Character Based Literacy

Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
 

The mission of the Alameda County Office of Education focuses on teaching and learning. It is the intent of the Alameda County Superintendent and staff that the students we serve directly through our court, community, and alternative schools have the opportunity to build their literacy skills, are exposed to literature, and have access to real books.

Creating instructional programming that is relevant for the students we serve has always been a challenge. Most students come to us missing some of the basic social and academic skills needed to be competitive with their peers in traditional school settings and have not acquired the skills for positive character formation. This underscored the need for an overarching instructional program that was standards-based, provided support for teachers, and fostered shared expectations. An additional challenge has been providing instructional programming that aligns to the new accountability expectations for alternative education in California. The mobility of our students further complicates our charge: court and community school student stay an average of 26 days before they are transitioned back into their district of origin. We have a narrow window of opportunity to make a meaninful impact.

Accordingly, our teachers were instrumental in the selection and implementation of the Character-Based Literacy (CBL) Program in our court, community, and alternative schools to fulfill our need for standards-based English/Language Arts instruction while emphasizing socially appropriate values and behaviors. Under the leadership of Steve Johnson, Director of Character Education, through the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, the CBL Program is being implemented in all Alameda County Office of Education court, community, and alternative schools.

For more information regarding the Character Based Literacy Program click here.