ABSTRACT
The Developmental Studies Center did a set of studies of their exemplary Child Development Project. In different regions across the United States, they found wide-ranging and sustained positive impacts on both character and academics. When staff like working in their school, feel like part of a positive adult community, and trust their principal and each other, they work harder and care more about students and about educating them. Because the leader is modeling all this for and with the staff, they in turn tend to do similar things that nurture the flourishing of human goodness in students, which also helps them succeed academically. Not only should character education be an authentic priority, but also it must be the priority if schools are to succeed in the broader mission of both teaching academics and preparing future responsible citizens, particularly in nurturing the flourishing of human goodness.
