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Welcome to www.ctappleseed.org. We are committed to improving
social justice by helping Connecticut's most disadvantaged
and disenfranchised citizens. We hope this information about
our programs
and accomplishments
will motivate you to join us. If you will register
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our free
newsletter.
Thanks so much for taking the time to learn about Connecticut
Appleseed's activities. We are most eager to expand our network
of colleagues and supporters, and welcome in particular collaborators
for current and future projects. We would of course be grateful
if you would consider contributing
to our efforts.
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What's
New  School-based behavior problems are all-too-common entry points into the juvenile justice system. With 60,650 students suspended or expelled and almost 153,000 school days lost due to suspension or expulsion during the 2005-06 school year in Connecticut, research is needed to examine how school discipline policies are impacting the state’s juvenile justice system. So Appleseed’s Board voted in 2008 to start a “Schools-to-Prison Pipeline” project that will research the linkages between school discipline and the juvenile justice system and whether practices like extended in-school suspension can help weaken any linkages that the research documents. (more)
Surveys at our five 2007 Parent Empowerment Workshops found that more than 90% of parents were eager for better clarification on legally-related topics ranging from schools’ zero tolerance and suspension policies to Special Education. Appleseed responded by recruiting pro bono attorneys at Day Pitney LLP and Robinson & Cole LLP who spent more than 300 hours writing five legally-based informational guides to help parents feel more positive about their ability to navigate through the educational system. In combination with local “Ask a Lawyer” forums in 2008 and 2009, our Parents’ Access to Legal Information project helps parents work with the school on their child’s behalf. (more)
Support from Western Union is enabling Connecticut Appleseed to provide financial education materials that assists immigrants in learning the value of establishing a banking history and good credit. We are distributing sets of 9 financial education brochures in both English and Spanish throughout the state. To help financial institutions improve their product and services offerings to immigrant communities, we are also distributing copies of Appleseed’s “Expanding Immigrant Access to Mainstream Financial Services: Positive Practices and Emerging Opportunities from the Latin American Immigrant Experience”. (more)
Based
on the findings of ”It Takes A Parent”,
we partnered in 2007 with the CT NAACP, the Connecticut
Coalition for Achievement Now (“ConnCAN”),
and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights to create
and distribute a guidebook to better empower parents
and held parent empowerment workshops across the state
(more).
Click
here to view our Current/New Documents
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