New free course to help public school parents navigate the system

For many parents living in California, grappling with the public school system can be anxiety-inducing. Parents simply want the best educations for their children, but navigating the complexities of the system – and becoming an active and productive member of it – can be confusing and fraught. To alleviate those concerns, the nonprofit Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco has published a free Udemy course on the state’s School Governance structure. The course covers how parents can become involved in groups where they can provide input on their school’s priorities and how money is being spent.

The course focuses on several key areas:

• What school governance is, how it works and why it is important for any parent with a child in the public school system
• The overarching concepts of how school is governed in California – School Site Councils and English Learner Advisory committees
• The role parents and caregivers can play in the public school system to enable academic success and enhanced school governance

The course, which was made possible through a grant from Udemy’s Social Innovation program, is designed to foster community involvement in the state school system and empower parents and caregivers to become active participants. It’s available through the Udemy website as well as on mobile devices, which is ideal for busy parents. The course is approximately 1.5 hours long and is free for anyone. It is also available in Spanish and Chinese. To take the course, visit Udemy’s website.