WIU Rural Parent Mentor Program

The Parent Mentor Program is a Nationally recognized program, implemented by the Parent Engagement Institute. We have been in Illinois for 30 years and counting. We have been in Macomb schools since the 2023/2024 school year. Parent Mentors help fill persistent equity gaps by volunteering in classrooms.

We recruit parent/guardian volunteers, connecting them to a local school to support teachers and students in classrooms, with the goal of improving student outcomes and building stronger school-community connections. We support our volunteers with weekly training, offer professional development and provide stipends for the parent's contributions.

How It Works

Western Illinois University's Rural Parent Mentor Program partners with local schools to recruit and train 6 parents per school to assist teachers (up to 2 hours a day, 8 hours per week). Parents are assigned to a classroom (not their own child’s) where they work one-on-one or in small groups with children. After reaching 100 volunteer hours, parent mentors receive a stipend. One day per week, parent mentors receive extra training around academic instruction, professional development, community engagement and leadership skills.