Student Achievement. Behavior. Attendance. Emotional Well-Being.
To Change What's Happening at School, We Must Change What's Happening at Home, and Schools Can Lead the Way.
The Intentional Parent Institute partners with schools and educational organizations to provide structured parent education that equips families with the knowledge and practical skills to support children's learning, development, behavior, and emotional well-being.
Children Bring What Happens at Home Into the Classroom Every Day.
Parents have a powerful influence on children's development, learning, and behavior. Schools can extend their impact beyond campus by equipping parents with the instruction, knowledge, and support they need to help their children succeed.
Student Achievement
Home learning routines directly increase study habits, mathematics engagement, and critical thinking.
Behavior & Regulation
Positive discipline and emotional co-regulation learned at home reduce classroom behavioral disruptions.
Chronic Absenteeism
Consistent morning rhythms, sleep agreements, and family value of attendance reduce unexcused absences.
Emotional Well-Being
Supportive parent-child bonds buffer against stress and cultivate school belonging and self-confidence.
The Research Is Clear: What Happens at Home Matters at School.
16–28 Points Higher in Mathematics
Students who regularly shared meals, talked with family members, or discussed their school day scored 16–28 points higher in mathematics, on average, after accounting for socioeconomic differences.
OECD, PISA 2022, Volume II.
Stronger Motivation & Critical Thinking
PISA research found that students who interact more frequently with their parents demonstrate stronger learning strategies, greater initiative in mathematics, and more careful schoolwork.
OECD, PISA 2022, Volume V.
Greater Belonging & Life Satisfaction
Students reporting stronger family support also reported a greater sense of belonging at school, higher life satisfaction, and more confidence in directing their own learning.
OECD, PISA 2022, Volume II.
Parenting Is One of the Most Important Jobs in the World. Yet Most Parents Are Expected to Figure It Out on Their Own.
When a baby is born, parents receive instruction on feeding, safe sleeping, and caring for the umbilical cord. As children grow, the challenges become more complex: boundaries, discipline, emotional regulation, and academic routines, often without any instruction.
"We cannot expect parents to know what they have never been taught."
Kaleesha Washington
Founder, The Intentional Parent Institute
Former Principal & LMU Graduate School of Education Professor
Your Parents Deserve Someone Who Understands Their Challenges, and Your School Deserves Someone Who Understands Yours.
For nearly two decades, I worked in education as a teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, and principal. I began my education career in 2006 as a Teach For America corps member in Los Angeles and later served as a professor in the Graduate School of Education at Loyola Marymount University.
"I created the parent education program I wish had been available when I was raising my children, and the school partnership resource I wish I'd had when I was a principal."
My goal is to make sure parents have access to the knowledge I had to go to college to receive, without having to wait until their children are teenagers to get it.
The Intentional Leader
A monthly publication exploring research, practical strategies, and new perspectives on parent education, family engagement, and student success, written for principals, superintendents, and family engagement leaders.
Ready to Partner With Us?
Schedule a consultation to discuss your campus goals, cohort structure, and parent education timeline.
Schedule School Partnership Consultation