The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) in partnership with the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC), a consortium of 13 school districts in north central Kentucky, is developing its program around ten character traits identified by a state Character Education Task Force and supplemented by four additional traits courtesy, human worth, knowledge, and self discipline. Schools learn how to integrate the character traits in the existing curriculum and how to involve students, parents and the community in the program. An evaluator has developed evaluation tools and procedures to collect and analyze data and make recommendations for program modifications. Through a competitive application process, four additional demonstration schools were identified in year two, and eight more schools were identified to serve as pilot sites. While pilot schools received the same materials as demonstration schools, they are offered fewer on-site consultative services, and training is delivered through distance learning rather than on site.
The FY97 Federal funding of $250,000 was supplemented by $78,040 from other sources the first year and $278,880 from other sources over the life of the project. FY98: $250,000.
Contact: Rhonda Bailey, (502) 564-3791.
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will lead the Character Education Partnership which includes Jennings School District, the Missouri School Boards Association, the Cooperating School Districts of St. Louis, and the University of Missouri at Columbia. The Personal Responsibility Education Process (PREP) wishes to assist the "Show Me Character Education Partnership" with establishing their own character education programs modeled after PREP. The project will develop an evaluation system and assess the success of character education using student data on behavior, academic performance and attitude. The evaluation plan calls for three kinds of activities: 1) develop an evaluation system of tools to assess the success of character education using student data on behavior, academic performance and attitude 2) process evaluation, including planning, professional development, and dissemination; and 3) studies of outcomes, including the numbers of schools that implement PREP, student behaviors, staff morale, and community support. In addition to FY97 Federal funding of $249,524, the state plans to spend an additional $47,689 from other sources the first year and $609,201 from other sources over the life of the project.
FY98: $249,622.
Contacts: Robin Hoffman, (573) 751-7602;
Linda McKay or Judy Owens, (314) 516-4500
The New Jersey Department of Education is working with the Newark School District and the Newark Do Something Fund, a community development agency, to develop an urban pilot project in character education. Through the state's Core Curriculum Content Standards, the program intends to infuse character education into the curriculum renewal process in the 62 Newark schools that have any combination of grades K-8. The project also plans to establish the New Jersey Character Education Network that will provide public and private schools a range of character education strategies, procedures, and program designs through professional development and sharing opportunities. The state will hire an outside evaluator to design and carry out evaluation activities associated with the Newark pilot project. The evaluation will be built around the project goals: infusion of character education into the curriculum renewal process; development of a school-community partnership; adaptation of the Newark model by Jersey City and Paterson.
FY97: $250,000;FY98: $250,000.
Contact: Philip Brown, (609) 292-5935.
The South Carolina State Department of Education has formed a partnership with four school districts to serve as pilot sites for the statewide transformation of South Carolina's schools. The South Carolina Character Education Coordinating Team drives the initiative, a team composed of youths, business, community members, and educators. The program emphasizes the following measures: 1) local control of character education, 2) youth participation in all aspects of character development, 3) community ownership and leadership at all levels, 4) trained school personnel in the area of character education and 5) supportive infrastructure for collaboration statewide and beyond. South Carolina's goal of preparing all children to achieve their potential is being strengthened through the comprehensive implementation of character education. As a result, character education is enabling South Carolina's schools to make positive choices to adopt components best suited to improve their school environments and to strengthen and connect the community of their schools and districts to build the moral character of their students.
FY97:$250,000; FY98:$250,000.
Contact: Camille Nairn, (803) 734-8445.
