Checklist

The following two checklists are provided as resources to those involved in planning character education initiatives. The first, a process checklist, identifies the questions that should be asked during the planning stage. The second checklist provides questions that should be asked if the goal is to implement a comprehensive character education initiative; i.e. one that seeks to influence all aspects of school life.

CHARACTER EDUCATION PROCESS CHECKLIST

• As planners develop and implement their character education initiatives, they should reflect on the planning process by asking: 
• What is the readiness of the community for a character education initiative?
• Have stakeholders and community leaders been identified and involved in the planning?
• Has a proactive communications process been initiated that informs stakeholders of what comprehensive character education is, why schools have a role to play, and how schools intentionally seek to influence moral development?
• Has the planning group developed a common character education knowledge base a vocabulary that will allow them to make informed decisions about the specifics of the initiative?
• Has the planning group agreed on ground rules for their work?
• Has the community identified a set of moral values that it wants its schools to give increased attention to in all aspects of its operation?
• Have action plans been developed for implementing a comprehensive character education initiative?
• Has an evaluation plan been developed for the initiative?
• Has the school board made a public commitment to the initiative?
• Has a structure been developed for nurturing the initiative over the long term (5-10 years)

COMPREHENSIVE CHARACTER EDUCATION CHECKLIST

MORAL MISSION 

• Is moral development a stated mission of this classroom, school, or district?

VALUES-DRIVEN

• Can students identify and define the moral values that direct the life of this classroom, school or district?

WAY OF LIFE

• Do students and staff make a conscious effort to live these values in all aspects of the classroom's, school's or district's life?
• Do students and staff have a common vocabulary that they use to discuss the moral life of the classroom, school, or district?
• Are moral reflection and dialogue evident in the culture of the classroom, school or district?

CONCEPTUALIZATION OF MORAL COMPETENCY

• Do the students in this classroom, school, or district provide explicit instruction about this classroom's, building's or district's moral values?

CURRICULUM

• Does the curriculum in this class, school or district provide explicit instruction about this classroom's, building's or district's moral values?

PRO-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR CODE

• Are the moral values of this classroom, school, or district reflected in the student behavior code?
• Does the behavior code emphasize what students should do rather than what they shouldn't do?

EXPECTATIONS FOR ADULTS

• Do the district's employee selection, orientation, staff development and evaluation activities reflect its moral values?
• Is there a published code of conduct for the staff who serve this classroom, school, or district?
• Are the moral valued of this classroom, school, or district reflected in the code of conduct for adults?

CARING

• Does this classroom, building, or district have specific plans for nurturing caring relationships among staff and students?

SERVICE LEARNING

• Does this classroom, school, or district nurture service to others?
• Do students and staff have an opportunity to reflect on and discuss the meaning of their service experiences?

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH

• Does this classroom, school, or district seek to involve the family and community in efforts to nurture moral values?