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Current Projects
Free to Learn
A Character-Based Approach for
Teaching Good Citizenship
Samples from
our Free to Learn project schools
Pictures/'Good
Things' from our Free to Learn project
schools
A 2002-2006 USDE Partnerships in Character Education
grant supports CPCE’s current project, Free to
Learn, which develops a model approach to guide high
priority K-6 elementary schools in making improvements in their
student citizenship program while also supporting their efforts
to meet requirements for academic achievement. Using a research-based
approach that is sensitive to current demands on instructional time,
the project anchors the teaching of character-related behaviors
for student growth into the academic program for reading/language
arts. In addition, Free to Learn provides the necessary
skill-based training, materials/resources and assistance to students
and staff in six areas critical to school success: Plan
& Structure, School Climate & Culture, Curriculum &
Instruction, Assessment & Accountability, Leadership Development,
and Outreach & Connections.
In Year Four of the project, Free to Learn will involve
550 teachers in 15 schools, serving approximately 11,000 students.
Goals and Objectives
• To increase achievement and improve character and citizenship
among participating students.
• To enhance the knowledge and skills of participating teachers
and administrators for integrating character education into regular
classroom instruction and existing school programs and activities.
• To gain valuable research information about the impact of
the program on student achievement, student character, and other
student and school success factors.
• To develop a model partnership and method for integrating
the character education initiative with the federal and state Reading
First elementary schools program.
Evaluation Design
The Sacramento project will use a quasi-experimental evaluation
design with carefully matched comparison groups.
Key Accomplishments
Recent accomplishments include:
• ongoing professional development services for program school
site leadership teams at annual 2-day Training Institutes, quarterly
Follow-Up Trainings, and CYC’s Annual Mechanisms for Change
Conference;
• ongoing on-site professional development for program school
staff in school’s identified whole-school component priority
areas;
• continuing distribution to program schools of Reading Takes
Character ~ Connections for K – 6th Grades, lessons aligned
with the California State Board of Education approved reading instruction
program for K-3 schools (i.e. Open Court & California’s
Reading First program);
• packaging and distribution to program schools of First Edition
Whole School Approach to Teaching Character-Based Citizenship™
workbooks at Follow-Up Training I on November 17, 2004. This workbook
compiled essential tools and resources for implementation of the
project’s six whole-school components and related modules
workbook supplements;
• completion of the first and second rounds of data collection
at program and comparison schools;
• compilation of baseline data taken at program and comparison
schools using our IRB approved Program Implementation Scorecard
and Assessment of Students’ Character-Based Citizenship™;
• continued monthly technical assistance provided to school
sites, including visits by assigned coaches who serve as liaisons
between the schools and project leadership, and on-site consultation
to the school site leadership teams in implementing the project;
• continuing involvement from all partners on CYC’s
Statewide Advisory Committee as the advisory committee to the California
Partnership for Character Education Free to Learn project;
• completed and released the Foundations for Teaching Character-Based
Citizenship? booklet for distribution to project schools, districts
and community partners;
• provided updates and educational resources to California’s
high priority schools and educated California leaders, schools and
communities about local, state and federal priorities and goals
for character, citizenship and closing the academic achievement
and participation gaps that exist through CYC’s Fall 2004
Network and also through CYC’s annual Highest Office: Citizen
Community Event (formerly With Liberty & Justice for All), held
each spring;
• launch of the CPCE Free to Learn website, linked through
CYC’s website at www.youthcitizenship.org.
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