AAP/CCEE - Parents and Community

Parent and Community Organizing...

Goal: Increase Parent Participation in the education of their children. Through hands-on experience and research, AAP/CCEE has discovered that parents in low and moderate income communities have a tendency to be intimidated by administrators, educators and people of authority in the school system. Some are not educated, or have difficulty articulating their concerns without feeling embarrassed or afraid that they might embarrass their child. Often parents will allow a situation to get out of hand before he or she addresses the situation, at which point it’s either too late to rectify the problem, or so much negative documentation has been gathered against the child that the parent feels hopeless.

Orientation

During parent orientation, parents, community stakeholders, and activists are given information on the purpose of AAP/CCEE. Community residents are invited to participate in the education of their child. Information is disseminated on the topics of discussion for each training session:

Your rights and responsibilities as a parent
The responsibilities of your child’s educational institution
Alternatives: Conferences, Mediation, Dispute Resolutions, and Appeals
Building Partnerships with your school
Getting involved with the governance of your school
Making systemic changes—Guarantees of future success
Setting High Academic Standards for all children—A-G requirements, Tracking Systems, “Dumbing Down”
You’re never alone—Power in numbers and representation (liaison officers and facilitators)

AAP/CCE will train parents on how to navigate the school system. This training is effective because it provides parents with real-life experience in dealing with administrators, educators and their youth. Parents are given information and training that will empower them to make positive changes, not only in their schools, but in their communities as well.

An added benefit of the training is that parents will be able to discuss their issues with other parents who have been through similar situations, who can share their experiences and effective ways of addressing the issues. A sense of community is fostered during these sessions because parents are gathering to discuss a common goal; quality education for all youth. An open line of communication is established between the community, the govern- ing body of the school and the students, setting standards and boundaries that holds each accountable.

Youth-focused behavior modification...