For some parents, navigating their child’s school system may not be as straightforward as one might think. There may be language or cultural barriers that make it challenging, or young parents may simply just not know where to start.

In March, the Renton School District started its Parent Academy for Student Achievement (PASA), a parent-engagement program designed to help break down barriers to helping students succeed, starting with obstacles their parents might face.

It’s a nine-week program taught by parents and funded through the Race to the Top grant. A pilot program, PASA is just at Honey Dew and Highlands elementary schools.

“Giving others the benefit of learning from someone who has or is currently parenting a school-aged child saves time and energy, not to mention frustration,” said Dee Dee Bashaw, parent peer trainer.

Bashaw is one of the 21 parents hired by the YMCA, a partner, to teach other parents about how to navigate the school system, how to support student success in reading and math and achieve their child’s academic goals. She has two children in the district and has been involved in her kids’ preschool board, PTA and has been a parent class helper. Her network of connections have given her and her children “a sense of acceptance in an amazing, supportive community,” Bashaw said.

District administrators are hoping to foster that same type of network of parent-leaders with PASA and ultimately get students to graduate on time.

“A lot of times schools will have programs for parents, but it might be a teacher, teachers teaching the parents,” said Melanie Strey, district director of elementary standards-based instruction and professional learning. “And this one really grows a body of parent-leaders within that school community to have this knowledge about their child’s school to be able to share it within their community.”

With more than 100 parents participating, there are classes in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and interpreters for American Sign Language and Romanian.

“I spent much time talking with parents before and after school before I began the PASA program and it became very clear that a lot of parents were greatly disconnected, mainly because they didn’t know when or how to communicate with their children’s teachers outside of the parent teacher conferences,” said Chandra Goodwin, parent-peer trainer. “Some didn’t know that they could.”

The program allows her to relate and empower parents regarding their child’s education, Goodwin said.

PASA can also help breakdown the intimidation parents might feel around the school system and prepare them to be more committed to school committees and councils, said Kim Von Wald.

She is the YMCA senior program director of early learning and family programs.

Parents most want to know about Common Core State Standards, Smarter Balanced Assessments, figuring out how to get information and what questions to ask to see if their child will graduate on time. The questions and feedback that the parent peer trainers gather from parents is then shared with the school principals and teaching staff.

“So we’re really trying to build a two-way communication,” said Strey.

The administrator said the program is trying to build “cultural navigators,” or parents who know a culture or speak a particular language in their school communities and connect with them.

Parents teaching parents puts everyone on mutual ground, said Bashaw.

“I like guiding and sharing what I’ve learned, and I really love that I get all of that, and more, right back when others do the same for me,” she said.