North Carolina Department of Education Abstract

Contact: Charlie Abourjilie
North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
301 N. Wilmington Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 807-3854
cabourji@dpi.state.nc.us
Web site: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/charactereducation/

The North Carolina Character Education Partnership (NCCEP)

Application Number: R215V990006 Project Period: 9/1/99–9/30/01 FY 1999 Award: $134,292 FY 2000 Award: $115,708 Application Number: R215V960013 Project Period: 9/1/96–1/31/00 FY 1996 Award: $249,900 FY 1997 Award: $249,900 FY 1998 Award: $249,900

The North Carolina Character Education Partnership (NCCEP) consists of three county school systems (Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Cumberland, and Wake), the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and the Center for the Prevention of School Violence. Working collaboratively, this Partnership has been able to develop and pilot a replicable character education program model supported by a strong evaluation component. The program incorporates three main components: community, climate, and curriculum.

The mission of NCCEP is to contribute to the development of knowledge, skills, and predispositions required for citizenship in a free and open society. The goal of the proposed project is to promote the development of citizenship and character through a well designed, nationally replicable staff development program that is based on the partnership's model character education program.

The objectives of the proposed project are: to increase the number of character education programs in schools across the state and nation through the development and implementation of a character education staff development program; to continue evaluating the character education program in order to provide data for replicating effective strategies across the state and nation; and to expand the production and distribution of character education program information, materials, and evaluation through the Character Education Clearinghouse to promote the use of character education programs across the state and nation.

The Partnership offers an integrated, comprehensive program that is innovative, builds on best practices, and is nationally significant. The development and implementation of a model character education staff development program will increase the capacity of school systems in North Carolina and across the nation to offer quality, comprehensive character education programs to benefit our youth. The staff development training will focus on building community-wide support for character education, improving the school learning climate, and integrating the character education elements of caring, civic virtue, citizenship, justice and fairness, respect, responsibility, and trustworthiness into the curriculum.

The Character Education Clearinghouse will ensure that others will be able to use the information that results from this project. Dissemination mechanisms used by the Clearinghouse include a Web site and toll free number, as well as a statewide conference. The partnership's strong working relationship with the Center for the Prevention of School Violence will also help disseminate resources and information.

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