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
Next STEPS: Parent Leadership Training Series
This intensive eight week series is designed to help parents and professionals gain the skills and knowledge necessary to be effective members of the Planning and Placement Team (PPT). This training series will prepare participants for a variety of roles at the school, district, regional, and state levels. Dates: October 15, 22, 29 November 5, 12, 19 December 3, 10 No class on Thanksgiving 11/26
Registration information: https://cpacinc.org/programs-next-steps.aspx
How 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, October 27, 2026
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST
This is a no cost event
Finding Your Voice as a Parent Webinar: Navigating Divorce for Parents of Special Education Students
Date: Tuesday October 27th 2026 7:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. EST. This webinar is on Zoom (online/virtual event).
Register here on Zoom: https://bit.ly/5A201D
Co-hosted online with the Stamford JCC (Stamford, CT).
Speakers: Attorney Lawrence Berliner, Connecticut Special Education Law
Jane Faherty, Stamford JCC JumpStart Director & Special Education Advocate
Attorney Carole Orland and Attorney Laurie Markus, Divorce & Family Law at Broder Orland Murray and DeMattie LLC, Westport & Greenwich CT.
Often, the divorce rate is higher for marriages of parents involving children with special needs. When special needs children are involved in divorce, there are added concerns to address. We are pleased to bring to the table two experienced divorce and family law attorneys to discuss the challenges facing parents of special needs children who are divorcing …always keeping in mind the best interests of the child.
Let’s Start a Conversation to Help Guide Parents:
• Develop an overall Parenting Plan
• Create a Team of Specialists so parents can work together in understanding their child’s needs and the team that will support them
• Collaborate on an educational plan in the child’s best interest
• Consider your child’s unique circumstances
• Role of Guardian Ad Litem
• Role of Court and Court Services
• Q & A
Questions? Please contact Rachel Berliner, Public Relations Assistant at [email protected]
This webinar is free and open to the public.
More information: https://www.stamfordjcc.org/events/2026/10/27/inclusion/finding-your-voice-as-a-parent-webinar/
> Register for event
> View event flyer