 Parents Ready for School (PR4S)
PR4S is a six week long training program geared towards parents of younger children to prepare them with the information and skills necessary in aiding their child’s education from the very beginning. The PR4S curriculum is a compilation of all the lesson plans and activity handouts in three languages (English, Spanish, and Chinese) with detailed trainer instructions and helpful hints. The publication of this curriculum was made possible by an Every Child Counts grant funded by First 5 Alameda County. learn more>
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PLAN to LEAD
 Designed to build parent leadership and advocacy for education
reform, PLAN to LEAD deepens parents’ understanding of education
systems, develops key skills, and introduces basic organizing
and action planning techniques. Cross-cutting themes include
addressing oppression, maximizing participation, and integrating
data. The PLAN to LEAD curriculum is currently available in
English and Spanish. Organizations with strong leadership
development and training programs in place should be able
use the curriculum and guide to offer PLAN to LEAD training.
However, we strongly recommend participation in PLAN’s Training
of Trainers program for the strongest delivery of PLAN to
LEAD.
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MORE RESOURCES:
PLAN to LEAD
History Wall Exercise
Adapted
by Tenderloin Housing Committee
English • español |
Why PLAN to LEAD?
Creating systemic changes to ensure that all children are
provided with quality education is a monumental challenge.
Parents face specific challenges:
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Schools are designed so that professional administrators
hold the power. There are few effective mechanisms for
parents to engage as equals with administrators in planning
for school reform.
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Schools that need the most help are located in the poorest
neighborhoods, where families have limited educational
backgrounds and limited time to give to school reform
efforts.
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Federal reform measures, such as No Child Left Behind,
punish the schools that need the most help.
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Underpaid and overworked teachers lack the time or training
to integrate parents as meaningful partners in their children’s
education.
PLAN to LEAD develops the skills and knowledge parents need
to engage with school decision-makers as change agents. PLAN
to LEAD’s curriculum and program model is designed for grassroots
parent organizations seeking to help parents find their voice,
unite with each other, and demand excellence in education
for all children.
PLAN
to LEAD Values
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Parents are natural leaders and have capacity
to advocate for their children.
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Understanding the need
for parent advocacy is linked to understanding oppression
in our society, related to class, race, language, immigrant
status, gender, sexual orientation, and the under-appreciation
of the value of parenting in our socioeconomic system.
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Adult
learning must build on the existing experiences and knowledge
of participants. Trainers are committed to asking, listening,
drawing out, and building on existing experience and knowledge
of participants, even if not traditionally recognized
with degrees or job titles.
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Adult learning must be action-oriented.
Learning activities include a balance of conceptual thinking
and examples of concrete actions related to advocating
for children and families.
- Adult learning is relational.
Trainers are committed to enhancing opportunities for
parents to learn from each other and build trusting, respectful
relationships that can extend beyond the training setting.
History
of PLAN to LEAD
PLAN to LEAD, a parent leadership and advocacy
training program, began in 1999 as a project of the California
Partnership for Children (CPC). From 1999 through 2001,
PLAN to LEAD enrolled and trained over 100 parents in
San Francisco and Alameda counties. Many PLAN to LEAD
graduates went on to draft policies, lead grassroots parent
councils, and advocate in local and statewide policy arenas
on school reform, child care, welfare rights, juvenile
justice, and cultural competency issues.
In 2001 CPC closed its doors, but the PLAN to LEAD curriculum
was still in demand. Through generous funding from the
Zellerbach Family Foundation, and fiscal sponsorship through
the Partnership for Immigrant Leadership and Action (PILA),
in 2004-2005 PLAN to LEAD piloted a new version of the
curriculum focused on education reform. In January 2005,
PLAN to LEAD has found a permanent home in the Bay Area
Parent Leadership Action Network (PLAN).
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