Why PEA?
FACTOR (Families Acting Towards Results) represents the transformative impact of empowering parents as the primary educators and advocates in their children’s lives. At Parent Engagement Academy (PEA), we recognize that when parents gain knowledge, confidence, and practical tools, that learning extends directly into the home—positively influencing their children’s academic success, social-emotional development, and overall well-being.
Through the FACTOR program, parents not only strengthen their ability to navigate the school system, support learning at home, and advocate for their children, but they also become leaders within their communities. The knowledge and skills they acquire are shared with other families, creating a powerful ripple effect that expands beyond individual households to schools and entire communities.
This impact is amplified through the difernt programs that make up the FACTOR model, each designed to address key areas of family and student success—including academic achievement, social-emotional development, growth mindset, early childhood education, dual language learning, adolescence, and the responsible use of technology and artificial intelligence.
Together, these programs provide a comprehensive, research-based approach that meets families where they are and supports them across different stages of their children’s development.In this way, FACTOR is not just a workshop series it is a scalable, community-driven model that builds collective capacity, strengthens school-family partnerships, and multiplies impact across generations.
Our beginnings
This is what we offer
The primary objective of our programs is to empower parents—particularly those from historically underserved communities—to navigate and overcome systemic barriers that have limited access and opportunity. Through culturally responsive, research-based workshops offered online and delivered in four different languages, we ensure that families can access high-quality learning in a way that is inclusive, flexible, and responsive to their needs.
We recognize that families today are navigating increasingly complex realities, including economic uncertainty, community violence, social division, and the lasting impacts of inequity. In this context, our programs provide not only information, but also connection, support, and a sense of agency.
While meaningful progress has been made in advancing social and educational equity, much work remains. PEA is committed to continuing this work—building parent leadership, strengthening school-family partnerships, and expanding opportunities so that all children can thrive.
Ready to Learn: Engage parents in the student social, emotional and physical development
Student Readiness
Teachers who responded to an online Public Opinion Strategies survey of 700 elementary and secondary teachers across the country said they were spending about 20 percent of their time helping students resolve non-academic problems that stem from their lives outside school.
Disease & Childhood Obesity
15.5 million adults (55 percent of all California adults) have pre-diabetes or diabetes as reported by UCLA Health and Policy Research in March 2016.
50% of the children in National City and 38% in Chula Vista are considered overweight or obese.
Mapping the Way Forward: Empower parents to explore the educational system in order to help engage students in higher education
Achievement Gap
California has the largest number of adults without a high school diploma or equivalent in the country, per the Campaign for College Opportunity Report “Working Hard Left Behind”.
21st Century Skills: Provide parent education and involvement in student soft skills (team spirit, self-confidence, empathy, assertiveness, inquisitiveness and creativity)
Shortage of Skilled Labor
By 2025, California is likely to face a shortage of workers with some postsecondary education but less than a bachelor’s degree. California is not preparing its population to meet the state’s projected workforce demands for highly educated workers.
Poverty
There are 4 million working families in the state, and 1 in 3 are considered low-income: a family with an annual income below double (or 200%) of the poverty threshold as defined by the American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau.
• Weekly parent workshop series delivered over 5 weeks
• Evidence-based FACTOR curriculum designed to build parent knowledge and leadership
• 90 minutes of interactive instruction per session
• Facilitated by trained, experienced professionals
• Delivered in English and Spanish, with additional language access to support multilingual families
• Virtual workshops conducted via Zoom for accessibility and flexibility
• Grounded in andragogy (adult learning principles), ensuring content is relevant, practical, and engaging
• Morning and evening sessions offered to accommodate parents’ schedules and increase participation
What parents learn, gain, or receive through participation in the program
• Parents of young children and school-age students—from early childhood through TK–12—increase their knowledge, confidence, and leadership skills to support their children’s academic, social-emotional, and developmental growth.
• Parents learn how to navigate the school system—from early learning through K–12—and understand expectations and structures.
• Parents gain knowledge of educational pathways, including early childhood development, A-G requirements, GPA, assessments, and college and career readiness.
• Parents become informed about developmental milestones, literacy skills, coursework, and assessmentsneeded for student success.
• Parents learn strategies to support learning at home, including routines, communication, early literacy, and social-emotional development.
• Parents understand the importance of engagement in both home and school settings.
• Parents gain awareness of their role as advocates in improving their children’s educational opportunities.
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What changes as a result of the program.
Increased parent engagement:
Parents actively participate in their children’s education both at home and in school settings on a consistent basis.
Improved ability to navigate the system:
Parents independently navigate the education system, communicate with schools, and access opportunities for their children.
Strengthened parent advocacy and leadership:
Parents confidently advocate for their children, participate in decision-making spaces, and take on leadership roles within their school communities.
Improved home learning environments:
Parents consistently apply strategies learned to support routines, literacy, and social-emotional development at home.
Increased college and career readiness support:
Parents actively guide their children through academic pathways, monitor progress (GPA, courses), and plan for postsecondary success.
Stronger family-school partnerships:
Parents build ongoing, collaborative relationships with educators and schools.
Sustained motivation and commitment:
Parents demonstrate a long-term commitment to improving the educational and life outcomes of their children.
Strengthen parent engagement in public education systems by empowering families—especially those of multilingual learners—to actively participate in their children’s education, positively influencing academic achievement, well-being, and long-term college and career outcomes.
Equip parents with practical knowledge, tools, and strategies to effectively support their children at home and in school, ensuring that multilingual families can access and apply information in meaningful and culturally responsive ways.
Build parent leadership and advocacy so families can confidently navigate the education system, support multilingual learners, access opportunities, and contribute to more equitable educational experiences.
Promote educational equity for multilingual learners and historically underserved communities by providing accessible, culturally and linguistically responsive programs that remove barriers to participation and information.
Strengthen family-school partnerships to better support multilingual learners, fostering collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility between families and schools.
Create a ripple effect of impact where informed and empowered parents support not only their own children, but also uplift other families and contribute to stronger, more inclusive communities.