SACRAMENTO—Sharing the vision of California GEAR UP in the vital importance of parent involvement in the success of students, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today released a new, free publication, Family Engagement Framework, a Tool for California School Districts, to help school districts engage families in their children’s education.

“Parents are every child’s first teachers,” Torlakson said. “The good news is you don’t need an advanced degree to help your child succeed at school. It’s the little things that make a big difference—reading at home, talking with your child about school, and setting high expectations. Our Family Engagement Framework provides practical ways to help schools support parents to stay involved and help their children learn.”

The Family Engagement Framework is the culmination of nearly a decade of collaboration between the California Department of Education (CDE), an informal Title I advisory group to the CDE called Family Area Network, and the California Comprehensive Center at WestEd, California GEAR UP strategic partner and evaluator.  Funding for the project was provided through a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The development of the Framework is authorized under Title I of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act and CaliforniaEducation Code Section 11503.

The Framework describes 18 principles that are essential for family and community involvement with the school district. These principles are grouped into five action areas to:

(1) help school districts build the skills and confidence of parents,(2) demonstrate leadership, (3) use resources, (4) monitor progress, and (5) ensure access and equity for everyone. Specific actions to engage families and the community are described for each principle, ranging from basic to progressive to innovative. The Framework is outlined in a way to help school districts evaluate their progress and plan for improvements.

“This new resource from the department will be a valuable addition to our family engagement initiatives and we will share this tool with GEAR UP schools across the State.  In collaboration with our partners, we provide statewide services to families because we know that “Families Make the Difference”.

-Shelley Davis

Director, CA GEAR UP

The California Comprehensive Center did a thorough review of literature showing a strong link between parental involvement activities and student achievement. The research is summarized in the Framework, coupled with specific examples of what schools, communities, and parents can do to help students succeed. The publication also contains a list of articles that school administrators and teachers can read to create effective, research-based practices in family engagement. For example, the Framework can guide districts in planning and coordinating family engagement programs more effectively and includes examples of communications to families that may be copied or adapted for use in newsletters, e-mails, and other outreach efforts.

Copies of the Framework will be distributed to all school districts in California and will also be posted on the California Comprehensive Center Web site at http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/cpei/family-engagement-framework.pdf

PIQE (Parent Institute for Quality Education) provides nine week family seminars and teacher professional development to California GEAR UP schools throughout the state and continues to be one of the most successful and popular services provided by GEAR UP. PIQE services are specifically developed for the needs of GEAR UP schools and communities and are are provided in a multitude of languages.

PIQE began in 1987 as a result of discussions with parents of a predominantly Latino elementary school in the San Diego area. Parents were interested in addressing the conditions that prevented their children from succeeding in school.

Armed with information from those meetings, PIQE founders, Rev. Vahac Mardirosianand Dr. Alberto Ochoa, launched the organization’s first program, which included workshops targeted for parents of K-12 children. The seminar has since evolved into PIQE’s signature program, the Parent Engagement Education Program, a nine-week curriculum delivered to parents in their primary language, aimed at helping them become educational advocates for their students. After much success, the program was launched at other schools in San Diego and later, throughout California.

After more than 20 years, PIQE continues to receive rave reviews from families and teachers. Here are some recent quotes:

I just wanted to let you know how successful and empowering the PIQE program has been. Two of my parents were graduates of your program, and came prepared to parent conferences with the most insightful, relevant and comprehensive questions I have ever been presented with.  I really felt as if I was on the ‘hot seat’, and was thrilled.  We all win; teachers, students, parents, and society.

-Bay Area Teacher

English Translation:

I was in your PIQE class at St Helena Elementary, and I am sending you this email to thank you for the information you gave us in the nine classes. I also take pleasure in telling you that most of the parents used the information during their recent Parent/Teacher Conferences including me. The truth is that we needed a class like this and I hope that next year we can have this same opportunity for the parents that did not have a chance to experience it.  I also want to let you know that during our ELAC meeting we had 15 parents instead of 4 and half of those were PIQE parent graduates. Thank you very much for everything and I am going to take your word that we can ask you if we have any questions.

-PIQE Parent

In addtion to the nine week family seminars are GEAR UP schools, PIQE provides Early Childhood Development programs, Family Financial Literacy Education, Teachers Workshop on Family Engagement, and a Four Month Follow UP Parent Coaches Program. Programs are of course not just limited to GEAR UP schools and are available across the state. Check out their programs here.

The California GEAR UP-PIQE partnership is a testament to successful collaboration in providing family engagement services and community education programs. PIQE provides its program in 18 languages and serves ALL communities.  PIQE is now working in 6 states and its most recent office opened in Houston, Texas. For more information on PIQE, please visit their website to learn more.

If you are interested in collaborating or funding PIQE, please contact the President of PIQE, David Valladolid. You can read the Presidents message here. You can also find PIQE on Facebook.

Share with us your PIQE success story!

California GEAR UP and partner, Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) was featured in the local nightly news in Sacramento this week. PIQE conducts a nine-week seminar series for families at every GEAR UP school, culminating in a graduation ceremony. Their services are adapted to the needs of the school community and provided in the language of the parents. Their facilitators recruit families and lead these dialogue-based family sessions at the school site.

PIQE is one of the mostly widely recognized and successful family engagement programs in the country and has graduated more than 375,000 parents from the basic nine-week program.

Watch the video here on CBS 13 in Sacramento for the full report.

More information on California GEAR UP family engagement services here.