12 Harmony Public Schools campuses named official ‘National School of Character’

In total, Harmony now has 32 National School of Character campuses and 51 State School of Character campuses.

Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – [HOUSTON] – Twelve Harmony Public Schools campuses located across the state of Texas were recognized as National Schools of Character on Thursday, May 22.
 
The awards were announced by Character.org, a national advocate and leader for character development in schools.

Each year, Character.org certifies schools and districts at the state and national level that demonstrate a dedicated focus on character development, which the organization says has a positive effect on academic achievement, student behavior and school climate.

Only 16 schools in Texas, including Harmony’s 12, earned the honor for 2025. Nationally, only 72 schools were recognized.

“At Harmony, our mission is to empower every student with both intellectual strength and emotional integrity,” said CEO Fatih Ay. “It’s truly inspiring to witness how our scholars are integrating academic knowledge with Character Education to enhance our schools and make meaningful contributions to their communities.”

The campuses honored were:

• Harmony School of Excellence-Sugar Land (Elementary)
• Harmony School of Exploration-Houston
• Harmony School of Innovation-Austin
• Harmony School of Innovation-El Paso (Elementary)
• Harmony School of Innovation-El Paso (Middle & High School)
• Harmony School of Innovation-Laredo
• Harmony School of Science-El Paso (Middle & High School)
• Harmony Science Academy-Carrollton
• Harmony Science Academy-Dallas (High School)
• Harmony Science Academy-Waco
• Harmony Science Academy-Plano
• Harmony Science Academy-Katy Elementary

“There is an ethic of care at these schools,” said Character.org spokesperson Lori Soifer. “Working together with students, parents and community members, these schools are creating stronger communities focused on character."

• Previous winners from Harmony include:
• Harmony School of Achievement-Houston
• Harmony School of Advancement-Houston
• Harmony School of Endeavor-Houston
• Harmony School of Enrichment-Houston
• Harmony School of Excellence-El Paso
• Harmony School of Excellence-Houston
• Harmony School of Excellence-Laredo
• Harmony School of Fine Arts & Technology-Houston
• Harmony School of Innovation-Brownsville
• Harmony School of Innovation-Fort Worth
• Harmony School of Innovation-Garland
• Harmony School of Innovation - Houston*
• Harmony School of Innovation-Katy
• Harmony School of Innovation-Sugar Land
• Harmony School of Science-El Paso
• Harmony School of Science-Houston
• Harmony Science Academy-Cedar Park
• Harmony Science Academy-El Paso
• Harmony Science Academy-Garland
• Harmony Science Academy-Houston

Each of these schools has put into place a comprehensive, multi-year approach to character education that inspires their students to understand, care about and consistently practice a set of core values that will enable them to flourish in school, in relationships, in the workplace, and as citizens. The schools then underwent a rigorous evaluation process to achieve their certification, documenting how they have implemented character education best practices and structures at each school.

Fifty-one Harmony campuses have also been named official State School of Character honorees.

Harmony Public Schools is a Texas-born, Texas-wide public charter school system with campuses serving PreK-12 students in 23 cities across the state, including Greater Houston, DFW, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, Waco, Lubbock, Odessa, Bryan, Beaumont, and the Rio Grande Valley. Harmony’s curriculum places a heavy focus on STEM skills, Character Education, project-based learning, and college readiness.

Harmony is now accepting applications for both students and team members for the 2025-26 school year.
 
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