Presentation to NYSPEPSeptember 2009

What is a PIRC?Parent Information and Resource Centers are funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

They are authorized by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (aka No Child Left Behind).

The ESEA requires school districts to develop a Parental Involvement Policy, which must explain:specific ways that schools will involve parents and

parents’ rights and responsibilities for children's education.

There are 62 PIRCs nationwide, funded from 2006 – 2011.

PIRCs in New York StateThere are two PIRCs in the state.

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) serves Northern New York, in partnership with Jefferson-Lewis BOCES. FACTS is based in Watertown.

The purpose of the PIRC program is to:

engage families and communities in closing the achievement gap.

The PIRCs:help implement successful and effective parental involvement policies, programs, and activities that lead to improvements in student academic achievement and

strengthen partnerships among parents, teachers, principals, administrators, and other school personnel in meeting the educational needs of children.

On The Same Page SummitThe state PIRCs are guided by an Advisory Board.

They are responsible for conducting annual summits and for overseeing the work of 8 Action Teams.

These Action Teams are charged with drafting recommendations to the Board of Regents re: implementing strategies for family engagement.

PIRC Action TeamsThe Action Teams are:

Quality IndicatorsFamily Engagement AssessmentHigher EducationProfessional Staff DevelopmentEngaging Diverse Families/Cultural Competence

Community EngagementPromoting Partnerships with Families of Children with Disabilities

Business Community

Action Team WorkEach Action Team will conduct research to support their recommendations. This research may include:scan of unmet needsanalysis of cost-benefitsidentification of best practices in NYS and around the country

Action Teams will meet throughout 2009-10 to solidify their draft recommendations.

PIRC Website

Please visit www.samepagesummit.org

Contact InformationJenn O’ConnorSchuyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy518/463-1896, ext. 31joconnor@scaany.org

Shelley RichardsEPIC716/332-4140richardss@epicforchildren.org

Carol WestFACTS315/788-8450CJW15@cornell.edu