This after school program is designed to help middle school students primarily at risk for academic failure or committing juvenile offenses by providing grants for academic and character education. School districts can contract with private sector groups to provide these activities. The Dallas Independent School District has also implemented character education programs. These programs are partially funded through TEA grants and federal Title VI funds earmarked for safe and drug-free schools. Currently DISD has about 85,000 children participating in these programs.
Responsibility replaces violence, respect replaces apathy, and caring replaces underachievement.
One school in Carrollton that implemented a character education program reported that 97 percent of parents agreed that there is good discipline in the classrooms, and 94 percent agreed that discipline is good on school grounds. I believe we can make a significant difference in our children's lives and the future of our nation through character education. That is why I encourage parents and school districts to use available state and federal resources for character education and to look for other resources that can help develop our children's characters. Of course we also must enforce discipline standards as well as academic standards in the classroom. We must let our children know what is expected of them in our schools and hold them accountable for their actions.