MAINE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

CONFLICT RESOLUTION/CHARACTER EDUCATION GRANT

2001 – 2002

The Maine Department of Education has a minimum of $85,000 in funding available for grants to a school administrative unit (SAU) not currently receiving Maine Character Education Partnership (CEP) grant or consortium of SAUs, for comprehensive conflict resolution and character education in one or more public elementary or secondary schools, linked to Maine’s Learning Results. The funds can be used for the following kinds of programs: conflict resolution/management; bullying prevention (or related programs even if they are not based on mutuality but, rather, address an imbalance of power); peer mediation; civil rights awareness; diversity training; and/or character education. The funds may be used to develop; improve or continue programs; and proposals that demonstrate a creative approach to sustaining successful efforts and positive outcomes are as welcome as those that demonstrate a problem-solving approach. Grants range from $3000 - $10,000; and, by law, grantees will be required to match, at 100%, the funds awarded. “In-kind” match, in whole or in part, is permitted. The Department reserves the right to award amounts less than the amount requested by an applicant if: (1) the amount requested includes proposed expenditures not authorized under this application (see AUTHORIZED EXPENDITURES, below); or (2) the award is made, with funds remaining after fully funding the applicants whose proposals received the highest scores, to the next highest scoring applicant.

The grants are to be expended between July 2001 and June 2002.

These grants are made available to schools through funding from the Maine Department of Education’s appropriation for conflict resolution education and from the Department’s Character Education Partnership grant from the United States Department of Education.

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APPLICATION DUE DATE

POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN

May 20, 2001

SCHOOLS WILL BE NOTIFIED NO LATER THAN

May 30, 2001

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AUTHORIZED EXPENDITURES

The funds may be used only for the following activities:

¨ stipends for a Grant Coordinator or a Conflict Resolution and/or Character Education Curriculum Committee members (if a standing committee is not used)

¨ professional development for those educators and other staff responsible for teaching/promoting the goals of this proposal

¨ coordinating conflict resolution or character education programs/activities

¨ purchase of resources to support conflict resolution or character education curriculum activities and its links to Maine’s Learning Results

¨ development, procurement or coordination of materials for comprehensive conflict resolution or character education curriculum, instruction and assessment

¨ community/family programs related to conflict resolution education

¨ community outreach for the development of local code of conduct consistent with Taking Responsibility: Standards for Ethical and Responsible Behavior in Maine Schools and Communities, in accordance with 20-A MRSA Section 1001(15).

REQUIREMENTS:

- Application is submitted by a school administrative unit (or consortium of SAUs) not currently receiving a Maine Character Education Partnership (CEP) grant.

- Application includes the Superintendent’s signature (and, in the case of a consortium, the identification of the fiscal agent).

- Commitment to conflict resolution/character education is demonstrated. (Refer to the three questions in Section II, COMMITMENT/SUMMARY of the application).

TO BE CONSIDERED, APPLICATIONS MUST DEMONSTRATE THE FOLLOWING:

- Evidence of willingness to incorporate conflict resolution education or character education into the curriculum in a manner consistent with Maine’s Learning Results, through the work of a curriculum committee or through the proposed adoption of a program that offers such integration.

- Evidence of school, family and community cooperative efforts to achieve the identified outcomes.

- Evidence of support for conflict resolution education or character education instruction or activities with appropriate professional development for staff.

- Evidence of financial support for personnel responsible for maintaining the conflict resolution or character education program.

- Evidence of effort in designing or making use of available conflict resolution education or character education assessment, or willingness to begin development of local assessment.

- Evidence of coordination with Improving America’s School Act (IASA) and other related initiatives such as school reform (Promising Futures) and comprehensive school health programs.

- Evidence of linkage of proposed activities to Taking Responsibility: Standards for Ethical and Responsible Behavior in Maine Schools and Communities.

- Evidence of linkage of proposed activities to the local code of conduct required under 20-A MRSA Section 1001(15).

EXPECTED PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES:

- Conflict resolution education or character education is linked to the curriculum and Maine’s Learning Results.

- Professional development needs are assessed, and professional development is provided for teachers.

- Supporting classroom materials for teaching the conflict resolution education, or character education curriculum are identified and procured and used.

- Student achievement is documented and reported.

- A demonstrated, measurable improvement in students’ conflict resolution skills, and/or a demonstrated, measurable improvement in school climate, and/or a demonstrated, measurable progress in developing the local code of conduct required under 20-A MRSA Section 1001(15).

- The community is involved in the development/implementation of the activities supported by the grant.

REPORTING:

A performance report (comparing concrete baseline data with year-end data on the expected performance outcomes) and a financial report will be required by May 15, 2002.