U.S. Department of Education, What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)

The Positive Action® program earned national recognition as an Evidence-Based Character Education Program from the U.S. Department of Education, What Works Clearinghouse.

The program is the only evidence-based character education program with strong evidence of positive effects for both behavior and academic performance on standardized test scores. (October 2006)

Character Education Partnership (CEP)

Character Education Partnership (CEP), What Works in Character Education, A research-driven guide for educators the Positive Action® program shows Strong evidence of support in: Risk Behaviors: Drug Use, Violence & Aggression, and General Misbehavior and School-Based Outcomes: School Behavior and Academic Achievement. (Marvin W. Berkowitz, Ph.D. and Melinda C. Bier, Ph.D., February 2005)

What Works in Character Education, A report for policy makers and opinion leaders recognized the Positive Action® program by concluding that it lasts...

“There is evidence of sustained and even delayed effects of character education and shows long-term effects of elementary school character education through middle school and/or high school.” (February 2005)

What Works in Character Education researchers confirmed and recognized that the Positive Action® program is an evidence-based character education program that “not only addressed character development, but identified themselves explicitly as a character education program.” (February 2005)

National Character Education Resource Center (NCERC)/Dr. Marvin Berkowitz, Templeton Foundation

NCERC and Dr. Marvin Berkowitz of the Templeton Foundation recognized the Positive Action® program in the Resource Guide of Effective Character Education Programs for character education programs. (2003)

The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

CASEL recognized the Positive Action® program in their publication An Educational Leader’s Guide to Evidence-Based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs. (March 2003)

U.S. Department of Education, What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)

The Positive Action® program earned national recognition as an Evidence-Based Character Education Program with Strong Evidence of Positive Effects in Academic Achievement from the U.S. Department of Education, What Works Clearinghouse.

The program is the only evidence-based character education program with strong evidence of positive effects for both behavior and academic performance on standardized test scores. (October 2006)

U.S. Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education recognized the Positive Action® program for improving academic achievement in their Catalog of School Reform Models for Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Models. (1999—2002)

American Institute of Research (AIR)

AIR recognized the Positive Action® program as an Effective Program for improving academic achievement and comprehensive school reform in their publication. “What we know about comprehensive school reform models.” Report for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Under Secretary of Education, Planning and Evaluation Service, American Institutes for Research, Washington, DC. Herman, R., Carl, B., Lampron, S., Sussman, A., Berger, A., and Innes, F. (March 2000)

Education Commission of the States for Comprehensive School Reform (ECS)

ECS recognized the Positive Action® program as a Comprehensive School Reform Program as improving academic achievement. (October 1999)

U.S. Department of Education, What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)

The Positive Action® program earned national recognition as an Evidence-Based Character Education Program with Strong Evidence of Positive Effects in Behavior from the U.S. Department of Education, What Works Clearinghouse.

The program is the only evidence-based character education program with strong evidence of positive effects for both behavior and academic performance on standardized test scores. (October 2006)

National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP)

NREPP concluded:

• Positive Action® works for all types of people,
• PA works for numerous problem behaviors, including: violence, alcohol, tobacco, drug use, disciplinary referrals, suspensions, and school absenteeism, and
• PA improves academic achievement.

PA also received a perfect score on its readiness for dissemination. (2008)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)/Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)

The SAMHSA/CSAP recognized the Positive Action® program as a Model Program (PDF) for drug, alcohol, and tobacco use prevention. (December 2000)

National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC)

The Positive Action® program is recognized by the NCPC, McGruff Strategies Center as a Promising Practice and is funded by the Department of Justice, online collection. (2004) www.ncpc.org/strategies

Channing Bete Company

The Positive Action® program is recognized by the Channing Bete Company Communities That Care Prevention Strategies: A Research Guide to What Works as a resource that identifies tested effective policies, programs, and actions that address risk and protective factors identified through research. (2004)

Helping America’s Youth (HAY)

Recognized by HAY, the Positive Action® program is found to be Effective for improving achievement scores, attendance, and self-concept and for reducing drug use, violence, and other problem behaviors. (2003)

Title V Model Programs Guide and Database

Title V Model Programs Guide and Database recognized the Positive Action® program as an Exemplary Program for prevention. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Model Programs Guide. (2002)

U.S. Department of Education

The Positive Action® program is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Promising Program for Safe Disciplined and Drug-Free Schools Program for the prevention of drug, alcohol, and tobacco use; and violence and disruptive behavior prevention. (January 2001)

New Jersey Character Education Partnership

New Jersey Character Education Partnership Initiative recognized the Positive Action® program as a Program of Merit for character development. (July 2000-2001)

California Department of Education

The California Department of Education recognized the Positive Action® program in Getting Results: Developing Safe and Health Kids Update 5, Student Health, Supportive Schools, and Academic Success. (2005)

Prevention First

Prevention First’s “Virtual Model Program Showcase” has recognized the Positive Action® program as a model program that encourages Substance Abuse Prevention. (March 2007)

Indiana Prevention Resource Center

Across Our Desk to Yours publication recognized the Positive Action® program as an Evidence-Based Program Provider in Indiana (July 2006)

California Department of Education

The California Department of Education recognized the Positive Action® program in Getting Results: developing Safe and Healthy kids Update 4, Violence Prevention and Safe Schools. (2004)

University of Colorado at Boulder

The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado at Boulder recognized the Positive Action® program as a Favorable Program for violence prevention and school safety and success. Mihalic and Aultman-Bettridge. (2004)

California Healthy Kids Resource Center (CHKRC)

The California Healthy Kids Resource Center recognized the Positive Action® program as a Research-validated Program for the Program Dissemination Center that shares information about programs that address alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, and violence prevention. (2003)

Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation

The Positive Action® program is recognized by the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation as a Compendium for Tobacco Use Prevention Programs for Youth, as a tobacco prevention program. (2002)

Illinois Center for Violence Prevention

Illinois Center for Violence Prevention recognized the Positive Action® program in its Peacing It Together: A Framework for Preventing Youth Violence and Curriculum Review Guide, as a Significant Violence Prevention Program. (September 2001)

Brigham Young University Women’s Research Institute

Brigham Young University Women’s Research Institute recognized the Positive Action® program as an Effective Antiviolence Program. Preventing violence and teaching peace: A review of promising and effective antiviolence, conflict-resolution, and peace programs for elementary school children. Applied & Preventive Psychology, Vol. 10 (2001)

California Department of Education

The California Department of Education recognized the Positive Action® program in Getting Results: Developing Safe and Health Kids Update 2, Assessing the Effectiveness of classroom-based Prevention Programs. (2001)

Safe, Disciplined, and Drug-Free Schools Expert Panel

Safe, Disciplined, and Drug-Free Schools Expert Panel recognized the Positive Action® program as a Promising Programs. (2001)

Northeast Communities Against Substance Abuse (NECASA)

The NECASA recognized the Positive Action® program in their Federally Approved Evidence-Based School Prevention Curriculum resources. (2001)

Nebraska Department of Education: Safe & Drug-Free Schools

Nebraska Department of Education: Safe & Drug-Free Schools recognized the Positive Action® program as a Promising Program for Safe & Drug-Free Schools. (2001)

Ohio State CLEX (Center for Learning Excellence)

Ohio State CLEX recognized the Positive Action® program in the Evidence-Based Program Database for Practitioners in the Health and Human Services, Education, Mental Health, Child and Family Service, Juvenile Justice, and other Social Service Systems that seek to change youth behaviors.

Tennessee Department of Education

Tennessee Department of Education recognized the Positive Action® program as one of the programs to have the best chance of success in reducing or preventing substance use and violence in their Title IV—Part A. Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Program.

Minnesota Smoking Prevention Program

The Positive Action® program has been recognized by the Minnesota Smoking Prevention Program as a Science-Based School Program focusing on preventing alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, and violence while focusing on youth development.

Safe, Disciplined and Drug-Free Schools (SDFS)

The SDFS recognized the Positive Action® program as being a Proven Program in the areas of safe and drug-free schools, violence prevention; and preventing alcohol, tobacco, and use of other drugs.

School Success Profile

The Positive Action® program is recognized as a Multi-component, Best Practices Prevention program by the School Success Profile.

Nevada Drug, Alcohol and Child Abuse Prevention

The Nevada Drug, Alcohol and Child Abuse Prevention listed the Positive Action® program as Positive in their Model Programs: Pathway to Effective Programs and Positive Outcomes.

Virginia Best Practices in School-based Violence Prevention (VBPSBVP)

The VBPSBVP recognized the Positive Action® program as a Promising Program for promoting safe, disciplined, and drug-free schools.

Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (CASAT)

The Positive Action® program is a recognized by the CASAT in their Best Practices Database as a research-based and is proven to be effective program that is an integrated, comprehensive, coherent program for schools, families, and communities that improves the academic achievement and multiple behaviors of children and adolescents. 

School Violence Resource Center (SVRC)

The SVRC recognized the Positive Action® program as being a Model Program in the areas of safe and drug-free schools, violence prevention; and alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs prevention.

New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS)

OASAS recognized the Positive Action® program as a Model Program that has been tested in communities, schools, social service organizations, and workplaces across America, and have provided solid proof that they have prevented or reduced substance abuse.

Tucson Links

Tucson Links recognized the Positive Action® program as resource for Evidence-Based Programs and Practices

Northeastern Illinois University (NIU)

NIU’s K—12 Real Life Issues Curriculum Infusion recognized the Positive Action® program as a Model Programs Incorporating Evidence-based Strategies

Parent Resource Toolbox

Parent Resource Toolbox recognized the Positive Action® program as an Evidence-Based Program in their Building Partnerships with Parents

Nassau Community College

Nassau Community College recognized the Positive Action® program in their Hate Crime Resource Guide as an anti-bias resource for schools and youth.

International Safe Schools/World Health Organization (WHO)

International Safe Schools, in collaboration with WHO—Collaborating Centre of Community Safety Promotion, International Safe Schools Program listed the Positive Action® program in GROUP B of the U.S. Department of Education Safe and Drug Free School Exemplary and Promising Program List.

Parent’s Guide to Children’s Media, Inc. Outstanding Achievement in parenting materials. www.su.edu/parentsguide/ page 24. (Fall, 1999)

Helping Adolescents at Risk: Prevention of Multiple Problem Behaviors reviewed the chapter referring to Interventions in the Preteen Years—the Positive Action® program is reviewed and discussed as one of very few comprehensive programs addressing multiple behaviors, while most programs target only one behavior or a narrow set of behaviors. The Positive Action® program was also found to promote adult’s use of effective and appropriate use of positive consequences for child behavior that builds children’s social and cognitive skills. (Anthony Biglan, Patricia Brennan, Sharon Foster, Harold Holder and others Guildford Press, 2004).

The American Journal of Health Promotion Resource reviewed the Positive Action® program as “perhaps THE best new common-sense resource...with implications for the survival and strengthening of families, communities and the country”. (Robert Gorsky, PhD CHES Issue: April 9, 1996)

Family Resource Coalition of America reviewed the Positive Action® program in: America’s Family Support Magazine as having the kind of lessons “that every parent and child will want to take part in.” (Issue: Fall 1999, Vol. 18, Number 3)