Parents of students with disabilities were able to voice their opinions, share their stories and express their most pressing needs during three open forums held at Cooperative Educational Services in Trumbull on Nov. 6 and 8.
Parents who attended were able to meet with Bryan Klimkiewicz, head of the Bureau of Special Education with the state’s Department of Education. Parent consultants from the Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC) were also on hand to offer guidance and suggestions. The information gathered at the forums will be used to inform the State Advisory Committee on Special Education and will be shared at a Parent Symposium planned in May.
“It is extremely important to give parents a voice not only in their own child’s education but also in helping shape the future direction of special education in our state,” said Dr. Michael Regan, Director of Special Education at C.E.S.
The sessions – one conducted in Spanish – were a collaborative effort between the Connecticut Department of Education and the RESC Alliance, which is made up by C.E.S. and the five other Regional Educational Service Centers around the state. C.E.S. was created by the state legislature more than 40 years ago to provide educational supports and services to public school districts in the southwestern region of Connecticut.