TOPEKA — Nineteen Parents as Teachers programs in Kansas have been designated Blue Ribbon Affiliates by the Parents as Teachers National Center, the Kansas State Department of Education announced. Among them is Stafford Unified School District 349.

This endorsement is the highest designation a Parents as Teachers program can earn and means the program implements the evidence-based Parents as Teachers model with fidelity and quality, according to the Parents as Teachers website.

The Parents as Teachers affiliate model includes home visits, group connections, child screenings and connections to community resources. It helps equip parents with the knowledge and resources to prepare their children for a strong start in life and greater success in school.

Parents as Teachers affiliates are required to engage in a quality endorsement and improvement process in their fourth year of implementation and every five years thereafter, according to parentsasteachers.org. To earn the quality endorsement, affiliates must complete a comprehensive self-study and review process that demonstrates they are meeting or exceeding Parents as Teachers essential requirements, along with at least 75 of the 100 quality standards.

“Programs that earn the Quality Endorsement are recognized by the national Parents as Teachers office as exemplary Blue Ribbon Affiliates, delivering high-quality services to children and families,” the Parents as Teachers website states.