Welcome to the Connecticut State Advisory Council on Special Education Homepage

Katie - Age 10

The Connecticut State Advisory Council (SAC) on Special Education has been authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) since the Act's inception in 1975. The SAC is also authorized under Chapter 164 Section 10-76i of the Connecticut General Statutes with the express purpose to "advise the General Assembly, the State Board of Education and the Commissioner of Education" on special education matters. The SAC addresses all five goals of the Comprehensive Plan of the State Board of Education and is specifically mandated:

  1. To identify the unmet needs of children with special education needs;
  2. To review periodically the laws, regulations, standards, and guidelines pertaining to special education;
  3. To comment of any new or revised regulations, standards and guidelines proposed for issuance;
  4. Participate with the State Board of Education in the development of any state plan for the provision of special education;
  5. Assist the State Department of Education in developing and reporting such data and evaluations as may be conducted pursuant to the provisions of said Act;
  6. To encourage compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Connecticut Statues 10-76;
  7. To provide a forum for individuals or groups to express their ideas related to statewide special education issues; and,
  8. To advise the Commissioner and the State Board of Education on issues related to the provision of special education services.

Membership on the SAC is dictated by IDEA. Members must be appointed by an official authorized to make such appointments; they must be representative of the State population; they must be comprised of individuals involved in, or concerned with, the education of children with disabilities; and more than 50% of members must be people with disabilities/their parents. By federal law, the composition of the SAC must include: