Nine-Week Parent Engagement in Education Program

Institution
Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE)
State
California
Academic Level
Community-Based Organization
Issue Area
Access
Key Personnel
Program Focus
Bilingual /ESL,
Parental/Family Engagement

Overview

The Parent Institute for Quality Education, Inc. (PIQE), founded in 1987 mission is to provide families with the knowledge and skills to partner with schools and communities to ensure their children achieve their full potential. By implementing their Nine- Week Parent Engagement in Education program, they aim to provide economic and social equity by providing low-income families, immigrants, and English Language Learners with the tools and skills necessary to support their children's academic achievement and preparation for postsecondary education and promoting a college-going culture. 

Program Description

The Nine- Week Parent Engagement in Education program has a statewide presence in California, being in 36 of 58 California counties. In addition to having a statewide presence in California, they have been able to expand to 14 other U.S. states and Mexico City. The program engages, empowers, and transforms parents to become advocates for their children's education. The program teaches parents about the importance of being involved in their children's education and how to navigate and impact the K-12 education system effectively.  In addition to working with parents, PIQE also works with district personnel and school leaders to help teachers and school administrators successfully engage with families from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. 

Outcome

  • Increase parents' knowledge of K-12 and postsecondary education: As of 2020, 85% of parents affirm that because they engaged with PIQE, they are better able to encourage and support their children, understand the school system, their children's GPA, and college admission requirements. 
  • Increase high school graduation rate: Their 2018 longitudinal study indicates that students whose parents graduated from their Nine-Week Parent Engagement in Education Program graduate from high school at a 96% rate, compared to the 80% graduation rate reported by the California Department of Education for the class of 2017. 
  • Increase college enrollment rate: In the same study, students were also attending a college or university at a rate of 70%, compared to the 40% rate reported by the California Postsecondary Education Commission in 2010, the latest year for which data is available. 

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