Catholic and charter schools share some similarities, including a strong college-preparatory focus, small class sizes, strict discipline, and high requirements for parental involvement. Yet, these 2 school types are also distinguished by differences in their secular and religious missions. Using data from over 200 interviews in 14 Catholic and charter schools across the United States, we examine how educational leaders in each of these school types approach character education. Our results highlight that differences in approach to goals and outcomes when it comes to creating a good person, and differences in associated day-to-day practice, are less about Catholic or charter status and more about the level of experience of educational leaders and the level of formality that characterizes the character education system. We classify schools into 4 categories: holistic, systems driven, rewards driven, and rules driven. Educational leaders with many years of experience working in schools with more informal character education systems are most likely to put a greater emphasis on a holistic approach that emphasizes not just academic performance but altruism and responsibility to others.