The Education Rights Clinic is temporarily pausing appointment requests as of June 1, 2026.


We anticipate reopening in late summer. Check our website and social media accounts for updates.

Please see below for potential resources and referrals that may be helpful to you. You can visit our self-advocacy resource center here or contact our Self-Advocacy Assistance phone line at 860-422-4220 Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  

These resources are provided for informational purposes only. DRCT does not guarantee the quality of services you may receive from these resources. We encourage you to investigate each of them to make your own informed decision.

General Resources:

Administrative Complaint Options:

If You Think Your Student’s Rights Have Been Violated: If a parent/guardian feels that an education agency has violated a requirement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a parent/guardian has a few options: (1) they can file a complaint with the CSDE requesting an investigation, they can request mediation with the school, or they can file for a due process hearing to resolve alleged violations of IDEA requirements. Please note that timelines apply for each of these options.

If a parent/guardian feels that an education agency has violated a requirement of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, they have a right to procedural safeguards. Under Section 504, schools must: (1) appoint a Section 504 Coordinator, (2) have a grievance procedure for the resolution of complaints, (3) provide notice to parents and students of the grievance procedure– including how to access it– and of the contact information for the designated Section 504 coordinator. Contact your child's 504 case manager, often the school counselor, for more information. 

  • Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education (OCR): The U.S. Department of Education’s OCR’s mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation through vigorous enforcement of civil rights. OCR has the authority to investigate complaints claiming a covered entity discriminated based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, gender, disability, or age. Please be aware that deadlines to file a complaint apply. More information can be found online, including the complaint form here:  https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html and FAQ explaining the OCR complaint process: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/qa-complaints.html 

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): FERPA is a federal law that protects the confidentiality of student educational records. FERPA provides several important rights, some of which include granting parents (and eligible students) the right to access their educational records, the right to request corrections to educational records, and the right to privacy by only allowing a student’s educational records to be shared with third parties when there is consent.  

Potential Referrals:

  • Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC): CPAC is a statewide nonprofit organization established to inform parents of children with disabilities about special education rights and procedures, and to provide information and referral services for any problems related to the education of their children. CPAC is the federally designated CT parent training and information center. Services include workshops for parents, in-service training for professionals, a newsletter, a resource collection, and individual assistance. Spanish-speaking staff is available. Address: 338 Main Street, Niantic, CT 06357. Website: www.cpacinc.org  

  • Favor Connecticut - FAVOR, Inc. (FAVOR) is a statewide family-led, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to empowering families as advocates and partners in improving educational and health outcomes for our children. FAVOR is a state affiliate organization of the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health. FAVOR offers a single place for families with children who have medical, mental, emotional, and behavioral health challenges to find information, assistance, and training. Website: http://www.favor-ct.org/

  • COPAA (Council of Parents, Attorneys, and Advocates) provides a directory of special education attorneys in CT. These resources are provided for informational purposes only. DRCT does not guarantee the quality of services you may receive from these resources. We encourage you to investigate each of these resources[GU1]  to make your own informed decision. Website: https://www.copaa.org/

  • Lawyer Referral Services: The CBA has contact information for lawyer referral services in different parts of Connecticut. This service may be able to suggest a private attorney who, for a nominal consultation fee, will assess a case and provide an estimate of charges. For contact information based on location please see the information below:  

    • Hartford County: Phone (860)525-6052 

    • New Haven County: Phone (203)562-5750 

    • New London County: Phone (860)889-9384 


  • Special Education Legal Fund (SELF): This fund may be able to provide grants of up to $5,000 for legal assistance to economically disadvantaged families with children in the special education system. All SELF grants are payable directly to the attorney. Website: https://spedlegalfund.org/ Statewide Legal Services (SLS): These non-profit organizations provide free civil legal services to income-eligible people, in the form of direct representation in crisis situations, advice, referrals, and legal self-help materials. Assistance is provided in a variety of areas of law including the following: entitlements, Medicare, Social Security Disability, living wills, and the rights of elderly people and people with disabilities. To Apply -  Telephone: (800) 453-3320 (Toll-Free Voice/TTY); (860) 344-0380. Spanish-speaking staff available. Hotline hours are 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Monday-Friday. Email: contactsls@slsct.org Website: www.slsct.org 

  • The Center for Children’s Advocacy: A non-profit law firm dedicated to the promotion and protection of the legal rights of Connecticut’s most vulnerable children who are dependent on a variety of Connecticut systems – Judicial, Child Welfare, Health, Mental Health, Education, and Juvenile Justice.  If you need legal assistance, please call (860) 570-5327 for the Hartford office or (203) 335-0719 for the Bridgeport office. Website: www.cca-ct.org

  • The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) helps to advocate for children at risk; address public policy issues concerning juvenile justice, child care, foster care, and treatment; review individual cases and investigate complaints; educate and inform the public of laws and services affecting families and children who are placed under state supervision. OCA also helps coach families, concerned citizens, and agencies to "navigate" public service and information systems and advocate for children effectively; review facilities and procedures of public or private institutions or residences where juveniles are placed; and facilitate change by bringing different agencies together to find creative solutions to difficult problems. Call 1-800-994-0939 or email oca@ct.gov. If we can't assist you directly, we'll make sure to guide you to the correct agency or resource.