The Framework and Components of Community of Caring are:

Professional Development/Ongoing Support
The first step in becoming a Community of Caring school is to sign-up for professional development from the Community of Caring national office. Initial professional development is designed to introduce Community of Caring's "whole school" approach and provide the tools to establish a Community of Caring program in individual schools or school districts. Community of Caring offers a wide array of professional development opportunities for schools and communities. In the one-day or two-day "How to Become a Community of Caring" start-up professional development programs, school staff members, parents and community representatives have the opportunity to become familiar with the components of Community of Caring and determine links between the program and the school or district's needs.

Once a school has implemented Community of Caring, there are follow-up professional development programs that are in-depth and can be tailored to a school's needs and that focus specifically on one of the components, including developing student forums, integrating values in and across the curriculum, and expanding family and community involvement. Professional development is also provided to reenergize programs as needed. In addition, a yearly summer conference provides opportunities for networking and learning best-practices, and the Community of Caring national office provides technical assistance and ongoing evaluation opportunities. For further information about Community of Caring professional development, please click here.

Lead Teacher/Facilitator
The lead teacher, in collaboration with the principal, coordinating committee and entire school staff, spearheads Community of Caring in a school. The lead teacher is located on site to: 1) provide guidance and coordination for the program; 2) serve as the main resource person; 3) serve as a mentor, providing assistance to faculty, parents and support staff; and 4) maintain an inviting and supportive community environment throughout the school.

Coordinating Committee
A coordinating committee is established by the principal and lead teacher to: provide program oversight, design a comprehensive action plan for the school, and establish a broad network of local support in the wider school community. The committee includes administration, faculty, staff, students, parents and community members.

Comprehensive Action Plan
A comprehensive action plan is developed by the coordinating committee. It sets forth the broad goals and specific objectives of the program as well as a timeline for activities. An evaluation of program effectiveness is an important component of the plan.

Values In and Across the Curriculum
In Community of Caring schools, teachers integrate the five core values of caring, respect, responsibility, trust and family into their regular classroom lessons, activities and discipline, and into the life of the classroom as a whole. They anchor their teaching practices in them, and build their classroom community on them. Values are intentional in every aspect of school life.

Student Leadership and Forums
In Community of Caring schools, students experience a wide variety of student forums, from kindergarten through high school. These include class meetings, buddy partners, friendship groups, cross-age groups, Learning Circles, Teen Forums, and other leadership experiences. Students have opportunities to help one another, to problem solve, and to think about how their choices can reflect caring and respect for self and others and for the rights of all. In Teen Forums, students discuss important issues. They speak their minds and, using the perspective of the five values, offer their own solutions to problems. Forums provide unique opportunities to hear from all members of the school community, including parents, and in a special way, students with disabilities.

Family and Community Involvement
Families are the first place that children learn values, and parents are children's first and most important moral educators. In Community of Caring schools, families, schools, and the community work together in meaningful ways to build relationships and collaborate on activities based on the five values. Many Community of Caring schools sponsor school-wide activities for parents, curriculum activities that link the classroom and home, and special parent events. Trust and respect are developed as schools and families work together.

Service Learning
Service learning helps students grow intellectually, ethically, socially, and emotionally, strengthening their character through opportunities to give service to others. Students with disabilities, who are often the recipients of service, instead are encouraged to provide it and, like their classmates, grow by contributing to the community in real ways. As part of the school's curriculum, students identify and solve problems utilizing the five values and their academic learning to develop in ways that will benefit them as students, citizens, workers, and human beings. They experience joy in giving service, working hard, thinking complexly, and reflecting deeply on what they have learned; learning that fosters excellence in all the important domains of human development.