fact sheet
Community of Caring is a K-12, whole school, research-based character education program with a unique focus on disabilities.
- Founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver
- Celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2007
- Started in 1982 with 5 pilot projects and expanded to 450 schools by 1994
- Adopted now by almost 1,400 schools, serving over 1,000,000 students in 46 states across the country and in Canada
- Adopted by schools as a character education and teen pregnancy prevention program
- Provides a whole school approach and is NOT an add-on to the curriculum
- Offers an integrated approach for including all children, especially children with disabilities
Community of Caring Works!
Our research shows that...
- 99% of Community of Caring schools that returned our yearly implementation survey reported that every student participates in Community of Caring activities, including those with mental retardation
- Community of Caring is an effective teen pregnancy prevention and alcohol prevention program
- Community of Caring is effective in promoting positive school culture and positive attitudes of teachers
- Community of Caring fosters improved student attendance, higher grade point averages and character
- Students respect and care for each other, even when they're not friends
- Teachers respect, care for and have interest in students
- Stronger norms develop against vandalism, fighting, cheating and verbal abuse in school