Character.org is a non-profit organization formerly known as the Character Education Partnership, which was founded in the year 1993 in order to encourage people of all ages to practice good ethical values. Today, Character.org creates and shares resources that support people around the globe, including their 11 Principles Framework for Schools: A Guide to Cultivating a Culture of Character.
It is a "nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian, coalition of organizations and individuals committed to fostering effective character education in our nation's K-12 schools."About CEP , Character.org. Accessed September 25, 2006. Character.org's mission is "Leading the nation in helping schools develop people of good character for a just and compassionate society.", Character.org. Accessed August 5, 2008. A commentary in the November 14, 2007 edition of Education Week stated that "Just about anything can be called character education these days", whereas "Schools serious about helping students form good character rely heavily on Character.org's 11 Principles of Effective Character Education."Greer, Peter R. "Character Education on the Cheap", Education Week, November 14, 2007. Accessed November 19, 2007.
Through its National Schools of Character Awards program, Character.org recognizes public and private schools and districts schools (K-12) as National Schools of Character for their outstanding achievements in character education.Bronner, Ethan. "Teaching Values Without Taking a Page From the Bible", The New York Times, June 1, 1999. Accessed November 19, 2007. Winning schools and districts receive a grant, which they are required to use both to continue their character education program and to conduct outreach to other schools working to implement quality character education.
States offering character education programs have worked together with Character.org to establish new programs and to recognize achievements in the area, with New Jersey's Governor noting the organization's efforts to help "young people to learn honesty, respect and responsibility"."Eleven New Jersey Schools Honored for Character Education Accomplishments", New Jersey Department of Education press release dated January 5, 2005. Accessed November 19, 2007. In September 2007, the Massachusetts Department of Education announced that it was working with the Partnership to recognize "outstanding work in character education".Character.org's State School of Character Awards Program, Massachusetts Department of Education press release dated September 22, 2007. Accessed November 19, 2007.
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