ConnCAN

ConnCAN (Connecticut Coalition for Achievement Now) is a state-level advocacy group. Its mission is to “bring Connecticut together to provide every child with a great public school.” Its major projects include the ranking of Connecticut public schools, video profiles of successful schools, parent outreach and education, legislative advocacy in support of its Great Schools for All plan, and  its annual State of Connecticut Public Education research report.

website www.conncan.org

Teach for America Connecticut

Teach for Americas is the national corps of outstanding recent college
graduates who commit two years to teach in urban public schools
and become lifelong leaders in expanding educational opportunity.
Teach for America opened its Connecticut site and places its charter
corps in new Haven public schools in September 2006. The
expansion from New Haven to Hartford and Bridgeport public schools
is part of Teach for America’s plan to increase its current corps of
4,400 members to 7,500 teaching nationally in more than 30 regions
by 2010. Under this plan, 250 corps members will impact more than
21,000 Connecticut students in the 2010-11 school year.

WEB SITE

The Parent Leadership Training Institute

The Parent Leadership Training Institute was established in 1997 to
teach parents leadership skills so they can help improve the health,
safety and learning of children. PLTI recruits parents from Bridgeport
and trains them on a retreat and at two 10-week sessions. Charter
Oak is once again supporting PLTI.

WEB SITE

Housatonic Middle College Program

Through the Housatonic Middle College Program, over 100 Bridgeport high
school seniors will have the opportunity to take math and reading
classes at Housatonic Community College. The classes will be team-
taught by high school and college teachers. The program aims to
reduce the number of students who test into remedial classes upon
entering college.

Connecticut Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities

The Connecticut Association for Children and Adults with Learning
Disabilities (CACLD) provides individuals, families and professionals
with information, education and consultation related to learning
disabilities and attention deficits. Knowing that early intervention can
help break the cycle of poverty for families, CACLD will use its grant
to purchase educational materials for Bridgeport’s School-Based
Health Centers and Parent Centers.

WEB SITE

Center for Women and Families

The Center for Women and Families works to strengthen women and
families and eliminate violence and abuse. CWF hosts hotlines for
domestic violence and sexual assault. It runs programs for recently
incarcerated women and recently homeless families and their
landlords, among others. For the second year, Charter Oak is funding
a program in the Bridgeport schools that teaches about domestic
violence.

WEB SITE

Career Resources

Career Resources is a workforce development program that primarily
supports economically and educationally disadvantaged adults in
Southwestern Connecticut. Charter Oak’s grant will allow Career
Resources to hire an adult educational instructor, who will spend 20
hours a week helping adults with the literacy and educational courses
needed to complete their GEDs.

The Bridgeport Public Education Fund

The Bridgeport Public Education Fund is the advocate for public
education in Bridgeport. In addition to running its own programs,
BPEF administers the Charter Oak Scholarship program. Charter
Oak’s grant will offset the costs of BPEF’s signature programs: Mini
Grants for Teachers, MAACS and First Day.

WEB SITE

Achievement First Bridgeport Academy

In 2006 Charter Oak spearheaded the efforts to open an Achievement First school in Bridgeport. A K-8 college preparatory school for urban students opened in September 2007. Achievement First is a charter school management organization started in July 2003 by the leaders of Amistad Academy, a high performing charter school in New Haven, CT. A non-profit 501 (c) 3, Achievement First aims to bring scale the dramatic,life-changing student achievement results produced at Amistad by creating a school system of achievement-gap closing charters schools in New Haven and Connecticut. Achievement First Bridgeport Academy is the first of Achievement First’s Connecticut schools in open in a city other than New Haven.

WEB SITE