Parents For Public Schools Inc

Programs: 1. Schoolhouse to statehouse:schoolhouse to statehouse is a statewide program developed by parents for public schools (pps) to strengthen public education throughout the state of mississippi. The program seeks to improve public education for all children by focusing on organizing parent leaders and building leadership and advocacy. Specific program services include an extensive parent engagement program (pep) that helps parents understand accountability, curriculum standards, and other education issues that impact the education outcome of students in mississippi. Pep also helps parents develop the skills needed to be an effective education partner. The long term outcome of the program is that parents agree to work at reducing barriers to learning in their home, community and school. The schoolhouse to statehouse program also focuses on education advocacy and works to provide pps constituents with information to assist in holding elected officials accountable for decisions that affect public education and to assess public education support by candidates for public office.

2. National capacity building & network support:although each chapter has its own identity and the ability to respond to local challenges, a chapter's work is supported by the national organization with professional expertise and collaborative power. Chapters benefit from working with a network of other parents across the united states and are able to avoid 'reinventing the wheel. " pps, inc. Conducts chapter training using curricula designed to enhance current and future success in all chapters, conducts regional and national leadership conferences to provide technical assistance, strategies and support to chapters, works to plant new chapters with a focus on school districts enrolling larger minority and disenfranchised populations, and provides capacity building support to chapters to address self-identified areas of weakness. Working with school administrators and teachers, pps parents strive to reduce barriers to learning and bring the community into the process of strengthening schools.