As a young adult, Kiedra Taylor, a resident of San Diego, always had the potential to go to college, but like many she lacked two of the most important resources, information and money. To ensure that her four children do not suffer the same fate, Taylor enrolled in the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE), a program designed to empower parents.
Founded in 1987, PIQE is a nine-week training program for parents with students in grades K-12. During weekly classes, parents learn how to improve their child’s performance in the classroom, enhance their parent-and-child relationship, and map out a strategic plan to get their children enrolled in a college or university.
The mission of PIQE is to empower schools, parents and communities to work collaboratively to uplift California’s under-served children. There are currently 10 PIQE regional offices in California and 15 PIQE schools in each one of the California State University campus regions.
In 2006, CSU Chancellor Charles Reed provided $575,000 in funding for CSU campuses to partner with local schools to bring the PIQE program to areas where they didn’t exist.
The program has been an invaluable resource for parents like Taylor who need extra help preparing their kids for college.
“The facilitators at PIQE have empowered me with information. I’ve learned how to manage my time better since I work and go to school. They’ve educated me on how to deal with the issue of drugs, and they’ve grouped me with people who are dealing with the same things that I am,” says Taylor, who is midway through the program.
Trained facilitators, who must first graduate from the program, teach the nine-week classes. The majority of facilitators are college graduates and parents who have extensive knowledge of the school system and the demographic that they are trying to educate.
Students and teachers alike agree that education begins at home. Studies show that when parents are engaged in their child’s education, they increase the likelihood that their child will pursue some type of postsecondary education.
