     

  • Principals must inform all parents about the availability of these services.
     

  • Written parental consent is required before a student can participate in the services of a volunteer chaplain.
     

  • Parents can choose a chaplain from a provided list that includes the chaplain's religious affiliation, if any.
     

• Safety and Accountability:

  • Volunteer chaplains must meet the same background check requirements as other non-instructional district school employees.
     

  • School districts that adopt this policy must publish the list of volunteer chaplains and their religious affiliations on their website.

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Policy Benefits:
The implementation of volunteer school chaplains brings numerous benefits to school communities. Some of the main benefits include:
 

• Improvement in Motivation and Goal Setting:

  • Students show greater motivation and ability to set and achieve goals.
     

• Enhanced Inter-Student Relationships:

  • Improvement in relationships between students, promoting a more harmonious environment.
     

• Better Student-Teacher Relationships:

  • Strengthening of relationships between students and teachers, facilitating better communication and understanding.
     

• Respect for Authorities:

  • Increase in respect for authorities and school rules.
     

• Problem-Solving Skills:

  • Chaplains help students develop better problem-solving skills.
     

• School Safety:

  • Contribution to a safer school environment.
     

• Self-Respect and Confidence:

  • Promotion of self-respect and increased student confidence.
     

• Improvement in Grades:

  • Significant improvement in students' grades has been observed.
     

 

Supporting Statistics: 
In Texas, where a similar bill has been implemented, the following statistics and results highlight the positive impact of school chaplains:
 

• 89% of principals are now convinced and believe chaplains are crucial to the school community.
   

• 37% increase in high school graduation rates.
   

• 80% decrease in teenage pregnancies.
   

• Zero reported suicides in schools with chaplain programs.
   

Other Notable Improvements:

• Motivation and Goal Setting

• Inter-Student Relationships

• Student-Teacher Relationships

• Respect for Authorities

• Problem-Solving

• School Safety

• Self-Respect

• Confidence

• Grades

 

And also, significant Decreases in:

• Alcohol and Drug Consumption

• Discipline Issues

• School Violence

• Bullying

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Conclusion:
The introduction of volunteer school chaplains promises to provide valuable support to our students, contributing to a positive and safe school environment.

For more information or any questions, please feel free to contact us.