Overview
The “Oklahoma Schools of Character” process helps pre-K-12 educators prepare students to be responsible, caring and productive citizens with the competence and character necessary to succeed. OKcharacter.org is an Oklahoma-based, nonprofit providing schools training in “11 Principles of Effective Character Education.” Although not a teaching curriculum, the 11 Principles is an evaluation tool used to access and improve the school’s or district’s culture of character.
OKcharacter.org works closely with schools and districts that seek to apply for recognition as a “State and National School/District of Character” based on the criteria the 11 Principles. As of 2019, there have been 18 National Schools of Character named in Oklahoma, 14 public schools and four charter schools. The complete list of current and past schools of character can be found at www.okcharacter.org/
schools-of-character.html . The 2020 online application for School of Character opened in August 2019 and closes in early December. The application link can be found on the OKcharacter.org homepage. Additionally, there have been 75 Promising Practices in Character Development awarded to Oklahoma schools.
National Schools of Character
2017: Dove Science Academy Elementary (Oklahoma City), Dove Science Academy Secondary (Oklahoma City), Eisenhower High School (Lawton), Pryor Junior High and Whittier Elementary School (Muskogee)
2016: Jefferson Elementary School and Lincoln Elementary School (Pryor Public Schools) and Muskogee Early Childhood Center (Muskogee Public Schools)
2015: Pryor High School
2014: Hilldale Middle School and Sadler Arts Academy
2013: Muskogee’s Rougher Alternative Academy
2011: Muskogee High School
State Schools of Character
2018: Dove School of Discovery (Tulsa) and MacArthur High School (Lawton)
2017: Dove Science Academy (Oklahoma City), Dove Elementary (Oklahoma City), Dove Science Academy (Tulsa), Eisenhower High School (Lawton), Pryor Junior High School (Pryor) and Whittier Elementary School (Muskogee)
2016: Jefferson Elementary School and Lincoln Elementary School (Pryor Public Schools) and Muskogee Early Childhood Center (Muskogee Public Schools)
2015: Pryor High School
2014: Hilldale Middle School and Sadler Arts Academy
Character Education Resources
Character Counts
Character Development Group
Character First
Character.org
Character Plus
Edutopia
Great Expectations
Institute for the Study of Human Flourishing (University of Oklahoma)
Jefferson Center for Character Education
Leader In Me Schools
Leadership Academy of Character Education (L.A.C.E.)
OKcharacter.org
For more information about character education, contact Madison Tomlinson, state coordinator of Oklahoma Schools of Character, at madison@okcharacter.org or 918.577.7437. Visit www.okcharacter.org , an affiliate of character.org , for additional details.