Open Doors with Higher Education

The Open Doors with Higher Education program, called Abriendo puertas con educación superior in Spanish, helps immigrant Latino parents and caregivers make informed decisions about post-secondary education.

Open Doors with Higher Education is based on the social cognitive theory and eco-developmental model. It aims to help Latino parents and caregivers:

• Increase awareness and knowledge about the opportunities Latino children have when pursuing post-secondary education in the U.S.
• Become familiar with the U.S. education system.
• Identify available resources to pay for post-secondary education, as well as how to work alongside in the path to high school graduation and the transition to postsecondary education.

The program is designed to be delivered to parents and caregivers in Spanish, at a school- or community-based setting. The program runs over a period of seven weeks, with each class session lasting two hours. Meals and childcare are provided for families as part of the program.

The class sessions cover the following topics:

1. Higher education in the U.S. — information to “Open doors with higher education.”
2. Things to consider to promote and monitor positive learning experiences.
3. Walking alongside with your children on their way towards higher education.
4. Financial aid and opportunities to pay for post-secondary education.
5. Identifying careers and other resources to pay for post-secondary education.
6. Learning basic financial concepts to pay for post-secondary education.
7. Planning actions for the future and review.