What is PEP?

Parents As Educational Partners

The PEP Project is a program designed to empower non English background parents to become decision makers and advocates for their children’s education.  Components of the program include:    

• ESL classes for parents

• Parent/child Activities

• In-services on parent Involvement for city school Teachers

The PEP Project was developed on the premise that parental involvement is a process, not an event (Davis, 1989).  Process refers to the concept of building parental involvement through ongoing English as Second Language (ESL) education and interactive activities.

PEP Builds Parental Involvement

The PEP curriculum was developed and field tested during a three year family English literacy Title VII project funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Language Affairs.

Who Attends PEP?

• PEP is for parents of ESL students K-12 of any language or cultural background.

• PEP is in addition to the traditional ESL classes offered in Falls Church City.

PEP meetings are free to ESL parents and include child care if needed.

What Is The PEP Curriculum?

• The United States School System

• School Personnel and the School Day

• School Procedures

• Parent-Teacher Conferences

• Report Cards and Curriculum

• Study Skills and Homework

• School Health Procedures

• and more ,,,

Who Teaches PEP?

• Mainstream and ESL teachers will teach the sessions, the teacher may work with another teacher or a teaching assistant.  Either the teacher or the assistant should be bilingual in the language of the majority of the parents.

• The volunteer child care provider(s) may offer educational support to the participants’ children during the PEP sessions.