FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Education experts agree that parental involvement in schools goes a long way toward increasing student achievement.
With that goal in mind, Gov. Steve Beshear has created the Governor's Commonwealth Institute for Parent Leadership, which will provide training for parents who want to get more involved in schools.
Among other things, parents will learn how to read aggregated test scores and how school budgets work. The idea is to help them take on leadership roles in parent-teacher organizations, school councils and committees and local school boards.
The institute is based on a similar program developed by the nonprofit Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence that has trained some 1,600 Kentucky parents.
A news release from the governor's office says the first session of the new institute will be held in eastern Kentucky in the fall.
