Functional Statements > Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools

E. Character and Civic Education

The Character and Civic Education (CCE) group provides national leadership on issues and programs in correction, character, and civic education, including reporting on issues and programs, disseminating information, and providing technical assistance to State agencies and State and local correctional institutions, and providing financial assistance for citizenship and character education activities in elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education. These activities may be carried by State and local educational agencies and by other public and private nonprofit organizations.

The CCE group is headed by a Director who reports to the Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools. The Director advises the Assistant Deputy Secretary and the Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary on matters related to the programs administered by the group.

Specifically, the CCE group has lead responsibility for the following discretionary programs:

• Character Education
• Civic Education
• We The People
• Cooperative Education Exchange

In performing its responsibilities for managing these programs, the group:

• Administers discretionary grants, interagency agreements, contracts, and cooperative agreements.
• Monitors program compliance with statutory and regulatory provisions.
• Provides technical assistance to grantees and other members of the public.
• Participates in the formulation and development of ED program policy and legislative proposals and in the overall Administration policies related to violence and drug prevention. Drafts program regulations.
• Designs operating programs, prepares program and administrative budgets and other management documents.
• Establishes management goals and objectives that are consistent with the ED strategic plan.
• Participates in interagency committees, groups, and partnerships related to correctional, character, and civic education.
• Advises the Assistant Deputy Secretary and Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary on the formulation of a comprehensive character education policy.

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