PLTI is a FREE 20-session experience that builds personal leadership, knowledge of civic engagement, and trains parents on understanding elements of local and state government. Over the course of 20 sessions, parents learn how to be leading advocates for families through an evidence-based curriculum.

PLTI has these goals:

• Help parents become the leaders they  would like to be for children and families;

• Expand the capacity of parents as change agents for children and families;

• Develop communities of parents within regions of the state that will support one another in skills development and successful parent action for children;

• Facilitate systems change for parental involvement with increased utilization of parents in policy and process decisions; and

• Increase parent-child interactions and improve child outcomes through parent involvement.

Parents are offered leadership training that includes:

• Retreat to develop group communication;

• 10 sessions of classes on self and perception of leadership;

• 10 sessions on practicing democracy skills; and

• A community project based upon the student’s personal passions.

The course ends with a local graduation and a statewide graduation where participants receive citations from the Secretary of the State.

The 20-session course also includes instruction on:

• Understanding personal history and its impact on perceptions of leadership

• Thriving and working with diversity

• Assessing and defining problems – thinking critically

• Using the media

• Public speaking

• Using benchmarks and outcome measures

• Forming useful coalitions and building community

• Working with and how to engage the opposition

• Understanding policy and municipal budgets

• Becoming familiar with city, state and federal law.