PIRC is a network of Parental Information and Resource Centers located in Beaufort, Charleston, Florence, Greenwood, Greenville, Lexington and York counties with an administrative office in Columbia.

PIRCs are funded by a federal grant from the United States Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII) . OII leads the movement for greater parental options and coordinates the public school choice and supplemental educational service provisions for the No Child Left Behind Act.

PIRCs are charged with:

• Reaching out to parents of low-income, minority, and limited English proficient children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools;
• Helping these parents understand Parent Report Cards, Supplemental Educational Services, and Public School Choice as described in the No Child Left Behind legislation;
• And assisting parents in communicating effectively with school personnel.

PIRCs partner with local school districts as they implement parental involvement policies, programs, and activities such as:

• Early childhood parent education programs in (Parent-Child Home Program, Parents As Teachers)
• Preteen and teen parenting groups
• Developmental screenings for pre-school aged children
• Parent to parent peer groups
• Drop in and play with your child sessions
• No Child Left Behind information about parental rights
• Mandated Title 1 parent involvement
• Coordination with School Improvement Councils
• National, State, and Local Parent-Teacher Associations/ Organizations

In addition, each center may provide referral services to appropriate community resources. The centers are all responsive to their individual communities; and programs and services vary accordingly.

For more information visit: http://www.ed.gov/programs/pirc/