Exceptional Learners are students who are intrinsically motivated to acquire as much knowledge and education as possible knowing the future depends on it! Exceptional Learners are empowered and confident. They understand success in school is attainable. They also know they have what it takes to succeed in school. Some Exceptional Learners are born this way, but the vast majority are raised. They are "raised" to believe success is a given in life if they commit to doing the necessary work. Research has shown time and time again students perform complex tasks when they know someone important believes in them. Once a parent, teacher, principal or other significant adult or older person truly takes an interest in the success of a child, the sky is the limit. Why then are we in the situation where an overwhelming number of students are not succeeding today in our nation's public schools?

One answer is what is happening or not happening in the family - school continuum. Students from loving households across America enter school chronically behind in the foundational years and remain behind until they exit the school system. Many public school systems have come to expect a large number of students and in some cases a majority of students to enter elementary school extensively behind and remain behind in school readiness skills. The heartbreaking reality is many parents are unaware of this crisis. We as educators sometimes forget how much training we have had to hone in and refine our instructional skills. How many parents have received the same level of training? Not many. Parents truly want their children to be Exceptional Learners. For a parent, realizing their child is failing or behind in school is frightening and confusing. Public schools across the nation are missing a critical "teaching moment" for academically engaging eager parents and families.

What better solution exists then engaging these parents in true, interactive involvement in school from the earliest grades? A system must be developed, a clear plan for engaging parents from the very beginning to ensure they are equipped with the skills to address and support students' academic success at home. Parents and schools must collaborate to "raise" Exceptional Learners. The first step to developing an effective parent engagement plan at any school is to involve the leaders from all stakeholder groups. What is needed is a targeted group of opinion leaders who will draft a plan for truly engaging parents in important tasks and activities then to get the word out. This detailed plan must be more than a simple compliance item that is checked off and "completed" after a poorly attended meeting or two. A successful parent engagement and training plan leads to empowered and higher achieving families, students, schools and Exceptional Learners - no less!

Victoria Mims' true passion in life is engaging parents and families academically in the educational process of children as early as possible. As a Southern California public school educator for over twenty years, she has refined the process of responding to the achievement gap existing across the nation by looking at parents and families as the most important teachers in a child's life. Visit http://agreatlifeacademy.com/ to learn more about innovative academic parent training programs designed to transform parents, families, and schools by increasing student achievement. All programs are aligned with Common Core Standards and are an appropriate use of Title I, other categorical monies, and targeted grants.