Advocates
CT Parents Advocacy Center
The Down Syndrome Association of Connecticut is working together with CPAC in offering a personalized coaching program to our families which aims to simplify the Special Education process. To learn more, please email DS ACT Executive Director, Shanon McCormick at smccormick@mydsact.org
Not in CT? Find your Parent Advocacy Training Center here: http://www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/
- Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center, Inc. (CPAC) is a statewide nonprofit organization that offers information and support to families of children with any disability or chronic illness, age birth to 26.
- All of CPAC's Services are FREE for families. Contact us at 860-739-3089 or cpac@cpacinc.org.
The Down Syndrome Association of Connecticut is working together with CPAC in offering a personalized coaching program to our families which aims to simplify the Special Education process. To learn more, please email DS ACT Executive Director, Shanon McCormick at smccormick@mydsact.org
Not in CT? Find your Parent Advocacy Training Center here: http://www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/
The ARC Connecticut
OPWDD
Wrightslaw
Down Syndrome Advocacy Foundation
National Down Syndrome Congress
- The Arc Connecticut is an advocacy organization committed to protecting the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and to promoting opportunities for their full inclusion in the life of their communities.
OPWDD
- Office for People With Developmental Disabilities
Wrightslaw
Down Syndrome Advocacy Foundation
National Down Syndrome Congress
Attorneys and Legal Resources
Special Education Legal Fund
Atty. Anne Treimanis
Atty. Jeffrey Forte
Center for Children's Advocacy
Legal Resources:
https://cca-ct.org/legalresources/legalresources_specialed/
CT Probate:
Connecticut’s Probate Courts are responsible for a broad range of cases involving children, seniors, persons with mental illness and adults with intellectual disability. The mission of the Probate Court system, given the sensitive nature of the matters that we handle, is to provide an approachable forum for families to resolve their cases in a fair, prompt and economical manner.
This website is intended to provide support for court users. It includes information about the types of cases that the Probate Courts handle, User Guides that explain various aspects of probate law, and a list of court fees. There are fillable forms to help users provide all the information that is legally required to bring a case in a Probate Court.
The website includes a directory of courts to help you determine which Probate Court serves your area. It also has a case lookup function so that you can search for pending estate and trust matters and identify which court is handling a particular case.
Customer service is a top priority for the Probate Courts. In addition to the resources available on the website, court users may call or stop in at a court to get assistance from court staff. Court clerks cannot give legal advice, but they can answer general questions about how the court works, explain procedures and provide copies of blank forms and documents in court files.
Federal Laws, Regulations & Policies
Connecticut Laws, Regulations & Policies
Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education Resources
Connecticut Special Education Forms
Helpful Websites and Resources on Special Education in Connecticut
Special Education Resources from the Center for Children’s Advocacy
Connecticut’s Probate Courts are responsible for a broad range of cases involving children, seniors, persons with mental illness and adults with intellectual disability. The mission of the Probate Court system, given the sensitive nature of the matters that we handle, is to provide an approachable forum for families to resolve their cases in a fair, prompt and economical manner.
This website is intended to provide support for court users. It includes information about the types of cases that the Probate Courts handle, User Guides that explain various aspects of probate law, and a list of court fees. There are fillable forms to help users provide all the information that is legally required to bring a case in a Probate Court.
The website includes a directory of courts to help you determine which Probate Court serves your area. It also has a case lookup function so that you can search for pending estate and trust matters and identify which court is handling a particular case.
Customer service is a top priority for the Probate Courts. In addition to the resources available on the website, court users may call or stop in at a court to get assistance from court staff. Court clerks cannot give legal advice, but they can answer general questions about how the court works, explain procedures and provide copies of blank forms and documents in court files.
- Special Education Legal Fund provides grants for legal assistance to financially disadvantaged families with children in special education.
Atty. Anne Treimanis
- Norwalk, CT
- Recommended by a 21 Strong Family
- She has a daughter with Down syndrome
Atty. Jeffrey Forte
- Westport,CT, Rocky Hill,CT, Shelton, CT
- Recommended by a 21 Strong Family
Center for Children's Advocacy
Legal Resources:
https://cca-ct.org/legalresources/legalresources_specialed/
CT Probate:
Connecticut’s Probate Courts are responsible for a broad range of cases involving children, seniors, persons with mental illness and adults with intellectual disability. The mission of the Probate Court system, given the sensitive nature of the matters that we handle, is to provide an approachable forum for families to resolve their cases in a fair, prompt and economical manner.
This website is intended to provide support for court users. It includes information about the types of cases that the Probate Courts handle, User Guides that explain various aspects of probate law, and a list of court fees. There are fillable forms to help users provide all the information that is legally required to bring a case in a Probate Court.
The website includes a directory of courts to help you determine which Probate Court serves your area. It also has a case lookup function so that you can search for pending estate and trust matters and identify which court is handling a particular case.
Customer service is a top priority for the Probate Courts. In addition to the resources available on the website, court users may call or stop in at a court to get assistance from court staff. Court clerks cannot give legal advice, but they can answer general questions about how the court works, explain procedures and provide copies of blank forms and documents in court files.
Federal Laws, Regulations & Policies
- IDEA – Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004
- IDEA Regulations for school-age special education programs, 30 C.F.R. Parts 300 and 301 (effective October 13, 2006)
- IDEA Regulations for children with disabilities under age 3, 34 C.F.R. Part 303
- Assistive Technology Guidelines for students with disabilities
- CRS Report for Congress: IDEA Analysis of Changes Made by PL 108-446 (IDEA 2004)
- OCR – Supporting the Academic Success of Pregnant and Parenting Students, 2013
- U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) IDEA Website – provides other federal guidance on IDEA
- Title 504/Americans with Disabilities Act “Protecting Students with Disabilities: Frequently Asked Questions About Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities”
Answers to common questions about educating children with disabilities, including the differences between the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. - US Dept. of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) The mission of the Office for Civil Rights is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation through vigorous enforcement of civil rights. The OCR serves student populations facing discrimination and the advocates and institutions promoting systemic solutions to civil rights problems.
- US Dept. of Education: 15 Principles Regarding Seclusion and Restraint
Suggestions to state and local districts in formulating policies.
Connecticut Laws, Regulations & Policies
- CT Special Education Regulations
- Connecticut Assistive Technology Guidelines for students with disabilities
- Special Education Hearing Decisions
- Special Education: Protecting Your Child, Protecting Your Rights, Connecticut Legal Services
- Five Year Comprehensive Plan for Education (2006 – 2011) adopted by the Connecticut State Board of Education, January 3, 2007
- Special Education Procedural Safeguards
- Uninterrupted Scholars Act: guidance from Commissioner Pryor, State Dept of Ed; and Commissioner Katz, Dept of Children & Families, 2014
- Mastery-Based Learning, Guidelines for Implementation, Connecticut State Dept of Education, 2015
- Connecticut Education Law, Connecticut State Board of Education, Jan 2015
Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education Resources
- Connecticut Special Education Due Process Hearings (English)
- Connecticut Special Education Due Process Hearings (Spanish)
- Directory of Approved Private Special Education Programs
- List of Approved Private Special Education Programs
- Evaluation Timelines Guidance – Topic Brief
- Extended School Year – Topic Brief
- Parent’s Guide to Special Education
- State of Connecticut Department of Education: Response to Intervention
Memo to Directors of Special Ed. on compliance with IDEA requirements from: Nancy M. Cappello, Ph.D., Interim Chief Bureau of Special Education. Sep. 12, 2006 - Writing Transition Goals and Objectives – Topic Brief
- Transition Bill of Rights for Parents of Students Receiving Special Ed Services, May 2016
Through legislation that went into effect July 1, 2015, the Connecticut State Department of Education was required to create a bill of rights for parents of children receiving special education services which informs them of their rights regarding transition planning and includes resources available through the CT SDE. Memos from Commissioner of Education. Memos from Chief of the Bureau of Special Education.
Connecticut Special Education Forms
- Transition IEP Checklist
- Complaint Resolution Process
- IEP Manual & SDE Forms
- PPT Worksheet to Determine Eligibility for Special Ed due to Emotional Disturbance
Helpful Websites and Resources on Special Education in Connecticut
- TIPS for attorneys on Special Education decisions
- CT State Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education
- State Education Resource Center of Connecticut (SERC)
- Mooney, Thomas B., A Practical Guide to Connecticut School Law, Fifth Edition, Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, Inc., 2007 (available at Center for Children’s Advocacy)
- CT Resources for Families
- Special Ed: Protecting Your Child, Protecting Your Rights (ctlawhelp.com)
- State Department of Education Surrogate Parents Program: 860-713-6916
Special Education Resources from the Center for Children’s Advocacy
- Educational Advocacy: Red Flags for Early Identification Andrea Spencer, Ph.D., Dean Education, Pace University, and Education Consultant to Center for Children’s Advocacy
- Extended School Year (ESY) Programs for Special Needs Students Summary of eligibility requirements
- Truancy: A Closer Look Report examining the link between truancy and unmet educational needs
- Life After Lock-Up Legal rights of youth coming back to the community
- Las Niñas Silenciadas Broken Links between Language, Culture and Learning: Obstacles to school achievement play critical role in truancy
- Why Should I Care About Absences and Tardiness in High School?
- 2550 State Department of Education Findings May 28, 2010
Connecticut’s Probate Courts are responsible for a broad range of cases involving children, seniors, persons with mental illness and adults with intellectual disability. The mission of the Probate Court system, given the sensitive nature of the matters that we handle, is to provide an approachable forum for families to resolve their cases in a fair, prompt and economical manner.
This website is intended to provide support for court users. It includes information about the types of cases that the Probate Courts handle, User Guides that explain various aspects of probate law, and a list of court fees. There are fillable forms to help users provide all the information that is legally required to bring a case in a Probate Court.
The website includes a directory of courts to help you determine which Probate Court serves your area. It also has a case lookup function so that you can search for pending estate and trust matters and identify which court is handling a particular case.
Customer service is a top priority for the Probate Courts. In addition to the resources available on the website, court users may call or stop in at a court to get assistance from court staff. Court clerks cannot give legal advice, but they can answer general questions about how the court works, explain procedures and provide copies of blank forms and documents in court files.
Inclusion Specialists
"Ron Tamura is a great source -- I know he does inclusion consulting for some people and really is good." Tricia
