Overview
The Parental Information and Resource Center (PIRC)
program is a discretionary grant program funded by the
US Department of Education, Office of Innovation and
Improvement. In 2006 PIRCs were awarded to serve statewide
needs. PIRCs now provide both regional and statewide
services and disseminate information to parents on a
statewide basis.
Parent Information and Resource Centers (PIRCs) help
implement successful and effective parental involvement
policies, programs, and activities that lead to improvements
in student academic achievement and that strengthen partnerships
among parents, teachers, principals, administrators,
and other school personnel in meeting the education needs
of children.
Sec. 5563 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act (ESEA) requires the recipients of PIRC grants to:
serve both rural and urban areas; use at least half their
funds to serve areas with high concentrations of low-income
children; and use at least 30 percent of the funds they
receive for early childhood parent program.
Centers must include activities that establish, expand,
or operate early childhood parent education programs
and typically engage in a variety of technical assistance
activities designed to improve student academic achievement,
including understanding the accountability systems in
the state and school districts being served by a project.
Specific activities often include helping parents to
understand the data that accountability systems make
available to parents and the significance of that data
for such things as opportunities for supplemental services
and public school choice afforded to their children under
Sec. 1116 of the ESEA.
Projects assist parents to communicate effectively with
teachers, principals, counselors, administrators, and
other school personnel; and help parents become active
participants in the development, implementation, and
review of school improvement plans.
Additionally, projects generally develop resource materials
and provide information about high quality family involvement
programs to families, schools, school districts, and
others through conferences, workshops, and dissemination
of materials. Projects generally include a focus on serving
parents of low-income, minority, and limited English
proficient (LEP) children enrolled in elementary and
secondary schools. |
