The Murrieta Valley Unified School District provides support for each student through a movement called Developmental Assets, which are positive experiences and personal qualities that young people need to grow up to be healthy, caring, and responsible individuals. This movement affects the culture of the district, the climate of every school, and defines how adults interact with all young people. Our goal is to connect every Murrieta student with an adult in a caring, genuine and respectful relationship. It is through those relationships that Developmental Assets can be built, resulting in higher levels of student success and reduced incidents of at-risk behavior.
The external assets are the positive experiences young people receive from the world around them. They identify important roles that families and schools can play in promoting healthy development.
The internal assets are about positive values and identities, social competencies, and commitment to learning. Internal assets will help young people make thoughtful and positive choices and, in turn, be better prepared for situations in life that challenge their inner strength and confidence.
| Category | # | Asset | Definition |
| Support | 1 | Family Support | Family life provides high levels of love and support |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Positive family communication | Young person and his/her parent(s) communicate positively and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parents(s) | |
| 3 | Other adult relationships | Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults | |
| 4 | Caring neighborhood | Young person experiences caring neighbors | |
| 5 | Caring school climate | School provides a caring, encouraging environment | |
| 6 | Parent Involvement in schooling | Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school | |
| Empowerment | 7 | Community values youth | Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth |
| 8 | Youth as resources | Young people are given useful roles in the community. | |
| 9 | Service to others | Young person serves in the community one hour or more a week | |
| 10 | Safety | Young person feels safe at home, at school, and in the neighborhood | |
| Boundaries and Expectations | 11 | Family boundaries | Family has clear rules and consequences, and monitors the young person's whereabouts |
| 12 | School boundaries | School provides clear rules and consequences | |
| 13 | Neighborhood boundaries | School provides clear rules and consequences | |
| 14 | Adult role models | Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behaviors | |
| 15 | Positive peer influence | Young person's best friends model responsible behavior | |
| 16 | High expectations | Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well | |
| Constructive use of time | 17 | Creative activities | Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theatre, or other arts |
| 18 | Youth programs | Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs or organizations at school and/or in the community. | |
| 19 | Religious community | Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs or organizations at school and/or in the community. | |
| 20 | Time at home | Young person is out with friends "with nothing special to do" two or fewer nights per week |
| Category | # | Asset | Definition |
| Commitment to Learning | 21 | Achievement motivation | Young person is motivated to do well in school |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | School engagement | Young person is actively engaged in learning | |
| 23 | Homework | Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day | |
| 24 | Bonding to school | Young person cares about his/her school | |
| 25 | Reading for pleasure | Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week | |
| Positive Values | 26 | Caring | Young person places high value on helping other people |
| 27 | Equality and social justice | Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty | |
| 28 | Integrity | Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs | |
| 29 | Honesty | Young person "tells the truth even when it is not easy." | |
| 30 | Responsibility | Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility | |
| 31 | Restraint | Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs | |
| Social Competencies | 32 | Planning and decision making | Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices |
| 33 | Interpersonal competence | Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills | |
| 34 | Cultural competence | Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds | |
| 35 | Resistance skills | Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations | |
| 36 | Peaceful conflict resolution | Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently | |
| Positive Identity | 37 | Personal power | Young person feels he or she has control over "things that happen to me" |
| 38 | Youth programs | Young person reports having a high self-esteem | |
| 39 | Sense of purpose | Young person reports that "my life has a purpose." | |
| 40 | Positive view of personal future | Young person is optimistic about his/her personal future. |
