By Megan Jones
As the leading national organization for character education and the only one located in our nation’s capital, CEP wants to be your voice capital when it comes to governmental initiatives that affect our field. To that end, we’ve joined the Conditions for Learning Coalition, headed by Jon Terry at Capitol Youth Strategies. Here’s the latest from Washington:
- The US Department of Education released draft guidelines for the latest Race to the Top: Districts competition, and solicited feedback from constituents as to how the guidelines could be improved. CEP (along with other members of the Coalition) responded, requesting that Secretary Duncan support his recent assertions that test scores are “lagging indicators,” while school climate a “leading indicator” of school success by including requirements that speak to conditions for learning in the guidelines. A plea for support through our social media channels brought more voices to our cause.
- David Esquith, the director of the Office of Safe and Healthy Students at the US Department of Education, spoke with members of the Coalition in June. Members were encouraged by his support for school climate issues, and his confidence that character education is a leading tool to address these issues. Mr. Esquith expressed frustration at the disconnect between the attention issues such as bullying and academic integrity are getting in the media and at all levels of government, and the support programs to address these issues are getting in terms of funding.
- Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA) launched a new Anti-Bullying Caucus on the Hill, which he hopes will be a source of bipartisan, bicameral support for anti-bullying legislation, so that bills such as the Student Non-Discrimination Act and the Safe Schools Improvement Act can get more traction.
- George Washington University released a study entitled “Changing the School Climate is the First Step to Reform in Many Schools with Federal Improvement Grants,” which focused on six School Improvement Grantees. Mr. Terry, on behalf of the Coalition members, shared these findings- specifically that “administrators and teachers most often cited improvements in school climate as their greatest success after the first year of implementing SIGs,” with David Esquith at the Office of Safe and Healthy Students.
