National and State Schools of Character Awards

1. National and State Schools of Character Awards A Path to Excellence PartI

2. PART I: Overview & Updates 2011 Application Guidelines National and State Schools of Character Awards (NSOC) and (SSOC)

3. National Schools of Character Awards (NSOC) Provide a Path to School Improvement and Recognize Excellence

4. Character Education Partnership • Identifies and honors exemplary schools and districts. • Designates NSOC to serve as models and ambassadors.

5. Recognition NSOC are • Honored at CEP’s National Forum • Receive banner and award • Use NSOC logo and name • Receive press coverage .

6. CEP Showcases NSOC • Articles in NSOC publication • Webpage on CEP’s website • Highlights in CEP newsletter Wow! This is a great help!

7. NSOC Outreach NSOC • Present at CEP Forum • Conduct trainings for other educators • Contribute to CEP’s communication network

8. An Achievable Path to Excellence • Expanded recognition in 2011 • NSOC status achievable for ALL • All schools and districts that implement the 11 Principles at an exemplary level receive the award • Meeting a standard of excellence is the criteria, not competing with others

9. State Schools of Character • 30 state sponsors give SSOC awards • Prerequisite to the NSOC award • State celebrations honor SSOC • SSOC serve as state models • SSOC on CEP website and in NSOC book

10. SSOC: What’s New? • Designation lasts 3 years • SSOC continue to apply for NSOC • Goal is for all SSOC to achieve NSOC

11. Which states are SSOC states? California Colorado Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin 11

12. Continuous Improvement Process • Application fosters self-assessment • Applicants receive quantitative and qualitative feedback • Self-reflection, study, and growth follows “The process of applying for the SSOC/NSOC awards program provides schools with a measuring stick to assess the effectiveness of their work.” ~Ron Tucker, former principal Bayless Junior High School

13. Eligibility • K-12 schools: 3-year minimum • K-12 districts: 4-year minimum • 2006 NSOC and earlier are eligible to apply again *Not eligible? Consider applying for a Promising Practices award.

14. Revised scoring rubric Download and Review

15. The Eleven Principles as the Scoring Rubric Principle #1: The school community promotes core ethical and performance values as the foundation of good character. • Each Principle has 2 to 4 numbered Scoring Items. 1.1 Stakeholders in the school community select or assent to a set of core values • Each Scoring Item lists: • Key Indicators of exemplary implementation: • A highly inclusive representative group of stakeholders (professional and other staff, parents, students, and community members) have had input into or at least assented to the school’s core ethical and performance values. If the district selected the values or if the values have been in place for some time, current stakeholders have been involved in ongoing reflection on the values. • Staff understand how and why the school selected its core values. 15

16. The Scoring Process Items are scored from 0 to 4: 0 Not evident or visible; poor 1 Some implementation 2 Good implementation 3 Very good implementation 4 Exemplary implementation NOTE: (Change from previous years.) Items are scored from 1 to 4. Use the key indicators of exemplary practice as a guide: 1 Lacking evidence 2 Good implementation 3 Highly effective implementation 4 Exemplary implementation .

17. Directions for Districts NOTE: Districts are required to demonstrate additional evidence of character implementation that shows an explicit commitment to building character in its students, staff & community. Principle 1.3 Example: • The district incorporates core values in its community and public relations efforts. • The district establishes core values as part of its vision, mission, goals, objectives, regulations, and policies and seeks to promote a community of adults and students based on a commitment to excellence and ethics. • The followinglist of scoring items apply to districts: • 1.3; 3.1; 3.2; 4.4; 5.1; 7.1; • 8.2; 8.3; 9.1; 9.2; 10.3; 11.2

18. What the application will look like: COMPOSITION: Length: Up to 25 pages for school; 30 pages for district Cover Page with school information Page 1 (not scored): WHY is the school doing CE? WHAT makes it SPECIAL to deserve NSOC status? Pages 2-25 (district: 30): HOW it is implementing CE according to the 11 Principles. Artifacts included in body . Self-evaluation sheet/responses CHANGES FROM THE PAST: Narrative Length: Applicant chooses proportion (text or artifacts at least ¼ of total). Placement of Artifacts: Inserted after each Principle, if possible. Some Changes in Key Indicators: e.g., Academic integrity, using data to shape plans; more SEL Key indicators now outline exemplary implementation. Appendix/Table of Contents Only if unable to insert artifacts NOTE: Eleven Principles, not Quality Standards = the Scoring Rubric.