Parent University

Parent University was launched in 2020 to provide additional support to parents during the District’s transition to online learning as a result of the pandemic. More than 20,000 parents attended during four live online sessions, and more than 195,000 visitors accessed online resources.

BCPS and the Parent Community Involvement Task Force continue to make this virtual resource available to families on topics of interest throughout the school year.

Parent University: Navigating the College Application Process

On Wednesday, October 22, families joined an online Parent University session via Microsoft Teams to learn valuable insights about the college application process, including how to complete applications, understand financial aid options, and access district resources that support every student’s college and career journey.

Watch the Presentation

Presented by:
BCPS Parent & Community Involvement Task Force

Connection Instructions

If you’re still experiencing technical difficulties, you can email for assistance.

Recorded Webinars

LITERACY ENGAGEMENT THROUGH PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

Parent University: Literacy Engagement Through Parental Involvement – Recorded on Thursday, September 19, at 6:30 p.m

Our District is committed to sharpening reading and writing skills across all grade levels, and we are asking parents to join in the effort!

On September 19, at 6:30 p.m., the BCPS Innovative Learning Department and the Parent and Community Involvement Task Force held a live Team Event titled Parent University: Literacy Engagement Through Parental Involvement.

District staff presented information that equipped parents with tools and resources to help them become partners on enhancing their student’s literacy. Topics included:

Fun and engaging ways to improve your student’s reading and writing skills.
Accessing textbooks and the district’s media library.
Tips and tricks that lead to improvement.
New Innovative programs available to all students.
The district’s new reading initiative.
Instructional Materials Adoption and Review process, and much more.

Access the recorded webinar, Parent University: Literacy Engagement Through Parental Involvement, through this link.

To learn more about resources available to help enhance literacy at home, visit Innovative Learning at Broward County Public Schools.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER

BCPS staff and the Parent and Community Involvement Task Force hosted a live Teams Event to present to the public how the Innovative Learning Department will be interconnecting Library Media, Instructional Technology, Equity, and Support to enhance student achievement during the 2024/25 school year.

Click the following link to access the recording of the Parent University: “Tying It All Together” live event.

To learn more about the support offered through the Innovative Learning Department, you can visit our website: Innovative Learning / Overview (browardschools.com)

Access to Instructional Technology, Textbooks, and “Tech Tools” for staff and students 
- Innovative Learning / Instructional Technology (browardschools.com)
- Innovative Learning / Library Media Services (browardschools.com)
Leveraging Libraries to Improve Student Achievement: Parent & Student Resources
- Reading Resources: Reading Tips for Parents from the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE), Bookelicious, and Sora.
- The Superintendent’s Reading Motivation Project: Read Across Broward using Beanstack.
- School’s Media Center webpage: Follett Destiny, Objection to Library/Specific Materials, Library Media Opt-Out form, and filtering options for library media materials.
- Innovative Learning / Instructional Technology (browardschools.com)
- Innovative Learning / Library Media Services (browardschools.com)

GET FOCUS(ED) WEBINAR

Broward County Public Schools is streamlining the way parents access their students’ information by launching a new parent information portal for the 2024/25 school year.

The new information system, called Focus, will replace Pinnacle and Virtual Counselor. It centralizes all applications used by parents into one districtwide system, incorporating attendance, grade book, scheduling, report cards, transportation, and communication.

In the Parent University webinar Get Focus(ed)!, the Parent and Community Involvement Task Force and District staff provide an introduction and overview of system.

View a recording of the Parent University: Get Focus(ed) webinar through this link.

View the accompanying Focus Introduction PDF presentation.

Visit the Focus: Student Information System to learn more about available transitional support.

Focus Parent Portal Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

WELCOME TO KINDERGARTEN

As our District begins preparing to welcome our youngest learners to their first day of school in the 2024/25 school year, the Parent and Community Involvement Task Force is presenting the webinar Parent University: Welcome to Kindergarten

This virtual informational session will help new and existing parents with children entering kindergarten learn everything they need to know to be ready for the first day of school. From the registration process, how to prepare kids during the spring and summer, what students will learn and how a typical day is structured to resources available, food services and transportation – District staff will be on hand to make sure families are ready to go from day one.

Click here to view a recording of the March 6, 2024, Parent University: Welcome to Kindergarten webinar.

THE SCIENCE OF READING, STATE ASSESSMENTS AND MENTAL HEALTH

On Thursday, September 18, 2023, learn about scientifically proven strategies to help enhance reading skills, as well as information on the Florida Assessment For Student Thinking and free mental health support available through the District.

Primary Grades Webinar
Click here to watch a recording of the September 18 webinar for primary grades.

Secondary Grades Webinar
Click here to watch a recording of the September 28 webinar for secondary grades.

Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions at various points throughout the presentation and closed captioning will be available in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian-Creole, Arabic, Chinese and Vietnamese.

FAST TESTING AND THE 2023 SUMMER EXPERIENCE

As we near the end of the 2022/23 school year and summer approaches, Broward County Public Schools staff and the Parent and Community Involvement Task Force are presenting Parent University – FAST Testing and the 2023 Summer Experience. The virtual event takes place on May 22 at 6:30 p.m.

The 2022/23 school year is the first year students participated in the Florida Assessment For Student Thinking (FAST). Now that the testing is complete, District staff will explain what the scores mean and how they are used for promotion, placement and to offer support to students.

For students eligible to attend the 2023 Summer Experience, staff will also share information about what to expect and details about Extended School Year for Exceptional Student Education support, ESOL connections, transportation and food and nutrition services. Representatives from various community organizations will also be on hand with information about summer camps, summer programs and resources to keep students engaged during the summer months.

Click here to view a recording of the May 22, 2023 presentation of Parent University – FAST Testing and 2023 Summer Experience

WHAT’S NEW IN SCHOOLS

What's New in Schools

Now that the 2022/23 school year is underway, join District staff and the Parent Community Involvement Task Force for the new Parent University – What’s New in Schools, which will delve into some of the changes you and your student will experience this school year. Topics include educational changes at the state level – such as the new academic standards, instructional materials and the student assessment program that replaces the FSA – as well as information on innovative program opportunities, 21st-century skills that help with academics, applying for free or reduced-price meals, how to track your student’s school bus and much more.

Parent University: What’s New in Schools will be offered in two grade level-specific webinars, which can be accessed through the links below:

View the Parent University recording for elementary grades (K - 5) held on Monday, October 10.

View the Parent University recording for secondary grades (6 - 12) held on Monday, October 17.

SUMMER OF LEARNING

Summer of Learning

Summer is just around the corner! As you prepare and plan your students’ activities for the break, Broward County Public Schools wants to make sure you know there are many free resources available to add learning to summer fun. The pandemic hurt many students’ academic progress. To help them stay on track and avoid the summer slide, the Parent Community Involvement Task Force created Parent University: Summer of Learning.

In the grade level-specific webinars, District staff show participants how to access resources to keep students engaged in academics during the summer months:

Parent University: Summer of Learning

Click here to view a recording of the April 18 presentation for elementary grades (K - 5)

Click here to view a recording of the April 21 presentation for secondary grades (6 - 12)

For students who qualify to attend the District’s Summer 2022 Experience to recover academic losses brought on by the pandemic, staff also explain how the program will be structured and what to expect – including food services, transportation and much more.

The recordings include question-and-answer sessions at various points during each presentation.

DANGERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Dangers of Social Media
October 25, at 6:30 p.m.

With the increasing number of social media apps students use to communicate with their peers and the increasing popularity of social media challenges, the Parent Community Involvement Task Force and Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) present a new Parent University webinar, titled Dangers of Social Media, to make families aware of concerning trends and the potential consequences students can face through their misuse of social media.

Access a recording of the October 25 Parent University through this link.

Click here to view the PowerPoint presentation.

In this seventh installment of Parent University, families will hear from representatives with the Broward Sheriff’s Office and the Broward State Attorney’s Office, social media experts and BCPS staff as they discuss the risks associated with improper use of social media platforms. Additionally, experts will share tips on what parents should look for on their child’s social media, what behaviors should be cause for concern, and how to talk to their child about appropriate and inappropriate social media activities.

BCPS SUMMER 2021: GET BACK! GET READY! RECONNECT!

In preparation for the 2021/22 school year, Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) welcomes students to participate in BCPS Summer: 2021 Get back! Get ready! Reconnect!

On May 24, the District held a Parent University session to provide parents and students with details about this exciting, one-of-a-kind summer experience. BCPS Summer 2021: Get back! Get ready! Reconnect! will help prepare students for the upcoming school year with specialized programs, provide opportunities to make up missing coursework or credits, and afford time to reconnect with friends and teachers.

BCPS Summer 2021: Get back! Get ready! Reconnect!

Click here to access the May 24 Parent University

The recording begins with information for primary grades (pre-K – 5). View the primary grades PowerPoint presentation.

The session for secondary grades (6 – 12) begins at timecode 1:05:30. View the secondary grades PowerPoint presentation.

This Parent University includes information about Summer VPK, Head Start, mindfulness, Early Learning and Language Acquisition, Applied Learning, Exceptional Student Education support, English Language Learner support, transportation, food and nutrition, safety and security, and much more!

Closed captioning is available in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian-Creole, Arabic, Chinese and Vietnamese.

TESTING, TESTING 1, 2, 3

With Florida State Assessments scheduled to begin in April 2021, Parent University will present information and resources families will need to prepare at a free one-day webinar titled “Testing, Testing 1, 2, 3” following Spring Break.

Access webinar for March 31
View the March 31 PowerPoint Presentation

Parent University: Testing, Testing 1, 2, 3 will cover topics, including safety and security protocols, how the testing will be organized, transportation, test-taking strategies, how to cope with stress and a question and answer session to address parents’ concerns.

General assessment information, including specific grade/course level testing windows, can be found at https://www.browardschools.com/testingcalendar.

Brought to parents by Broward County Public Schools and the Parent Community Involvement Task Force, the Parent University webinar series aims to provide additional support for families through the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 20,000 parents attended the District’s first Parent University in August 2020, during four live sessions, and more than 195,000 visitors accessed online resources.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FROM BCPS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Access Webinar for December 14
View the December 14 PowerPoint Presentation

With winter break just around the corner, providing families time to decompress from what has been a unique and challenging year, Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) and the Parent Community Involvement Task Force present Parent University 4 – Mental Health Resources from the District and community partners.

Attendees will learn ways:

tools to identify signs and triggers of mental health needs
resources available through BCPS
assistance provided by community partners, such as 2-1-1 and the Broward Behavioral Health Coalition.

The session will be available in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian-Creole, Arabic, Chinese and Vietnamese through closed captioning.