[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 13, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1327-S1331]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DOMENICI (for himself, Mr. Dodd, Mr, Cochran, Mr. Cleland, 
        Mr. Frist, Mr. Kennedy, and Mr. Harkin):
  S. 311. A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 to provide for partnerships in character education: to the 
Committee on

[[Page S1328]]

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, this is an issue on which I have been 
working for 7 years; that is, character education in our schools, both 
public and private. The bill I sent to the desk has seven cosponsors 
from both parties. I ask other Senators who are interested in helping 
at the grassroots level in public schools and private schools, who want 
to bring Character Counts to their character education in their 
schools, that they might consider this bill. I would like to speak a 
little bit about character in our Nation and in our schools.
  I rise today with my friend, Senator Dodd, who is my principal 
cosponsor, although we now have Senators Frist, Kennedy, Harkin, 
Cleland, and Cochran. This bill is called the Strong Character for 
Strong Schools Act. It is not a very big program, and it does not 
interfere very much at all with the schools, but it does provide for 
money to be granted to public school systems, partnerships between 
State agencies and others, bringing character, or character kind of 
programs, into the schools.
  Last month, I listened with great pleasure to President Bush's 
inaugural address. He basically ticked off the tenets of good character 
that underscore American life. The President's speech was clearly a 
message about character and the importance of character in American 
daily lives. In his speech, the President touched on many elements of 
good character. I found it especially telling when the President 
emphasized the necessity of teaching every child these principles and 
the duty of every citizen to uphold these very same principles.
  I am going to quote a number of people. Let me quote Theodore 
Roosevelt, one of our great Presidents. He said:

       Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the 
     life of an individual and of our Nation.

  What I have been principally involved in, in our State of New Mexico, 
is called Character Counts. Six pillars of character are promoted in 
the schools. Almost all of them use the same six pillars: 
Trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and 
citizenship.
  I would submit that character truly does transcend time as well as 
religious, cultural, political, and socio-economic barriers.
  I believe President Bush's renewed focus on character sends a 
wonderful message to Americans, and will help those of us involved in 
character education reinvigorate our efforts to get communities and 
schools involved.
  I say that because it was not too long ago, during the last 
Elementary and Secondary Education Act, ESEA, re-authorization, that 
Senators Nunn, Dodd and I included a provision in the bill to fund 
pilot projects to increase character education.
  Since then, the Department of Education has made $25 million in 
``seed money'' grants available to 28 States to develop character 
education programs. Currently, there are 36 States that have either 
received Federal funding, or have enacted their own laws mandating or 
encouraging character education.
  In New Mexico, over 230,000 kids and nearly 90 percent of our schools 
participate in some form of character education.
  Most of New Mexico utilizes a wonderful character curriculum called 
``Character Counts,'' which was established by Michael Josephson, a 
renowned ethicist from the Josephson Institute in California.
  Character Counts emphasizes six pillars of good character: 
trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and 
citizenship. The point is that teachers like this approach. These six 
pillars are not based on any particular religion or philosophy. They 
merely represent the kind of values that everybody can agree are 
important for our children.
  I first learned of Character Counts after reading about it in a 
nationally syndicated newspaper column. I subsequently, found out that 
one school in my State had decided to try the program, and that it 
seemed to be working.
  Character Counts started in New Mexico in 1993 at the Bel Air 
Elementary School in Albuquerque. Bel Air had disciplinary problems, 
and teachers and the principal were looking for ways to address those 
problems. One of Bel Air's counselors, Mary Jane Aguilar, along with 
Don Whatley, a teacher, suggested that the school try a new approach, 
called Character Counts.
  They took the six pillars, with training from the Josephson 
Institute, and began integrating them into the daily lives of their 
students. Within 6 months of integrating Character Counts into the 
daily curriculum at Bel Air, the teachers noticed that disciplinary 
episodes were fewer and that the students began to treat each other 
better.
  After hearing of the success at Bel Air, I invited the mayor of 
Albuquerque in 1994 to join me in forming the Character Counts 
Leadership Council, to bring together community leaders, schools, 
teachers, parents, and students for the purpose of expanding Character 
Counts in Albuquerque and throughout the State. And after our initial 
efforts, I worked to establish Character Counts partnerships in other 
parts of the State, and the program spread quickly throughout New 
Mexico.
  Since then, I have helped bring Character Counts to over 70 schools 
and communities in New Mexico. Places like Farmington, Santa Fe, 
Roswell, Portales, Carlsbad, Silver City, Hobbs and Las Cruces. And in 
even smaller communities like Espanola, Mountainair, Dexter, Hagerman, 
Lake Arthur, Artesia, Capitan, Carrizozo, Lovington, Eunice, Jal, 
Tatum, Alamogordo, Socorro, Deming, and Gallup.
  As I travel around New Mexico, in virtually every town I have noticed 
school billboards with things like: ``The word for the month of May is 
`citizenship.' Character Counts!'' It is everywhere in the schools in 
New Mexico and I am proud to be a part of the program.
  Additionally, many of our communities now have adopted Character 
Counts in afterschool programs like the YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, and 
4-H. So when kids leave the classroom for after-school activities, they 
are still being taught how to make decisions based on the six pillars.
  I think what we are starting to see in New Mexico is the beginning of 
the Character Counts Generation--young people entering high school, who 
are bringing with them the lessons they have learned through Character 
Counts.
  Mr. President, I could go on for quite some time talking about 
Character Counts in New Mexico. The bottom line is that I believe it is 
working in New Mexico and other parts of the country.
  Consequently, I think we need to encourage more character education 
by providing a little more seed money for these worthwhile programs.
  So today, Senator Dodd and I are here to introduce a bill to 
accomplish just that.
  The Strong Character for Strong Schools Act seeks to encourage the 
creation of character education programs at the State and local level 
by providing grants to eligible entities.
  Grant recipients would use the funding to design and implement 
character education programs incorporating the following elements: 
caring, civic virtue and citizenship, justice and fairness, respect, 
responsibility, trustworthiness, and any other elements developed by 
the program.
  ``Eligible entities'' would include partnerships of, one, a State 
Educational Agency, SEA, and one or more school districts, two, an SEA, 
one or more school districts, and one or more nonprofit organizations, 
three, one or more school districts, or, four, a school district and a 
nonprofit organization. Nonprofit organizations could be institutions 
of higher education.
  The program would be authorized at $50 million for fiscal year 2002 
and such sums as may be necessary for each of the four succeeding 
fiscal years.
  I also want to emphasize that our bill does not dictate to States 
which character education program to implement. Rather, the bill merely 
provides states general guidelines and allows them to adopt whatever 
principles or pillars they choose after consultation with their 
communities.
  Hopefully, our renewed effort will bring together even more 
communities to ensure that character education is a part of every 
child's life. And with the successful passage of the legislation we

[[Page S1329]]

are introducing today, our new Secretary of Education, Rodney Paige, 
will be in a position to help make these programs a reality.
  Thank you and I hope that my colleagues will support this effort.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a copy of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 311

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Strong Character for Strong 
     Schools Act''.

     SEC. 2. PARTNERSHIPS IN CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM.

       Section 10103 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
     of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8003) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SEC. 10103. PARTNERSHIPS IN CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Program Authorized.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
     grants to eligible entities for the design and implementation 
     of character education programs that incorporate the elements 
     of character described in subsection (d), as well as other 
     character elements identified by the eligible entities.
       ``(2) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
       ``(A) a State educational agency in partnership with 1 or 
     more local educational agencies;
       ``(B) a State educational agency in partnership with--
       ``(i) one or more local educational agencies; and
       ``(ii) one or more nonprofit organizations or entities, 
     including institutions of higher education;
       ``(C) a local educational agency or consortium of local 
     educational agencies; or
       ``(D) a local educational agency in partnership with 
     another nonprofit organization or entity, including 
     institutions of higher education.
       ``(3) Duration.--Each grant under this section shall be 
     awarded for a period not to exceed 3 years, of which the 
     eligible entity shall not use more than 1 year for planning 
     and program design.
       ``(4) Amount of grants for state educational agencies.--
     Subject to the availability of appropriations, the amount of 
     grant made by the Secretary to a State educational agency in 
     a partnership described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of 
     paragraph (2), that submits an application under subsection 
     (b) and that meets such requirements as the Secretary may 
     establish under this section, shall not be less than 
     $500,000.
       ``(b) Applications.--
       ``(1) Requirement.--Each eligible entity desiring a grant 
     under this section shall submit an application to the 
     Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary 
     may require.
       ``(2) Contents of application.--Each application submitted 
     under this section shall include--
       ``(A) a description of any partnerships or collaborative 
     efforts among the organizations and entities of the eligible 
     entity;
       ``(B) a description of the goals and objectives of the 
     program proposed by the eligible entity;
       ``(C) a description of activities that will be pursued and 
     how those activities will contribute to meeting the goals and 
     objectives described in subparagraph (B), including--
       ``(i) how parents, students (including students with 
     physical and mental disabilities), and other members of the 
     community, including members of private and nonprofit 
     organizations, will be involved in the design and 
     implementation of the program and how the eligible entity 
     will work with the larger community to increase the reach and 
     promise of the program;
       ``(ii) curriculum and instructional practices that will be 
     used or developed;
       ``(iii) methods of teacher training and parent education 
     that will be used or developed; and
       ``(iv) how the program will be linked to other efforts in 
     the schools to improve student performance;
       ``(D) in the case of an eligible entity that is a State 
     educational agency--
       ``(i) a description of how the State educational agency 
     will provide technical and professional assistance to its 
     local educational agency partners in the development and 
     implementation of character education programs; and
       ``(ii) a description of how the State educational agency 
     will assist other interested local educational agencies that 
     are not members of the original partnership in designing and 
     establishing character education programs;
       ``(E) a description of how the eligible entity will 
     evaluate the success of its program--
       ``(i) based on the goals and objectives described in 
     subparagraph (B); and
       ``(ii) in cooperation with the national evaluation 
     conducted pursuant to subsection (c)(2)(B)(iii);
       ``(F) an assurance that the eligible entity annually will 
     provide to the Secretary such information as may be required 
     to determine the effectiveness of the program; and
       ``(G) any other information that the Secretary may require.
       ``(c) Evaluation and Program Development.--
       ``(1) Evaluation and reporting.--
       ``(A) State and local reporting and evaluation.--Each 
     eligible entity receiving a grant under this section shall 
     submit to the Secretary a comprehensive evaluation of the 
     program assisted under this section, including the impact on 
     students (including students with physical and mental 
     disabilities), teachers, administrators, parents, and 
     others--
       ``(i) by the second year of the program; and
       ``(ii) not later than 1 year after completion of the grant 
     period.
       ``(B) Contracts for evaluation.--Each eligible entity 
     receiving a grant under this section may contract with 
     outside sources, including institutions of higher education, 
     and private and nonprofit organizations, for purposes of 
     evaluating its program and measuring the success of the 
     program toward fostering in students the elements of 
     character described in subsection (d).
       ``(2)  National research, dissemination, and evaluation.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to make 
     grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements 
     with, State or local educational agencies, institutions of 
     higher education, tribal organizations, or other public or 
     private agencies or organizations to carry out research, 
     development, dissemination, technical assistance, and 
     evaluation activities that support or inform State and local 
     character education programs. The Secretary shall reserve not 
     more than 5 percent of the funds made available under this 
     section to carry out this paragraph.
       ``(B) Uses.--Funds made available under subparagraph (A) 
     may be used--
       ``(i) to conduct research and development activities that 
     focus on matters such as--

       ``(I) the effectiveness of instructional models for all 
     students, including students with physical and mental 
     disabilities;
       ``(II) materials and curricula that can be used by programs 
     in character education;
       ``(III) models of professional development in character 
     education; and
       ``(IV) the development of measures of effectiveness for 
     character education programs which may include the factors 
     described in paragraph (3);

       ``(ii) to provide technical assistance to State and local 
     programs, particularly on matters of program evaluation;
       ``(iii) to conduct a national evaluation of State and local 
     programs receiving funding under this section; and
       ``(iv) to compile and disseminate, through various 
     approaches (such as a national clearinghouse)--

       ``(I) information on model character education programs;
       ``(II) character education materials and curricula;
       ``(III) research findings in the area of character 
     education and character development; and
       ``(IV) any other information that will be useful to 
     character education program participants, educators, parents, 
     administrators, and others nationwide.

       ``(C) Priority.--In carrying out national activities under 
     this paragraph related to development, dissemination, and 
     technical assistance, the Secretary shall seek to enter into 
     partnerships with national, nonprofit character education 
     organizations with expertise and successful experience in 
     implementing local character education programs that have had 
     an effective impact on schools, students (including students 
     with disabilities), and teachers.
       ``(3) Factors.--Factors which may be considered in 
     evaluating the success of programs funded under this section 
     may include--
       ``(A) discipline issues;
       ``(B) student performance;
       ``(C) participation in extracurricular activities;
       ``(D) parental and community involvement;
       ``(E) faculty and administration involvement;
       ``(F) student and staff morale; and
       ``(G) overall improvements in school climate for all 
     students, including students with physical and mental 
     disabilities.
       ``(d) Elements of Character.--
       ``(1) In general.--Each eligible entity desiring funding 
     under this section shall develop character education programs 
     that incorporate the following elements of character:
       ``(A) Caring.
       ``(B) Civic virtue and citizenship.
       ``(C) Justice and fairness.
       ``(D) Respect.
       ``(E) Responsibility.
       ``(F) Trustworthiness.
       ``(G) Any other elements deemed appropriate by the members 
     of the eligible entity.
       ``(2) Additional elements of character.--An eligible entity 
     participating under this section may, after consultation with 
     schools and communities served by the eligible entity, define 
     additional elements of character that the eligible entity 
     determines to be important to the schools and communities 
     served by the eligible entity.
       ``(e) Use of Funds by State Educational Agency 
     Recipients.--Of the total funds received in any fiscal year 
     under this section by an eligible entity that is a State 
     educational agency--
       ``(1) not more than 10 percent of such funds may be used 
     for administrative purposes; and
       ``(2) the remainder of such funds may be used for--

[[Page S1330]]

       ``(A) collaborative initiatives with and between local 
     educational agencies and schools;
       ``(B) the preparation or purchase of materials, and teacher 
     training;
       ``(C) grants to local educational agencies, schools, or 
     institutions of higher education; and
       ``(D) technical assistance and evaluation.
       ``(f) Selection of Grantees.--
       ``(1) Criteria.--The Secretary shall select, through peer 
     review, eligible entities to receive grants under this 
     section on the basis of the quality of the applications 
     submitted under subsection (b), taking into consideration 
     such factors as--
       ``(A) the quality of the activities proposed to be 
     conducted;
       ``(B) the extent to which the program fosters in students 
     the elements of character described in subsection (d) and the 
     potential for improved student performance;
       ``(C) the extent and ongoing nature of parental, student, 
     and community involvement;
       ``(D) the quality of the plan for measuring and assessing 
     success; and
       ``(E) the likelihood that the goals of the program will be 
     realistically achieved.
       ``(2) Diversity of projects.--The Secretary shall approve 
     applications under this section in a manner that ensures, to 
     the extent practicable, that programs assisted under this 
     section--
       ``(A) serve different areas of the Nation, including urban, 
     suburban, and rural areas; and
       ``(B) serve schools that serve minorities, Native 
     Americans, students of limited-English proficiency, 
     disadvantaged students, and students with disabilities.
       ``(g) Participation by Private School Children and 
     Teachers.--Grantees under this section shall provide, to the 
     extent feasible and appropriate, for the participation of 
     students and teachers in private elementary and secondary 
     schools in programs and activities under this section.
       ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 
     $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 and such sums as may be 
     necessary for each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years.''.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, before the Senator from New Mexico leaves 
the floor, I ask permission to join as a cosponsor of this most 
important legislation. It appears to be bipartisan. We have the two 
leading Democrats on the Education Committee plus Republicans. It 
should be a bill that we can pass.
  Mr. DOMENICI. I am grateful that the distinguished minority whip 
would join. We will be working together on this bill. I thank the 
Senator.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise to join my friend and colleague from 
New Mexico, Senator Domenici, in introducing the Strong Character for 
Strong Schools Act. Senator Domenici and I have worked together for 
many years on this important issue. We established the Partnerships in 
Character Education Pilot Project in 1994 and have worked regularly 
since then to commemorate National Character Counts Week. So, I am 
pleased that today we are introducing the Strong Character for Strong 
Schools Act to help expand States' and schools' ability to make 
character education a central part of every child's education.
  Our schools may be built with the bricks of English, math and 
science, but character education certainly is the mortar. This 
initiative ensures that our children's character, as well as their 
minds, receives care and nurturing in our schools. Character education 
means teaching students about such qualities as caring, citizenship, 
fairness, respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, and other qualities 
that their community values.
  Character education provides students a context within which to 
learn. If we view education simply as the imparting of knowledge to our 
children, then we will not only miss an opportunity, but will 
jeopardize our future. Character education isn't a separate subject, 
but part of a seamless garment of learning. For example, at Waterford 
High School, in Connecticut, as part of the character education 
program, math students designed a ramp for kids who use wheelchairs. 
The students learned about math, but also about caring.
  Theodore Roosevelt said that ``[t]o educate a person's mind and not 
his character is to educate a menace.'' That may be, but I prefer Dr. 
Martin Luther King's exhortation that we judge each other not by the 
color of our skin, but by the content of our character.
  A recent survey of high school students by the Character Counts 
Coalition found that during the preceding year, 71 percent cheated on 
an exam; 92 percent lied to their parents and 78 percent lied to a 
teacher; about 35 percent had stolen from a store; and 16 percent were 
drunk in school. This doesn't mean that these are bad kids, but it does 
mean that we need more character education.
  We know that these programs work. Schools across the country that 
have adopted strong character education programs report better student 
performance, fewer discipline problems, and increased student 
involvement with the community. Children want direction--they want to 
be taught right from wrong. The American public wants character 
education in our schools, too. Studies show that about 90 percent of 
Americans support schools teaching character education.
  Virtually all national education organizations are involved in 
promoting character education. Last June, the Connecticut Department of 
Education, on behalf of many State organizations, issued a Call to 
Action letter, outlining a program to improve the school climate in all 
Connecticut schools. And, the Connecticut Education Association has 
developed its own character education program that teaches kids about 
not bullying and other behaviors that can disrupt schools and make it 
difficult for children to learn.
  As all education policy should be, character education is bi-
partisan. When Senator Domenici and I introduced a resolution last 
Congress establishing National Character Counts Week, we had 57 co-
sponsors, with broad support in both parties. And President Bush, in 
his education plan, calls for increased funding for character 
education.
  Our children may be one-quarter of our population, but they 
definitely are 100 percent of our future. That's why this measure is so 
important--it provides a helping hand to our schools and communities to 
ensure that children's futures are bright and filled with opportunities 
and success. So, I am confident that not only are we doing the right 
thing here, but that we will see this bill become law along with other 
education reforms, this Congress.
  Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, when I was a boy growing up in Lithonia, 
GA, I was privileged to have accomplished and dedicated teachers who 
provided me with a strong foundation in the three R's. Thanks to their 
capable and committed efforts, I received an excellent education in 
reading, writing, and arithmetic. And thanks to their good example and 
their ability to teach through inspiration, I was also well versed in 
the fourth R, which I call ``respect.''
  What my teachers demonstrated so effectively almost five decades ago 
is that character education is essential to any well-rounded system of 
education. We can work together to help ensure that all children in 
America will start school ready to learn. We can pool our efforts--
parents, teachers, community leaders, and elected officials--to enable 
our students to be first in the world in scientific and academic 
achievement. But I believe the greatest gift and most effective tool we 
can give to our children is to instill in them, from the beginning, the 
values and beliefs which help mold their character. Character is the 
essential building block in each youngster's journey to become a 
responsible, moral adult. It is the gift my teachers gave me when they 
offered me a first-rate education which addressed not only matters of 
the head, but of the heart as well.
  Thanks, in part, to the efforts of my distinguished colleagues, 
Senators Domenici and Dodd, character education has spread into 
thousands of classrooms throughout this nation. In 1994, Senator 
Domenici with the support of Senators Dodd and Mikulski offered a 
successful amendment to the Improving America's Schools Act which 
established, for the first time ever, a grant program in the Department 
of Education to enable State education agencies, in partnership with 
local education agencies, to develop character education programs. My 
State of Georgia was one of the first to receive funding under the 
Partnerships in Character Education Pilot Projects. Since its inception 
in 1995, this program has awarded more than $25 million to 37 States 
throughout the country. I am proud to join my colleagues today in 
introducing legislation to expand this worthy program which encourages 
schools and communities to develop and sustain character education 
programs of excellence.

[[Page S1331]]

  It has been said that the character of a nation is only as strong as 
the character of its individual citizens. In illustration of this 
truth, I like to tell a true story which happened decades ago during 
the war in Korea. At that time, one of our generals was captured by the 
Communists. He was taken to an isolated prison camp and told that he 
had but a few minutes to write a letter to his family. The implication 
was that he was to be executed shortly. The general's letter was brief 
and to the point: ``Tell Bill,'' he wrote, ``the word is integrity.''
  The word is indeed integrity. This following Monday, Presidents' Day, 
I will host a Summit on Character at the State Capitol in Georgia, 
which will be attended by State leaders from across the political and 
social spectrum. The purpose of the Summit is to rekindle the American 
spirit that motivated the Founders in constituting our nation and to 
inspire Georgians to develop the highest standards of character in 
themselves and in the youth of our State. Benjamin Franklin once said 
that ``The noblest question in the world is, What good may I do in 
it?'' The Character Summit in Georgia has this in common with the 
legislation we are introducing today: They both seek to encourage moral 
character and civic virtue in our children--America's most precious 
resource and the future of this great Nation.
                                 ______