New Jersey Department of Education Abstract

Contact: Haydee Perez
New Jersey State Department of Education
PO Box 500
Trenton, NJ 08625–0500
(609) 292–5935
haydee.perez@doe.state.nj.us
Web site: http://www.state.nj.us/njded/chared

New Jersey Character Education Pilot Program

Application Number: R215V970003
Project Period: 1/1/97–12/31/01
FY 1997 Award: $250,000
FY 1998 Award: $250,000
FY 1999 Award: $250,000
FY 2000 Award: $250,000

The New Jersey Department of Education is promoting the development of character and values education in the State’s schools. An earlier Governor’s initiative, "Developing Character and Values in New Jersey Students," launched character education in half of the state’s 596 school districts.

This initiative consists of two parts:

1. A partnership between the state’s largest school system, the Newark Public Schools, and the Newark Do Something Fund to create a demonstration project that will:
   • infuse character education through a curriculum renewal process grounded in the State’s Core Curriculum Content Standards and implemented in the public schools in Newark at the K–8 levels in literature arts and literacy (grades 1 to 4) and social studies (grades 5 to 8);
   • refine and implement a school/community service learning and school climate change program organized by the Newark Do Something Fund and the Community Coach program, which is currently operating in 30 Newark middle and high schools; and
   • disseminate the model through collaborating school systems, including the Jersey City and Paterson School District.
2. A statewide professional development and resource sharing network that will:
   • create the New Jersey Character Education Network to share character education strategies, procedures, and program designs; and
   • create a character education clearinghouse that will disseminate professional development and conference opportunities and planned publications, support the National Character Education Partnership, and provide technical assistance.

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