Across Massachusetts, parents are already leading — in their communities, in their children's schools, in the organizations that serve their families. Mass ParentCorps is building the infrastructure to recognize that leadership, credential it, and connect it to a career.
Building Workforce
Pathways for
Parent Leaders
Transforming Communities by Elevating Parent Leadership. Connecting parent leadership experience with academic learning, 3–6 college credits, and career pathways across Massachusetts.
Mass ParentCorps is a Massachusetts initiative that works in partnership with organizations that center parent leadership to advance opportunities for parent leaders across the state. By connecting parent leadership experience with academic learning and workforce preparation, the initiative aims to create pathways for parent leaders to transition into professional roles that strengthen programs, organizations, and communities.
From Needs Assessment to Pilot
Mass ParentCorps was developed in response to insights from parent leaders and organizations across Massachusetts who identified the need for stronger pathways connecting parent leadership with professional opportunities.
Building the statewide framework, coalition, and funding base to scale parent leadership pathways across Massachusetts — organized around three working areas: Framework & Curriculum, Funding & Policy, and Evaluation & Research.
Cohort 1 with Urban College of Boston and Cohort 2 with Middlesex Community College are both now underway.
Two awards. Both yours to keep.
Mass ParentCorps Credential
A new, emerging credential gaining statewide recognition — a formal mark of your parent leadership expertise and community impact.
3–6 College Credits
Earned through Urban College of Boston or Middlesex Community College — credits you can apply toward future certificates, associate's degrees, and advanced degrees on your own timeline.
Built differently,
by design
Collaborative Initiative
Mass ParentCorps is being developed through collaboration with community-based organizations, parent leaders, Urban College, and governmental partners across Massachusetts. This collaborative approach helps ensure the model reflects community needs, workforce opportunities, and the experience of organizations that engage parents as leaders.
Builds on a Strong History
Massachusetts has a long history of initiatives that elevate parent leadership and family engagement, including Thrive in 5, Parent Partners, Parent University, and community-based programs across the state. Mass ParentCorps builds on this legacy while exploring new ways to connect parent leadership experience with workforce opportunities.
Connects Leadership with Workforce Pathways
Parent leaders bring valuable lived experience, community knowledge, and trusted relationships. Mass ParentCorps explores how this leadership experience can be recognized and connected to professional roles within organizations that partner with families and communities.
Academic Partnerships
Urban College of Boston partnered on Cohort 1, offering HUS110: Core Competencies for Community Behavioral Health Workers. Middlesex Community College is the academic partner for Cohort 2, offering SOC 110: Community Leadership & Organizing.
Research and Evaluation Partnership
The pilot is being evaluated in partnership with NYU Metro Center’s Center for Policy, Research & Evaluation, led by Dr. Joanna Geller and Lisette DeSouza. The evaluation will help document outcomes and inform future expansion of the model.
Organizations that helped shape the vision
The development of Mass ParentCorps has been supported by several community-based organizations that have long histories of engaging parents as leaders.
EEC and DESE participated in the initial design phase of Mass ParentCorps.
Join the Mass
ParentCorps Initiative
Both cohorts of the pilot are now underway. Explore the program or reach out to learn more about future opportunities and how your organization can get involved.