The goal of the South Dakota Character Counts! (CC!) program is to bring about real behavioral change in South Dakota youth (K-12^th grade).  The intent of the CC! program is to improve the behaviors of youth in the areas of responsibility, respect, caring, trustworthiness, fairness, and citizenship.  These behaviors are contained in the “Six Pillars of Character”, which is the basis of Character Counts!  The CC! framework provides youth with a common language and understanding of how one can practice good character.  The expectation is that by altering children’s knowledge and understanding of good character, including continual reinforcement of the message, positive behavioral changes will occur.  Prolonged exposure to the program should result in youth that are less likely to engage in negative behaviors, while increasing behaviors that are consistent with the program.

 An evaluation plan was designed to determine whether the program has been successful in achieving these goals.  The first teacher and student surveys were administered in South Dakota in 1998 in order to establish a baseline to compare to subsequent surveys.  This plan involves using a variety of methods over a seven-year period in an effort to track the effectiveness of Character Counts!

Schools from across the state of South Dakota have participated in the CC! program and evaluation over the last seven years.  Brandon Valley High School administered their first student survey (N=571) to students in the fall of 2005. The following results contained in this report will serve as the baseline for Brandon Valley.  Results from similar schools (high schools across the state with similar demographic characteristics) may also be used for comparison.

Data gathered from students who completed the survey instrument are broken into three categories: demographic (student specific data), attitudinal data and behavioral data.

1.      Demographic (Student) Data was the first type of information gathered.  This data included basic information, such as the student’s gender, residence patterns, and family social class.  Also included in the student data was information on the student’s level of involvement in school related activities.  Data of this type will be used in the evaluation as statistical controls.   By gathering such data, it will be possible to see which types of students are most at risk for problem behaviors, and which types are more receptive to the program and its efforts.

 2.      Attitude Data on students was the second major category of information collected.  Students were asked to rank their level of agreement to a set of statements.  These statements were “belief statements” related to the “Six Pillars of Character”.  This data will help determine whether the program succeeds in changing attitudes about character over time.  It will also be possible to determine how closely those attitudinal changes are linked to real behavioral changes.

 3.      Behavioral Data was the third category of data gathered.  Here, questions relating to the frequency with which students performed certain actions in the preceding six months were asked.  These actions were related to the “Six Pillars of Character”.  This data comprises a key portion of the survey, as it will allow for measurement of changes in these behaviors over time.  If students become less likely to engage in certain behaviors over the course of the program’s first five years, then the first step in establishing program impacts will have been taken.

Students were asked to identify groups and activities that they are involved with attached to the school environment and outside of the school environment.  Theoretically, the more activities students are involved in the less likely students are to engage in deviant or delinquent behavior.