Parents Ready for School

PLAN launched Parents Ready for School (PR4S) in 2009 to address the limited support for parents to successfully navigate public school systems and the need for parents to be engaged in their children’s schools, especially low-income and immigrant parents, who face many barriers to participation in their children’s school. 

Delivered in six two-hour sessions, Parents Ready for School is a dynamic, hands-on adult education program that:

• Increases the skills, knowledge and confidence of low-income and immigrant parents of children 0-5
• Increases parents’ ability to effectively navigate education systems and support their children during the transition to kindergarten and beyond
• Promotes parental involvement in underperforming schools by preparing families of children in early childhood settings to understand their roles and responsibilities as partners in their children’s education
• Equips parents to take advantage of—and create—opportunities for parental engagement
• Provides opportunities for parents to share their personal stories and aspirations, learning expectations, and experiences using what they are learning.

Focus groups held in spring 2008 show that parents that have graduated from PR4S have greater confidence to support, monitor, and advocate for their children's success in school.  

“I am learning about the education system in this country. It has helped me a lot as my country’s system is very different.”

“We are more involved and children get excited and motivated when they see parents are involved … I am the classroom parent representative and I have a special relationship with the teacher … the trainings have helped me provide support to my child.”

Already the program has expanded to West Contra Costa County, thanks to the East Bay Community Foundation and the Lowell Berry Foundation, and First 5 Contra Costa, PR4S will be held in two new sites in West Contra Costa County this year. If you are a parent or teacher interested in holding PR4S at your school or enrolling in the program please contact Rhina Ramos at rhina@parentactionnet.org. 

Download the full curriculum here.