FIS offers a continuum of programs from Pre-K to high school that enable parents to serve as their child’s first teacher, as advocates for their children’s education, and as allies of public schools in ensuring that their children learn to their fullest potential. FIS believes that early collaboration between parents and schools is a vital step to maintaining high levels of parental involvement in later years. All FIS programs are based on a needs assessment of local schools and communities, research, and input from parents and practicing educators.

Early Education and Family Literacy:

• Ready with Me/Lea conmigo: a family involvement program designed to improve the early literacy skills of children.

• Blueprints for Living: a 12-hour program that encourages parents to explore how family values can help their children become more resilient to negative influences that block achievement.

• Ready for Kinder: sessions that help parents, schools, and organizations support their child’s transition to kindergarten.

• Million Word Challenge: a county-wide literacy campaign that promotes a reading at home and academic achievement in school.

• Feria del Libro: A Family Book Fair: a family literacy festival to engages families in the power of reading.

College Preparation:

Going on to College (GOT College!): a year-long program, starting as early as pre-school, that helps schools, teachers, counselors, parents and their children nurture a college-going culture in the classroom, at school, and at home.

• GOT College for students: provides grade appropriate modules about college information, financial aid, and career preparation.

• GOT College for parents: provides information about college, financial aid, career preparation, parent/child communication, and increasing educational expectations.

• GOT College for schools (see Teacher Training and Parent Education): provides in-service information for teachers, counselors, and parent leaders about working with parents and building high expectations as well as a college-going culture through school-wide activities.

• GOT College Conferences: provides the opportunity to visit college campuses, meet professionals and college students.

Parent and Teacher Education:

• Transition programs: sessions that help parents understand how to support their children’s transitions from elementary to middle school and middle to high school.

• Parent Academies: workshop series providing parents with knowledge upon which they can build the skills needed to advocate for their children (e.g., NCLB, English Learner Instruction).

• Teacher Training and Parent Education:

• Technical Assistance and Coaching:

Special Initiatives and Education Collaboratives:

• Leadership for Educational Achievement & Democracy (L.E.A.D.): parents, school teachers and representatives, and community members work together to address common concerns.

• FIE: an education initiative that supports organizations engaging parents in education policymaking.

• The Boyle Heights Learning Collaborative (BHLC): a community-based school reform effort in East Los Angeles led by FIS for five years and now an independent 501(c)3 (www.bhlc.net).

• Communities for Educational Equity (CEE): a grassroots collaborative that won a campaign for the adoption of the A-G high school curriculum in Los Angeles Unified School District.

Parent Information Resources:

• Supplemental Education Services

• Parent Academies

• Literacy Support

• Pathway to Parent Empowerment