D.A.R.E.’s transition to the keepin’ it REAL middle school curriculum has been successful. Middle school enrollments in D.A.R.E. during the transition have increased from 125,000 to 130,000. This success led D.A.R.E. to extend its licensing agreement for a new keepin’ it REAL elementary school curriculum. This new curriculum will be taught to the 1.6 million elementary school students enrolled in D.A.R.E.
Under the direction of Dr. Michelle Miller-Day and Dr. Michael Hecht, work started on the new curriculum in November 2010 for a September 2011 launch. The curriculum model will continue to use the keepin’ it REAL approach based on narrative theory and the principal of cultural grounding, developed by Miller-Day and Hecht but also is being built around a socio-emotional learning model that stresses the developmental needs of 10-11 year olds. This model has been championed by Penn State prevention researchers, Dr. Mark Greenberg and Dr. Karen Bierman and is being used by Allison Kootsikis, Project Coordinator, in developing lesson plans. The theme for the new curriculum is “safe and responsible choices” and the lessons will stress social responsibility, critical thinking, decision making and planning, emotion and behavior regulation, as well as communication, relationship, and other social skills. The format for the lessons is narrative, based on stories being collected from 10 and 11 years olds around the country.
The new licensing agreement was executed in November 2011. It covers 6 years. It is anticipated that the first two years will involve curriculum and training development and initial implementation. We anticipate beginning a national evaluation study of the 5-8 curriculum in 2013.
For more information (or ideas), contact Michael Hecht at mhecht@psu.edu.