ConnCAN News Release - April 26, 2007
Coalition Announces Statewide Parent Empowerment Initiative
Campaign will distribute parent’s guide on educational advocacy and promises to train 250 parent advocates in Bridgeport, New Haven, Hartford, and Waterbury

Contact:
Danielle K. Smith
Tel: 203-772-4017 x12
Cell: 203-233-6608
Email: danielle.smith@conncan.org

The Connecticut State Conference of NAACP Branches, the Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now (ConnCAN), the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and Connecticut Appleseed have joined forces to give Connecticut parents a greater voice in their children’s education.

The new parent empowerment coalition has produced a free guidebook entitled "How to Make Sure Your Child is Not Left Behind" that provides Connecticut parents with the information they need to take control of their children’s education and practical advice for closing Connecticut’s over-sized achievement gap. (The guidebook is available for free at www.conncan.org, www.ctappleseed.org, and www.lawyerscommittee.org.) Topics covered in the new guidebook include:

• What NCLB means for Connecticut parents.
• What parents can do about teacher quality.
• How to have a voice in school improvement plans.
• How to secure Supplemental Educational Services for your child.
• Tools for closing the discipline gap in our schools.
• 10 ways to get active in closing the achievement gap.

To help parents make the most of this new guidebook, the coalition will be hosting a series of Parent Empowerment Workshops in four urban districts across the state from April through June. Each workshop will involve a parent training session and break-out sessions with local organizations to create action agendas for greater parental involvement.

The first workshop will be held in Bridgeport on Saturday, April 28, from 10am to 2pm at Central High School.
The second workshop will be held in Waterbury on Saturday, May 5 from 10am to 2pm at Slocum School Day Care.

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For more information on the parent empowerment initiative or to schedule an interview with leadership from any of the coalition partner organizations, please contact Danielle K. Smith at 203-772-4017 x12.