The Delaware Parent Leadership Institute (DPLI) is a training program focused on improving student achievement and increasing parental involvement in Delaware's public schools. Since it was established in 2004, DPLI has trained 135 parent leaders and has impacted the lives of more than 1,000 children and families.

You can do it too! DPLI is currently recruiting for its next training sessions, and is seeking parents and guardians of public school students to participate in this FREE and invaluable training experience. The Institute helps parents become more involved in public schools and their communities to enhance the educational experience for all children. This year they will have two Institutes running concurrently on the following dates (note that each Institute requires a commitment of 3 weekends):

• Institute I– August 15 & 16, September 12 & 13, AND October 17 & 18

OR

• Institute II – August 22 & 23, September 19 & 20, AND October 24 & 25

Learn more about DPLI and download an application! The deadline to apply is May 15, 2009.

Read a recent article from the Middletown Transcript about its successes.

Let's Give Them a Hand: CLAP in the Milford School District

The Career, Leadership, and Achievement Project (CLAP) is a youth development and enrichment program that starts middle school students on a constructive career path, tracks student progress, and is coupled with parental engagement. The program was developed by Delaware Parent Leadership Institute (DPLI) 2007 graduates Merlin Brown and Dewayne Powell and implemented in the Milford School District. CLAP activities are designed to enable more students to stay in school, study hard, and complete the appropriate courses that will prepare them for college or vocational training.

CLAP operates during after-school hours and summer months and incorporates tutoring, academic, and social enrichment activities that support student achievement in the classroom. There are currently 15 CLAP students in two Milford School District schools using alternative thinking strategies as a means to develop their skills, assets, and competencies. Parents of the students are expected to play a major role in their child’s academic achievement by taking part in education workshops and actively participating in projects.

Learn more about DPLI graduates' projects.

Legislative Update

The Delaware General Assembly recently passed legislation that will enable our state to attract nationally-recognized programs to recruit and support more of the "best and the brightest" to teach in our public schools. HB 102, sponsored by both the House and Senate Education Committee Chairs and passed unanimously in both houses, opens the door for initiatives like Teach For America and Teacher Residency Programs to come to Delaware.

Did You Know?

Co-chaired by John Carwell, Jr. of the Rodel Foundation and Constance Moran of the Delaware Department of Education, the Panel on Family and Community Engagement includes parents, teachers, community leaders, and government representatives who are committed to developing a common definition of family and community engagement in education. This panel is creating recommendations to help the state, districts and schools implement best practices in family and community engagement, helping Delaware's schools move one more step toward being the best in the world.

VISION-aries

"In order for the achievement gap ... to close in the state of Delaware, we must realize that engaging families can no longer be an add-on to the equation, but a critical component within the educational system. When the entire village gets involved, children, schools, and communities achieve strength and power."

~ Dee Sewell, Parent Advocate, at the launch of Education Voters of Delaware

Research

Benefits of parental involvement in children’s learning build over time. Research shows that the more families support their children’s learning and educational progress, the more their children tend to do well in school and continue their education. Significantly increasing school outreach to parents can translate into 17-point gains for previously low-achieving students.

Sources: The Longitudinal Evaluation of School Change and Performance in Title I Schools & A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement

Mark Your Calendar!

The Parent Information Center (PIC) of Delaware is sponsoring its spring workshop series on Saturday May 16, 2009 in Georgetown, Delaware. The day-long series of workshops, "Building a Village for Your Child; Linking Families, Schools and Communities," will focus on how parents can identify and tap into valuable resources to help their child succeed in school. Workshops will be in both Spanish and English and will include topics such as bullying, learning styles, Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and preparing a child for school. Visit PIC of Delaware's website for more information and registration details.

For information on other events open to the public, and to submit an event, please visit the Vision 2015 community events page.

Contact

To get the latest information on how to become involved with Vision 2015, please visit our web site, http://www.vision2015delaware.org, or e-mail us at info@vision2015delaware.org.