Proposed by child psychiatrist James P. Comer from the Yale Child Study Center, this program focuses on child development through trust and building strong human relationships to help students thrive socially and developmentally. To educate children holistically, the Comer Program identifies a whole spectrum of needs and demands for children to be able to function in society, associated with the following developmental areas:

• Social-interactive: children become responsible for managing themselves in a constructive and respectful way.
  
• Psycho-emotional: children learn to handle impulses and to control their behavior, that is to handle themselves, their emotions, and their feelings.
• Moral-ethical learning: understanding what is right, what is wrong, and live by that.
• Linguistic expression and reception: children are able to express themselves in a whole variety of settings, to know what is appropriate and to be able to listen to others.
• Intellectual cognitive: academic content.

 
This program provides children with the social competence they need to be able to function well in school and later in life. It is important to create a positive culture in the school, where children feel wanted, valued and safe. More than a program, it is a belief system where the school becomes a solid infrastructure of people that care and provide empathy, one where children feel valued and safe. It is a combination of high expectations and good relationships that motivates children to grow and learn.