Texas IDRA Parent Information and Resource Center A comprehensive, multicultural and multilingual parent leadership support program for strengthening partnerships between parents and schools for student success, funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
01:40 Bradley introduces show guest Aurelio Montemayor, M.Ed., director of the IDRA Texas Parent Information and Resource Center, who will be discussing the topic of engaging parents in education.
03:29 Aurelio provides an overview of parent information and resource centers, or PIRCs, including IDRA's Texas PIRC.
Provide leadership, technical assistance, and support in the implementation of successful and effective parent involvement, practices, programs and activities, as part of the ultimate goal of improving student academic achievement.
Strengthen partnerships among parents, teachers, principals, administrators and other school personnel in meeting the educational needs of the children.
Strengthen relationships between parents and their children's school.
Provide a comprehensive approach to improve student learning, through coordination, collaboration, and integration of federal, state and local services and programs.
08:03 Bradley asks Aurelio to describe some of IDRA's unique work with parents that led to its inclusion in the U.S. Department of Education's publication.
11:25 Aurelio then describes IDRA's role as a convener of different stakeholders in the community and bringing people together. He and Bradley summarize the three main convenings IDRA has organized in Texas during the last several years: the first, a discussion on InterAction and the pipeline of education; the second, a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education and talks on how public schools have been extending the Brown decision to minority groups beyond African Americans, such as Latinos; and the third, Graduation Guaranteed, a discussion among students, parents, and school board members on how schools can increase their holding power (refer also to Episode 5 of IDRA Classnotes).
17:19 Aurelio talks about how teachers and administrators can make the best use of the Engaging Parents in Education publication.
18:55 Aurelio describes one of IDRA's biggest challenges in its continuing work to strengthen parent engagement: the direct communication and outreach to parents and families.
20:27 Bradley reminds listeners to subscribe to the podcast and to send in their feedback and questions, particularly around the issue of parent engagement.
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(September 28, 2007) The U.S. Department of Education recently released a new publication called “Engaging Parents in Education” that profiles five Parent Information and Resource Centers, including the IDRA Texas PIRC. The guide shows how PIRCs are helping to increase parent involvement in education through strong parent-educator partnerships to improve schools and raise students' academic achievement. 
