A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

APPENDIX C:
Parent Information and Resource Centers

Background

Research and practice have shown that parent involvement in education is a critical factor for raising student achievement. Title IV of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act provides grants to local nonprofit organizations to increase parental involvement in their children's learning. Parent Information and Resource Centers--in collaboration with schools, school districts, social service agencies, and other nonprofit groups--are working to increase parents' knowledge of and confidence in child-rearing activities, strengthen partnerships between parents and professionals in meeting the educational needs of children from birth through high school graduation, and enhance the developmental progress of the children assisted under the program. Each center serves an entire state or a region within a state, and targets both urban and rural areas that have large concentrations of low income, minority, or limited English proficient parents, though services and information are offered to all interested parents.

The number of Parent Centers has grown as increased appropriations have been made available since the initial funding in fiscal year (FY) 1995 of $10,000,000. The FY 1998 appropriation of $25,000,000 will enable the Department to achieve the statutory goal of funding one center in every State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the outlying areas.

Services Provided

The Parent Centers use a variety of strategies for outreach and information sharing, including web-sites, mass mailings, toll-free phone numbers, and audio and video broadcasts. However, each center designs its core programs and services to emphasize local priorities and conditions and existing service structures in the State. For example:

• The Mississippi Forum on Children and Families is providing intensive parental information and support services to low-income parents through a mobile resource unit that travels to work sites in five counties. The mobile unit uses trained parent educators to provide valuable resources and support improved parenting skills for many who might otherwise not be reached. The parent educator provides access to PAT training and parent education about educationally appropriate materials and games, teaches parenting skills, provides tips for helping with homework, and identifies community resources as appropriate to meet parents' needs.

• The YWCA of Greater Baton Rouge in Louisiana has established a State-wide network of YWCAs to provide services to parents in different regions of the State through the use of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service "Every Touch Counts Program" and other programs identified by the regional sites. A major focus is to provide training and support services to teen parents who are participating in Even Start and Welfare Reform programs, which incorporates improved literacy and career preparation.

• United Health Group of Wisconsin is working with the State Department of Public Instruction to double the 30 existing family-school-community partnership teams using the research-based "Epstein" model as the foundation for improving family-school involvement.

Many of the centers are working with Even Start programs, Healthy Start programs and other State or federal programs that serve the same target population. All of the centers also must provide support to preschool children and their families through either the Parents As Teachers (PAT) or Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) programs; both are widely replicated, home-based models that have proven to be highly effective in helping parents prepare their children for school success. The Academic Development Institute in Illinois is using its grant to support its role as the State-level coordinating affiliate for the 61 PAT sites in the State. The Missouri center, Literacy Investment for Tomorrow, is expanding Parents As Teachers services throughout the State by working with parents of children aged 3 - 5, as well as those of children from birth to age 3. Collectively, the Parent Information and Resource Centers are spending about 36 percent of their total funding on PAT and HIPPY activities and have served over 21,000 families.

By working at a state or regional level, Parent Centers are expanding State-wide information and support networks to better assist parents in their efforts to help their children be successful in school. The diverse needs of each state are reflected in the wide variety of services provided by these centers.

GOALS 2000 PARENT INFORMATION AND RESOURCE CENTERS  

[Appendix B]