Victory! Parent Mentor Ladders of Opportunity Initiative Wins $2.5 million
Dear Parent Mentor Family,
We did it! We are thrilled to announce that – thanks to your unstoppable hard work and organizing – we won $2.5 million for the Parent Mentor Ladders of Opportunity Initiative!
We believe that Parent Mentors have the skills, commitment, and radical love that it takes to be a great educator. And, our classroom and parenting experience tell us we must do better for our special education students.
Last year, more than 1 in 3 vacant jobs in our Illinois schools were paraprofessional positions. Students with disabilities who have a right to a special education classroom aide are the students most hurt by the parapro shortage crisis.
We are proud to announce that since we began Ladders of Opportunity in 2023, we have helped Parent Mentors earn 369 ISBE paraprofessional and substitute licenses. 437 Parent Mentors have been hired by our schools.
We are just getting started. Our goal is not just to fill the gaps in our schools; our goal is transformation. Our goal is disability justice. Our goal is to build powerful community-centered schools that catalyze economic liberation for families and the movement for the resources, policies, and public systems our communities deserve.
Parent Mentor Funding. We are relieved to share that we won level funding (14 million) for the Parent Mentor Program for next school year. With our state grant and the remaining stimulus grant, we are not forced to make painful cuts to the Parent Mentor Program.
So what does that mean? Gear up and get ready to head back to Springfield next year! Not only do we need to keep all of our Parent Mentor Programs in tact once the stimulus grant ends, but we must also open the Parent Mentor Program to more schools around the state in order to advance equity and justice in public education.
Can we do it? Absolutely! After all, from coast to coast, Parent Mentors are the most!
Congratulations, and happy summer to the unstoppable Parent Mentor family!
- The Parent Engagement Institute Team
Above: The Parent Engagement Institute team after another successful Parent Mentor Convention!
Above: The Ladders of Opportunity team gathers for their end-of-year celebration.
By the Numbers: End-of-Year Data Insights from the Parent Mentor Program
As we reflect on the past year of the Parent Mentor Program, the latest data showcases our remarkable collective growth and impact:
250 schools in 39 districts (more than 1 out of 3 Illinois elementary schools with 80%+ low-income students!)
45 partner organizations,
1,938 Parent Mentors who have made a difference in the lives of
38,030 students.
Above: Map of Parent Engagement Institute Partner Organizations in Illinois.
2024 Parent Mentor Convention Recap: Celebrating Transformative Parent Leadership Across Illinois
The 2024 Parent Mentor Convention was a powerful celebration of the incredible dedication and impact of Parent Mentors and Coordinators. Over 2,000 parent mentors, organizers, principals, teachers, and education leaders came together to honor their hard work and commitment—a true testament to the impact of these individuals in classrooms throughout the state.
The convention featured a lineup of inspiring speakers and guests, including Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Illinois Representative Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, President of the Chicago Teachers Union Stacy Davis Gates, CEO of Chicago Public Schools Pedro Martinez, President of the Illinois Education Association Al Llorens, City Colleges of Chicago Board Chair Katya Nuques, ISBE Director of Standards and Instruction Erica Thieman, ISBE Project Lead for Standards and Instruction Kirsten Parr, and school principals, who came out to show their support for the Parent Mentors. The day featured a range of fun and engaging activities, such as an expo by our community organization partners and performances by the Holy Family Angels and Circles and Ciphers.
A central theme at this year's convention was our Ladders of Opportunity initiative, which aims to support Parent Mentors’ career and education pathways. Throughout the day, the spirit of the Ladders of Opportunity initiative was palpable as we all felt the power of this transformative work that is creating a ripple effect of positive change in our schools and beyond.
Above: The Ladders of Opportunity team at the 2024 Parent Mentor Convention.
Thank you to all the attendees for your energy and enthusiasm, making the event a tremendous success! Your dedication to this work is truly inspiring and is shaping a brighter future for our schools.
Access our digital photo gallery to relive the memorable moments here.
Parent Engagement Institute Fall 2024 Onboarding Series
Every fall, the Parent Engagement Institute begins the Parent Mentor Program with 3 powerful training/events to get us all prepared for the tasks ahead. These training/events are mandatory for Parent Mentor Program organizers and coordinators, and we also welcome other staff members from your organizations that support PMP.
Registration:
If your organization is already a part of the Parent Mentor Program in Illinois, look out for registration info next month from your Program Support Manager.
If your organization is from outside of Illinois or not already a part of the Parent Mentor Program, please contact Bridget Murphy bmurphy@palenquelsna.org for more info.
1) Orientation: Aug 12-16 (Virtual, 10am-12pm CST)
This is a 10-hour training provided by the Parent Engagement Institute for Organizers and Coordinators. This is where we detail all of the PMP policies and procedures, guidelines, expectations, rules, roles and responsibilities, and paperwork. Participants will learn about the structure of the Parent Mentor Program and the ongoing coaching support they will be receiving from their respectives Parent Engagement Institute Program Support Manager and the Parent Engagement Institute as a whole. We will share the larger picture of PEI’s mission, vision, and values.
2) Train The Trainer 101: Sep 3-6 (Virtual, Small Groups, 11am-2pm CST)
This is a train-the-trainer of the PMP Initial Training. This 4 day training brings PMP participants together into a space to ground ourselves in love, connection, relationship building, compassion, selfcare, and growth. During TTT101, PEI models the PMP initial training with all Coordinators and Organizers, who will return to their school communities to facilitate this training curriculum. The initial training must be provided to all parent mentors before they begin in the classroom.
3) PMP Kick-off: Friday, September 13th 9:30am-2pm CST IN PERSON (Chicago, location TBA)
An exciting, informative, and participatory event, this is the official Kick-off of the Parent Mentor Program. The Kick off is an in person event that brings together all PMP staff (Coordinators and Organizers), directors, champions and allies of our beautiful program to ring in the new school year. This is an opportunity to reconnect, re-energize, and fellowship with one another.
