California Department of Education (CDE), through its Title I Policy and Partnerships Office, has collaborated with multiple partners to offer training on school, family, and community partnerships to LEAs, schools, and other organizations. CDE contracted with the California Parent Center, a Parent Information Resource Center, to create a curriculum based on the NNPS approach to partnerships and to pilot the curriculum in a series of trainings. "Using Parent Involvement to Increase Student Success and Academic Achievement" is a two-day training that presents the NNPS model with grade specific information.
Over 200 people, including parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, principals, LEA administrators, and organization representatives, have participated in the four pilot trainings since April 2004. Currently, ten trainings are planned for 2004-05, in addition to the eleven regional trainings the CDE Title I Office intends to sponsor throughout the state.
The series of trainings, conducted by the California Parent Center, represent a collaborative partnership among the Center, the CDE, the California State PTA, the Southern California Comprehensive Assistance Center, and various directors from the Regional System of District and School Support. Presenters have included practitioners currently employed at LEAs or schools. "Each of the partners by and of itself did not have the necessary resources to produce the trainings," explained Carol Dickson, the California State Key Contact to NNPS. "This series of trainings in school, family, and community partnerships is a testimonial to the strong linkages and teamwork of the partners involved."
This article is adapted from the 2004 Partnership State Award application submitted by the California Department of Education to NNPS.