Perceived Impact of a Character Education Program at a Midwest Rural Middle School - A Case Study

Oct 15, 2026

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The study examines the perceived impact of a character education program implemented in a single Midwest rural middle school serving grades 5–8. Teacher and community stakeholders reported that discipline problems were “out of control” and sought strategies to reduce school violence and improve student well-being. The research uses document analysis to describe key program elements and assess effects on academics, attendance, and discipline incidents, finding positive impacts on attendance, understanding of socially accepted behavior, and the number of discipline incidents.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background on school violence incidents

Rationale for character education program

Study purpose and approach

Perceived Impact of a Character Education Program at a Midwest Rural Middle School: A Case Study This manuscript has been peer-reviewed, accepted, and endorsed by the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA) as a significant contribution to the scholarship and practice of school administration and K-12 education. Sandra J. Goss Carleton R. Holt University of Arkansas Today concern exists for the safety and success of students in the public education system. Families, educators, and community members are concerned with the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of students in an environment where incidents of violence are growing. Events like the school shootings at Jonesboro, Arkansas, and at Columbine High School left our nation concerned with the problems within the school system. Numerous people believe that character education can be an effective solution. The purposes of this study are to describe key elements of one school’s character education program, and to determine the impact that this program had on academics, attendance, and discipline incidents within that school. The data in this study provide a document analysis in a single rural middle school consisting of students in grades 5-8, in a school where the teachers and community members perceived that discipline issues were out of control. The study centered on the belief that character education has a positive impact on attendance, academics, and the number of discipline incidents. This research was valuable because this research supports that character education is effective. Character education positive impact was seen in attendance; students learn that when they are absent from school they really miss important opportunities in their educational experience. Character education has a positive impact on discipline; they understand what types of behavior are socially accepted not only in school, but in the global community that they reside. Real world applications of character education is extremely important for student understanding of the program. NCPEA Education Leadership Review of Doctoral Research, Vol. 1, No. 2 – October 2014 ISSN: 1532-0723 © 2014 National Council of Professors of Educational Administration This manuscript may not be used commercially or edited. When quoting portions of this text, attribution to the author/s is required. Introduction March 24, 1998, was a day that gained both local and national recognition for Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Unfortunately, the recognition was not what stakeholders dreamed of achieving. This recognition exists because of a massacre that two middle schoolboys created. Two students in Jonesboro, Arkansas, killed 5 people (1 teacher and 4 students) and wounded 10 others in an ambush-style school shooting. On April 20, 1999, the Columbine High School Massacre occurred. Two seniors killed 12 students and 1 teacher, injured 21 other students and an additional 3 people who were trying to escape. Although Columbine was not the first incident of school violence, Columbine is the one that caught the attention of the American public. Pulling a Columbine is a phrase that didn’t exist 30 years, or even 20 years ago. Now, almost every student and adult knows the implications or intention of that phrase. Timelines reveal that since the 1990’s school shootings have happened every year. Not all school shootings are listed on the timeline. On October 9, 2006, a 13 year-old student walked into a Joplin, Missouri middle school carrying an assault rifle and fired one shot. Luckily this situation was handled quickly and no one was injured. However, the site of the Joplin shooting was approximately one hour from the school where I, the researcher, was employed. Likewise, the impact of the 1998 Jonesboro incident is important because Jonesboro, Arkansas, is approximately 200 miles from my school district within the geographical area where this study was conduc

FAQs

What was the purpose of the character education study?

The study aimed to describe key elements of a school’s character education program and determine its impact on academics, attendance, and discipline incidents.

How was the research conducted?

The research relied on document analysis focused on one rural middle school with students in grades 5–8.

What positive effects were reported from character education?

Character education was associated with improved attendance and better understanding of socially accepted behavior, and it was linked to a reduction in discipline incidents.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by ahduag