Program
helps parents with college-bound kids
By
Amber Muranaka
Online Forty-Niner
Assistant City Editor
Many parents usually feel they are unable to help their children in their transition
to college life. The Parent Institute for Quality Education [PIQE] provides
parents with the information they need to make this transition easier for them
and their children.
PIQE offers a nine-week program that teaches parents a curriculum that enables
them to be more involved in their children’s education. Parents are encouraged
to meet with teachers to find out what classes need to be passed in middle
school and high school.
California State University Chancellor Charles B. Reed made this partnership
with PIQE available to all CSU campuses. Each school received $25,000 and identified
five schools in their area.
“
There are about 1,500 schools in 150 school districts in California,” said
David Valladolid, CEO and President of PIQE. “Most of the project schools
are identified by the presidents of the 23 CSU campuses.”
The price of the program varies from district to district, but is usually between
$160-$180 per parent graduate. The school pays half of the amount and the other
half is paid by PIQE.
According to Clara Potes-Fellow, a CSU spokeswoman, credentialed teachers are
hired and trained by PIQE to teach the curriculum to the parents.
This nine-week program consists of a 1.5-hour class once a week. During this
time, parents are given a binder that includes handouts about how to prepare
their children for the university system, along with other issues.
The topics in the curriculum include home/school collaboration, motivation
and self-esteem, gangs and community, communication and discipline, drugs,
how the school system functions and college and career election.
“
The parents are taught through a participatory manner, role playing, discussion,
and by constructing the information combined with their own experiences,” Valladolid
said.
The main goals of this program are to navigate the school system, encourage
college attendance, support a child’s emotional and social development,
create a home learning environment and to collaborate with teachers, counselors
and principals.
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