Ladders of Opportunity

From parent mentor to paraprofessional — and beyond!

 
 
 

Ladders of Opportunity recognizes and rewards the lived experience of Parent Mentors while meeting Illinois schools’ need for an experienced, culturally competent workforce.

Nearly 900 parent mentors earned Illinois State Board of Education credentials, such as Special Education Endorsements and Bilingual/English as a Second Language since the 2022-23 school year. Many now work in classrooms, while some go on to further study and will move on to become teachers, administrators and other school leaders.

How Ladders connects parents to paid work in education

After spending 100+ hours working alongside teachers, many Parent Mentors want to keep going. Ladders of Opportunity makes that possible. Through Ladders:

  • Parent Mentors get the support they need to earn an Illinois state educator license (ISBE credential) and find jobs in schools—

  • Schools and school districts are able to fill essential roles for paraprofessionals, special education classroom assistants, substitutes, and more with candidates who reflect the make up of their school community and already have classroom experience

Ladders of Opportunity coordinators support parent mentors Parent Engagement Institute Illinois has more than 2,400 unfilled paraprofessional positions statewide. Schools need qualified support staff — and Parent Mentors already have the classroom experience, community trust, and relationships that make great school employees.

 
 
 
““The Parent Mentor Program started the wheels turning in my head and making me think that I wanted more than just to be a mom or wanting more than just to have a job. It was more in the area of education. So, that’s really what started my desire to want to pursue a career in education”.
”
— Maricela Contreras, Former Parent Mentor, Hibbard Elementary School teacher
 
 

More than 370 Parent Mentors have gone on to work for their schools.

School administrations have long recognized the value of Parent Mentors and frequently hire them for all roles within the school: Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Clerks, Lunchroom Staff, Recess Playworkers, Bus Drivers, Afterschool Arts Instructors, and more.

 

 
 

Listen to The pei Podcast

Welcome to the Parent Engagement Institute Podcast! Interviewing Black, Brown, and Immigrant mothers in Illinois, this series tells the story of four women whose personal and professional lives have been forever changed by the Parent Mentor Program. The Parent Mentor Program works with public schools statewide to recruit neighborhood parents to assist teachers in the classroom. Interviewed by members of the Parent Engagement Institute, women Carmen, Brenda, Jackie, and Ms. Tina reveal their journey from the role of Parent Mentor to that of teacher, social worker, student, and civic organizer.

 
 
 

Episode One: ms. tina

Ms. Tina Smith: Former Paraprofessional turned Parent Mentor and back again! Interviewed By the ACE Project’s Lorée Washington, an organizer for Ladders of Opportunity.

EPISODE TWO: JACKIE

Jackie Espinal: DACA recipient and former Parent Mentor turned paraprofessional! Interviewed by Palenque LSNA and Parent Engagement Institute organizer Iyabo Anifowoshe.

EPISODE THREE: BRENDA (EN ESPAÑOL)

Brenda Torres: former law student turned Parent Mentor and now paraprofessional! Interviewed By the Southwest Organizing Project’s Parent Mentor Organizer, Ana Laura Narro.

Brenda Torres: ¡ex estudiante de derecho convertida en mentora de padres y ahora paraprofesional! Entrevistado por la organizadora mentora de padres del Proyecto Organizador Suroeste, Ana Laura Narro.

EPISODE FOUR: CARMEN (EN ESPAÑOL)

Carmen Munguia: former lawyer turned Parent Mentor and now graduate student in social work at Loyola University! Interviewed by the Southwest Organizing Project’s Maggie Perales, an organizer for the Parent Engagement Institute.

Carmen Munguia: ¡Ex abogada convertida en Mentor de Padres y ahora estudiante graduada en trabajo social en la Universidad de Loyola! Entrevistado por Maggie Perales, del Proyecto Organizador del Suroeste, una organizadora del Instituto de Participación de Padres.

 
 

Frequently asked questions

 

  • Funded by a three-year grant from the federal CURE program, which is managed through the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), the Ladders of Opportunity is an initiative launched by the Parent Engagement Institute to support Parent Mentors’ career and education pathways and generate talent pipelines to mitigate critical school staffing shortages.

  • Paraprofessionals are school employees and vital members of a school’s support staff. They are educators (licensed with stipulations) who support students’ learning under the supervision of a licensed/certified teacher. Paraprofessionals commonly provide instructional support which can include one-on-one or group support, assist with classroom management, and provide instructional and physical assistance to students in a special education classroom.

    Paraprofessional is an umbrella term that includes positions such as teacher assistants, special education classroom assistants (SECAs), behavioral aides, instructional aides, language aides, and paraeducators.

  • In addition to helping nine Parent Mentor partner organizations pilot the Ladders of Opportunity initiative in their respective communities, PEI-Ladders has a dedicated staff that provides coaching for foreign transcript evaluations and paraprofessional and teacher licensure.

    PEI-Ladders also hosts workshops and informational sessions throughout the year, covering topics like building healthy working relationships with lead teachers, stages of child development, universal strategies for supporting all students, restorative practices, introduction to neurodivergent learners, and more.

  • You can learn more information on the ISBE website at this link.

  • To receive support from PEI-Ladders of Opportunity, you must be a current or past participant of the Parent Mentor Program.

  • Parent Mentors who studied in another country can have their credentials and credits validated in the United States. A foreign transcript evaluation is needed for parents seeking employment within certain careers and/or looking to enroll at a college or university. You can also use it to apply for different types of ISBE licenses.

    PEI-Ladders of Opportunity can help any current or former Parent Mentor, Coordinator or Organizer to obtain their FREE Foreign Transcripts Evaluation.