La Mesa Spring Valley Parent Empowerment Program

The Parent Empowerment Program (PEP), offered free through the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, is changing the way families support young children with behavioral and social-emotional challenges. Designed for families with children ages 3 to 6, PEP provides a safe, supportive, and research-based environment where caregivers learn practical strategies to help their children thrive—at home, at school, and beyond.

Whether a child struggles with separation anxiety, tantrums, defiance, or aggression, PEP offers families hands-on tools and coaching to address these behaviors effectively and with compassion. What sets PEP apart is its unique focus on empowering parents—not just through workshops or one-time trainings, but through an immersive, relationship-based model that builds lasting skills and confidence.

Originally founded at Vanderbilt University in 1969, the program—known nationally as the Regional Intervention Program (RIP)—PEP has over 50 years of research demonstrating positive outcomes for children and families. The La Mesa-Spring Valley School District is proud to be the only certified expansion site on the West Coast and the only site housed within a public school district. Because of its success, LMSV’s PEP team is now collaborating with other districts across California to help launch additional expansion sites.

The PEP model blends several evidence-based practices, including Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Parent-Mediated Intervention (PMI), and Differential Reinforcement (DR). Together, these approaches create a bridge between school and home—ensuring children receive consistent, developmentally appropriate support across all settings.

Unlike traditional parent workshops, PEP dives deep into the “how” of behavior change. Families work side by side with trained staff in a structured, nurturing environment that allows for real-time coaching and practice. Parents learn the same tools teachers use in the classroom and have opportunities to try them out both during class time and in specialized Behavior Skills Training (BST) rooms equipped with one-way mirrors for live feedback and support.

Each week, children and caregivers attend two sessions, each lasting two hours. Children participate in engaging early learning activities—circle time, play, small group work, and transitions—where skills like self-regulation, frustration tolerance, turn-taking, and self-advocacy are intentionally embedded. Meanwhile, parents receive training and coaching on effective strategies, gradually building confidence to implement them at home and in the community.

The results have been transformative. Families report more peaceful home environments, fewer meltdowns, and stronger parent-child relationships. Children who once struggled to stay safe or connect with peers are now thriving—participating successfully in school, joining team sports, and attending birthday parties and community outings without the stress or chaos that once felt impossible.

Within schools, PEP has also led to measurable improvements. The program is helping to reduce the need for special education behavioral assessments, minimize suspensions, and decrease referrals to more restrictive settings. Educators report more inclusion, safer classrooms, and stronger partnerships with families—all contributing to better outcomes for students and staff alike.

In a time when children are growing up in a fast-paced, tech-driven world—with increasing needs for emotional regulation, communication, and social connection, PEP offers families a chance to reset, reconnect, and rebuild. By breaking generational cycles and equipping parents with tools that work for today’s children, PEP is not just changing behavior, it’s changing lives.

See PEP in action here!