Urban Family Engagement Initiative (UFEI)

Urban Development: About Urban Family Engagement Initiative

Nevada PTA – Urban Family Engagement Initiative (UFEI)2-Year Plan 2011-2013Objective 1: Community Networking & Team-BuildingTime – Frame: Ongoing

  • Monthly to Bi-Monthly Networking Meetings with Other Child and Family Advocates
  • Meetings to Include Time for Brief Introductions of Members, Organizations, Missions, etc.
  • Special Guest Speakers to Occasionally Present Insight and Relevant Information for the UFEI Team
  • Continued Collection of Contact Information of Potential UFEI Team Members

Objective 2: Continued Presentations of the UFEI Curriculum, 1-2 Sessions at a Time

Time – Frame: Ongoing

  • At Monthly to Bi-Monthly Meetings, the UFEI Curriculum Sessions (1-2 at a time) will be Presented to the UFEI Team
  • UFEI Team will be Encouraged to Duplicate the UFEI Sessions in their Own Parent Communities

Objective 3: Literacy Events (Per National PTA UFEI Grant)

Time – Frame: Approximately Quarterly

  • A Minimum of 3 Literacy Events per Year will be Conducted in Cooperation w/ UFEI Team Members, especially Libraries
  • Books will be Provided by the Grant for Event Giveaways

Objective 4: Learn and Earn Conference (Per National PTA UFEI Grant)

Time – Frame: February 2012

  • A Parent Conference for Specifically-Invited Target Audience to be Hosted at the East Las Vegas Community Center with Topics Focused on Parenting, Advocacy, and Literacy.
  • UFEI Team Members will be Asked to Participate in a Meet-and-Greet at the Beginning of the Conference to give Attendees a Chance to Meet the Family and Child Advocates in Town that Have Resources that Can Help Them.

National
PTA continues to be a powerful voice for all children by developing meaningful parent involvement programs, policies and initiatives that ensure that all students graduate from high school prepared for college and career.  At the same time, the international context has changed. Once the global leader in education, the U.S. has lost its competitive edge and is slipping behind.  These gaps are especially prevalent in urban communities, creating educational disparities that can span generations and have serious economic ramifications.

Parents – Part of the Solution:
In order to address this issue, and in recognizing that different modalities of parent involvement must be developed to be inclusive of all parents, the National PTA has identified ten cities, with 5 additional cities to be selected in 2010 to develop new models of parent engagement to ensure opportunity and equity for the students in each city.  The cities include: Atlanta, Albuquerque, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, New York and Philadelphia. These new strategies will be locally-driven and will mobilize volunteer leaders to address needs important to each community.

In August 2009, National PTA launched a three year effort to:

• Raise awareness and increase the usage of parent involvement materials and resources.

• Serve as a catalyst for mobilizing urban parents, caregivers, community stakeholders and school administrators to discuss and alleviate the barriers and issues that prevent urban parents and caregivers from being more engaged and involved with student success.

• Train parents and caregivers to effectively communicate and
collaborate with others to advance the educational achievement of all children, while mentoring other parents and caregivers to do the same.

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