The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) recently partnered with PCG to develop a new statewide special education data management system. PCG will support CSDE’s project from start to finish providing system design, development, data integration, implementation, training and then support. Currently in the early stages of development, Connecticut’s special education data system will be introduced to select districts as part of a pilot program during the 2021-2022 school year. The system will launch to all 170 school districts across the state at the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

On September 4th, the state’s new system was the focus of an article in the Connecticut Examiner (CT Examiner) that highlighted five key ways the system will impact special education—for students, teachers, and families—including:

• A standardized electronic individualized education program (IEP) document
• A dedicated ‘parent portal’ providing caregivers electronic access to the IEP and other special education documents
• Language translation capabilities so all documents are in a family’s native language
• Cost savings for districts as the system will be paid for with federal grant money
• More efficient and effective data collection and reporting capabilities

“Five Things to Know about the State’s New Special Education Data Management System,” which includes a quote from PCG’s education director Grant Blair, is available on the CT Examiner website here.

CSDE officially announced this new project in a press release issued on September 1, 2020.