Name of the Project

Connecticut Statewide Family Literacy Initiative

Grantee Contact

George A. Coleman, Associate Commissioner

State Department of Education

25 Industrial Park Road

Middletown, CT 06457

Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Coordinator

Judy Carson, Education Consultant

State Department of Education

Bureau of School, Family and Community Partnerships

165 Capitol Avenue, Rm. 227

Hartford, CT 06106

Tel: (860) 566-7943 and Fax: (860) 566-2957

E-mail: Judy.carson@po.state.ct.us

Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative Project Goals

• To expand family literacy
• To strengthen family literacy
• To coordinate resources that support family literacy
• To provide public education and outreach

Project Description

Connecticut's Statewide Family Literacy Initiative is designed to strengthen and expand existing family literacy programs. The Consortium is responsible for providing leadership and guidance to the initiative's activities and promoting coordination among various agencies and programs involved in the initiative. Other Consortium member responsibilities include: becoming familiar with the comprehensive family literacy model, identifying and providing resources to support the Initiative, representing their program's perspective relating to family literacy, and being a conduit for communication between the Consortium and their program/constituency. The Consortium has established oversight committees associated with each of the project's key activities: performance indicators, professional development, and public education and outreach.

Invitational Priorities

• Using research on reading and literacy in program planning
• Implementing a professional development plan for staff
• Increasing the intensity of family literacy activities for school-age children (up to 7 years old)
• Improving local evaluation methods and practices
• Absolute Priority: Family Literacy Performance Indicators