What is PIRC? Parental Information and Resource Center

1. What is PIRC?Parental Information and Resource Center Presented by Shelley Richards Julie Schwab Every Person Influences Children NYS PIRC

2. Agenda • PIRC Overview • Relationship between PIRC and Title I • Relationship between EPIC and PIRC • Local PIRC Services and Implementations • Research Findings

3. Parental Involvement & Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA/NCLB) • The ESEA/NCLB of 2001 contains 14 different Titles as a federal law to improve education for all children. The goal is to have all children at grade level by 2014. • ESEA/NCLB recognizes the importance of parental involvement via Title I part A (sect 1118) • PIRCs are authorized Under Title V, part D, subpart 16.

4. A Quality PIRC Framework – 2008-2009 • Will help build a statewide infrastructure for parental involvement • Statewide leadership through networking and collaboration • Provide systemic services to LEP, minority and low income parents that build parental capacity and awareness • Capacity Building for SEAs, LEAs, Schools via direct services or information • Policies and practices • Technical assistance and training • Build relationships with SEA • Operate centers • Alignment with Title I and ESEA – coordinate efforts • Learning and Improvement: • Evaluate services and conduct research

5. What is a PIRC ? Parental Information and Resource Centers • A national network of 62 statewide PIRCs across the U. S. • Funded for five years (2006-2011) • There are 2 PIRCs in NYS

6. PIRC Priorities and Services • Disseminate information and technical assistance, locally & statewide on ESEA/NCLB, specifically • School Accountability • Supplemental Educational Services • School Choice • Provide direct services to parents: • in the form of workshops & training to improve parenting and parent involvement, • 30% of services serving early childhood • Collaborate with state & local educational personnel • promote & advance parent involvement to help close the achievement gap • Provide technical assistance to Title I offices and schools in developing their PI Plans.

7. PIRC Priorities and Services • Provide technical assistance locally, regionally and statewide regarding • Best practices in parent involvement • Best practices in parent involvement plans (Title I). • Promote the collaboration of parent involvement entities to advance parent involvement

8. New York State PIRC Programs EPIC (Every Person Influences Children)operates PIRC centers in Bronx, Queens, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers,Syracuse, Fallsburg, and Monticello Families and Communities Together with Schools (FACTS) is based in Watertown, NY and serves Northern New York, in partnership with Jefferson - Lewis BOCES

9. NYS PIRC Statewide Technical Assistance • Dissemination of “reader friendly” materials and newsletters on a variety of topics • Partnerships with WNED-public TV and commercial TV to create PSA’s. • On-line Parent Training Program • Partnership with NY Newspaper Publishers Association Newspapers in Education - Parenting and Parent Involvement tips. Classroom Connection • Present workshops and training at state and national conferences • Pre-service training for student teachers • Building statewide capacity for parental involvement • On the Same Page Summit • Creation of a documentary on Parent Involvement and Family Engagement • New York State PIRC website www.nyspirc.org

10. Additional Tools • Sample Title I Plans • Checklist for Plan Requirements

11. Additional Resources • www.nyspirc.org • www.nationalpirc.org • www.epicforchildren.org/pirc • Summary of EPIC/PIRC services in BPS

12. PIRC Workshops: One-Shot Workshops (2 hours): Taking Charge of Your Child’s Future Creating Home School Partnerships OR Choose from 23 different topics in our Young Child Series: Listening & Responding to Children Single Parenting Communicating with teachers Dealing with Crisis and Trauma Structure & Limits: Preventing and Managing Problem Behavior Using Television Wisely Resolving Conflicts Promoting Non-violent Solutions

13. Workshop Series: • Ready, Set, Read (7 Week Series) • Brain Development & Learning Styles • The World of Reading: Understanding How Children Learn to Read • Reading with Your Child (2 Part Workshop) • Reading is Everywhere: Learning through Play & Daily Life (2 Part Workshop) • Helping Your Child Succeed in School

14. Workshop Series: Parenting Infants & Toddlers (6-8 Week Series) Knowing Yourself as a Parent Tuning into Your Child Helping Your Child to Cope Setting Limits Establishing Routines Learning Through Play

15. 4 Week Series: • Parent Advocacy Training: • Advocacy: Who, What, When, Why & How • Forming a Winning Team • Maneuvering through the School System • Building a Relationship with Your Child • Helping Your Child Succeed in School Through Character Education: • Developing Respect & Caring in Young Children • Character, Conscience and Values • Structure & Limits: Preventing and Managing Problem Behavior • Promoting Non-Violent Solutions

16. SES Providers-How can PIRC help your school reach parents? Eligible Buffalo Public Schools • B.E.S.T.- School 6 • Frank Sedita- School 30 • Lovejoy Discovery School- School 43 • International School- School 45 • Science Magnet- School 59 • Pfc. William Grabiarz- School 79 • Makowski- School 99 • Grover Cleveland HS- School 202 • Burgard HS- School 301 Bob Lanier Center

17. PIRC Workshops & Events: Buffalo Public Schools • B.E.S.T-6: • Open House • Community School-53: • Welcome Back Event • Poster Contest- 2nd Place Winner • *Timea Barlow* • Fathers/Families Night Out • Houghton Academy-69: • Open House/Report card distribution event • One-shot workshop held: Structure & Limits • William Grabiarz-79: • Held 4 week workshop series • Stanley Makowski-99: • Welcome Back Event • Poster Contest- • 1st & 3rd Place winners: • 1st Place- *Alex Magee* • 3rd Place- *Timneshia, Timothy & Timnajia Benton*

18. For more information or to schedule a workshop please contact:Julie Schwab Thank You! 716-332-4159 or schwabj@epicforchildren.org Be sure to check out our website for additional information & resources. www.epicforchildren.org

19. Additional Resources • “Beyond the Bake Sale” by Anne T. Henderson, Karen Mapp, Vivian Johnson, and Don Davies • National PTA Family Engagement Standards www.pta.org • “Parents and Teachers Working Together” by Carol Davis and Alice Yang • “School, Family and Community Partnerships: Preparing educators and improving schools” by J.L. Epstein” • “Every Teachers Guide to Working with Parents” by Gwen Rudney • “Promising Partnership Practices” by National Network of Partnership Schools at John Hopkins University

20. EPIC Research Studies • EPICPilot Study of Ready, Set, Parent! • Pathways to Parenting • Control Group Study (EPIC Conducted, UB Analyzed) • Pathways to Parenting • University at Buffalo School of Social Work 4-Year Study • Ready, Set, Read and Pathways to Parenting • University of Missouri – St. Louis 3-Year Study • Character Education • University at Buffalo ResearchProjects (Current): • Just for Teens • Parent Intervention Program • Pathways to Parenting • Just for Teens in NYC • Rutgers University 4-Year Study • Ready, Set, Read • In Development: • National Institute of Health: Just for Teens Study EPIC Research Projects EPIC is running over 21 different research projects with 4 university partners

21. Research says: Children whose parents participate in EPIC Pathways to Parenting: • Have higher performance in five developmental domains: cognitive, language, personal/social, gross motor, and fine motor – compared to national averages • Have parents more engaged in their education • Have more interactions with their parents who are more confident and better equipped to help their children succeed in school and in life • Are read to more than their peers whose parents don’t participate in EPIC • Have better health outcomes than children whose parents don’t participate in EPIC • Have parents who are more confident, have a better attitude toward parenting, have more knowledge about effective parenting skills, and who feel less isolated

22. Researchsays: Teen Moms who participate in the EPIC Just for Teens program: • Graduate 98% of the time compared to teen parents nationally who graduate 41% of the time • Are more confident, know how to build literacy skills in their children, are better able to respond to their children’s needs, are better prepared to help their children succeed Parents marked by “extreme” stress who participate in EPIC programs: • Have stronger family relationships, report better relationships with their children, are more involved in their children’s education, and are better able to manage their stress