Our Mission
The mission of the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center is to educate, support, and empower Connecticut's families of children and youth with any disability or chronic conditions, ages birth to 26, and the professionals who serve them.
CPAC is committed to supporting each and every Connecticut family and youth with disabilities in understanding and learning to advocate for rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). We advocate at the federal, state, and local levels to help remove barriers that families and youth face when advocating for appropriate support and services.
CPAC is a nonprofit organization that provides information, training, individual assistance, and resources. CPAC is not a legal firm or a legal service agency, and as such, the information contained on this website is provided for the purpose of informing the reviewer, but should not be considered as a means of taking the place of legal advice that must be obtained through an attorney. CPAC may be able to assist you in identifying an attorney in your area, but cannot provide direct referrals.
Our Vision
All families will have the confidence, knowledge and understanding they need to effectively advocate for their children and to partner with professionals to ensure the children and youth grow and learn to their full potential.
CPAC receives many questions about who we are and what we do and don't do. Here are some frequently asked questions about our organization:
» CPAC FAQ 2025
» CPAC FAQ Spanish 2025
WHAT'S NEW
Help Improve Special Education in Connecticut
Share your perspectives on how the Connecticut State Department of Education can improve special education services in the state. The Commissioner of Education engaged WestEd to review the current system of state-level special education supports to find out what is working well, and where the State Department of Education can improve support to students, families, service providers, and educators. Find the survey here: https://westedk12enterprise.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d43CSLpwnzoCab4How We Help
Every day, CPAC's Parent Consultants provide individual training, support and empowerment for parents and professionals who reach out to us with questions about the education of their children and students. We provide training programs at no cost to families and educators across the state. We make available a wide range of accessible online training and information on our website and through social media. We work with a wide range of partners to reach out to families, youth and educators to find and address the issues in the education and transition of students and young people from birth through age 26. CPAC is staffed by parents of children with disabilities who have training in and personal experience with the law and disability issues.
Online Learning
Opportunities
Webinars, Videos and
Modules.
Hot
Topics
Technology, school climate & bullying, inclusion, literacy, and more.
Newsletters &
Publications
Newsletters from CPAC and a Guide to Educational Terms (in English and Spanish).
Special
Education 101
Communication, eligibility, evaluation, legal rights, and more.
Key
Resources
Parent Support, Connecting Connecticut, Disability Specific and more
NEW Individualized
Education Program (IEP)
The IEP is the foundation for a student's education.
State & Federal
Resources
State and Federal Laws Supporting Students with Disabilities
Families & Schools
Working Together
Practices and Tools for Schools and Families
upcoming events
Finding Your Voice as a Parent Webinar
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. EST
This is a no cost event
Finding Your Voice as a Parent Webinar: Special Education Law and Advocacy Roundtable
Date: Tuesday September 16th 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. EST.
Register here on Zoom: https://bit.ly/6442A
Co-hosted online with the Stamford JCC (Stamford, CT).
Speakers:
Attorney Lawrence Berliner, Connecticut Special Education Law
Jane Faherty, Stamford JCC JumpStart Program Executive Director & Special Education Advocate
Allie Grafman, Special Education Advocate at ABC Advocacy LLC
Bringing Advocacy to the Table:
Taking Ownership of Your Child’s Educational Journey
• Managing Back to School issues that have evolved over the summer
• Addressing Parents’ Input and Concerns in assessing their child’s progress
• Top 10 Strategies for Back to School
• Eligibility Issues: Section 504 Plan vs. Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
• Strategizing and Preparing for the year ahead
• Parent observations, input and concerns
• Preparing for the first of the year PPT meeting
• Comprehensive evaluations and the IEE, review of progress and accountability
• Turning Point: Next Steps – How to create a plan of action if your child is still struggling and the school is not responding to your child’s needs
• Q & A
For questions about this webinar, please email Rachel Berliner, Public Relations Assistant at [email protected]
> Register for event
> View event flyer