The PPSD Family Literacy Program is funded by the School Department under Title III and Rhode Island Department of Education.  The program is implemented in six elementary schools in Providence: Robert R. Bailey, Alfred Lima, Lillian Feinstein School at Sackett Street, Colonel Young, Charlotte Woods and Charles Fortes.  The participants are non-English speaking parents of children attending these elementary schools.

The program has four components:

Adult Education is the ESOL and basic computer skills education the parents receive four days a week.

Child Education is the education the children receive in their own classroom with their teacher.

Parent Time, a series of informational sessions or workshops that help the adult students become better parents, understand the development of their children and learn to navigate the school system.

PACT Time or Parent and Child Together time are interactive learning activities that occu in the child's classroomr

These components are integrated with the school curriculum during weekly planning done

by the program team.

The parents also participate in the children's education visiting their classroom once a week,

observing what the children are being taught and getting ideas on how they can help them at home with what they are learning.

Providence Even Start Program

The Providence Even Start Program is funded by the RI Department of Education.  The Even Start program incorporates all four components of a high quality family literacy program; adult education, children's education, parent education and parent and child interactive literacy activities; with a focus on employment through the Dorcas Place Career Academy Job Center. The focus on work will help the parents move toward self-sufficiency a major goal of the Even Start model.  The major activities and components of the Dorcas Place Even Start Program include:  Robert R. Bailey, Alfred Lima, Lillian Feinstein School at Sackett Street, Colonel Young, Charlotte Woods and Charles Fortes.  The participants are non-English speaking parents of children attending these elementary schools and Head Start programs in Providence.

The program has four components:

Adult Education is the ESOL and basic computer skills education the parents receive four days a week.

Child Education is the education the children receive in their own classroom with their teacher.

Parent Time, a series of informational sessions or workshops that help the adult students become better parents, understand the development of their children and learn to navigate the school system.

PACT Time or Parent and Child Together time are interactive learning activities related to the children's school curriculum that both parent and child participate in once a month.

These components are integrated with the school curriculum during weekly planning done by the program team.

The parents obseve what the children are being taught and get ideas how they can help them at home with what they are learning. The parents and children also participate in a home visit every 6 weeks. During these visits families discuss educational goals and participate in interactive literacy activities.

Community Opportunity Zone (COZ)

The Providence COZ  is a school based center that seeks to link families with their school and community funded by the RI Department of Education and is currently implemented in two schools in the West End/Elmwood section of Providence; Alfred Lima Elementary and the Lima Annex (K-1). All programs are designed and administered according to surveyed-based needs assessments from the parents, teachers and principals of the participating schools.

Activities/themes include:

Play and Learn groups for pre-schoolers.

After School Programs that Stress... 

• Community Service
• Art/Music appreciation

• Intense academic support

• Middle-School Transition
• Parent-involvement initiatives
• Workshops on health, legal issues and community resrources
• A Family resource center where families receive referrals for education, health, and economic issues

Programming is considered an extension of the daily curriculum and enrichment of the regular school academia.  Quality educators are hired by the COZ to provide structured enrichment in a safe environment.