Character Education Partnership

Character Education Partnership is a non-profit organization that aims to promote character education in schools and communities across the United States, in collaboration with institutions like the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. The organization works with educators, policymakers, and community leaders to develop and implement effective character education programs, often in partnership with organizations like the National Character Education Center and the Center for Social and Emotional Education. By fostering partnerships with schools, universities, and community organizations, such as the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the University of California, Berkeley, the Character Education Partnership seeks to create a culture of character and civic engagement, inspired by the work of Thomas Lickona and Mara Sapon-Shevin. The organization's efforts are informed by research from institutions like the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Psychological Association.

Introduction

The Character Education Partnership was founded in 1993 by a group of educators and policymakers, including William Bennett and Diane Ravitch, who were concerned about the decline of character education in American schools. The organization's mission is to help schools and communities develop and implement effective character education programs, often in collaboration with organizations like the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the International Reading Association. The Character Education Partnership provides resources, training, and technical assistance to educators and community leaders, drawing on the expertise of institutions like the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Michigan. The organization's work is guided by a set of core principles, including the importance of character development and the need for community engagement, as emphasized by Robert Putnam and James Coleman. The Character Education Partnership also collaborates with organizations like the National Parent Teacher Association and the American School Counselor Association to promote parent-teacher partnerships and student support services.

History

The Character Education Partnership has a long history of promoting character education in American schools, dating back to the early 1990s when it was founded by a group of educators and policymakers, including Ted Sizer and Deborah Meier. In the 1990s, the organization worked with schools and communities to develop and implement character education programs, often in partnership with organizations like the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the American Association of School Administrators. The Character Education Partnership also collaborated with institutions like the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Ford Foundation to support research and development in character education. In the 2000s, the organization expanded its work to include a focus on social-emotional learning and civic engagement, inspired by the work of Daniel Goleman and Peter Levine. The Character Education Partnership has worked with a range of partners, including the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and the U.S. Department of Education, to promote character education and social-emotional learning, often in collaboration with organizations like the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning and the National Association of School Psychologists.

Principles and Practices

The Character Education Partnership is guided by a set of core principles, including the importance of character development, social-emotional learning, and community engagement. The organization believes that character education should be integrated into all aspects of school life, including the curriculum, extracurricular activities, and school culture, as emphasized by Ernest Boyer and Theodore Sizer. The Character Education Partnership also emphasizes the importance of teacher training and parent involvement in character education, often in partnership with organizations like the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the Parent-Teacher Association. The organization's principles and practices are informed by research from institutions like the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the American Educational Research Association, and are aligned with the work of James Comer and Joyce Epstein. The Character Education Partnership has developed a range of resources and tools to support character education, including the Character Education Quality Standards and the National Schools of Character program, which have been recognized by organizations like the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the American Association of School Counselors.

Programs and Initiatives

The Character Education Partnership offers a range of programs and initiatives to support character education in schools and communities, often in collaboration with organizations like the National Council of Teachers of English and the Mathematical Association of America. The organization's programs include the National Schools of Character program, which recognizes schools that have demonstrated excellence in character education, and the Character Education Quality Standards, which provide a framework for evaluating character education programs. The Character Education Partnership also offers training and technical assistance to educators and community leaders, drawing on the expertise of institutions like the Harvard Family Research Project and the National Center for Learning Disabilities. The organization has partnered with a range of organizations, including the U.S. Department of Education, the National Education Association, and the American Federation of Teachers, to promote character education and social-emotional learning, often in collaboration with organizations like the National Association of School Resource Officers and the American School Health Association. The Character Education Partnership has also developed initiatives like the Character Education Leadership Academy and the National Character Education Conference, which have been recognized by organizations like the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the American Association of School Administrators.

Impact and Evaluation

The Character Education Partnership has had a significant impact on character education in American schools, with thousands of schools and communities participating in its programs and initiatives, often in collaboration with organizations like the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the American Association of School Counselors. The organization's work has been recognized by a range of organizations, including the U.S. Department of Education, the National Education Association, and the American Federation of Teachers. The Character Education Partnership has also been evaluated by researchers from institutions like the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who have found that its programs and initiatives have a positive impact on student outcomes, including academic achievement, social-emotional learning, and civic engagement. The organization's evaluation efforts are informed by research from institutions like the National Center for Education Statistics and the American Educational Research Association, and are aligned with the work of Robert Slavin and Harris Cooper. The Character Education Partnership has used its evaluation findings to inform its programs and initiatives, and to promote best practices in character education, often in collaboration with organizations like the National Association of School Psychologists and the American School Counselor Association.

Organizational Structure

The Character Education Partnership is a non-profit organization with a board of directors, a staff, and a network of partners and affiliates, including organizations like the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the International Reading Association. The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has a budget of several million dollars, which is supported by grants from foundations like the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Ford Foundation. The Character Education Partnership is led by a president and CEO, who is responsible for overseeing the organization's programs and initiatives, and for promoting its mission and vision, often in collaboration with organizations like the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers. The organization's staff includes experts in character education, social-emotional learning, and civic engagement, who work with schools and communities to develop and implement effective character education programs, often in partnership with institutions like the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the University of California, Berkeley. The Character Education Partnership also has a network of partners and affiliates, including schools, universities, and community organizations, which work together to promote character education and social-emotional learning, inspired by the work of Thomas Lickona and Mara Sapon-Shevin. Category:Education