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Connecticut Work Group Focuses on Two Generations

Connecticut Commission on Children
/
cga.ct.gov
Elaine Zimmerman.

Connecticut was the first state in the nation to pass a law in 2014 that aims to help get kids ready for school by also focusing on their parents.

Connecticut's interest is pegged to a national focus on reversing poverty

The plan will promote ways to improve a child's academic success while helping low-income parents succeed in the workforce.

Elaine Zimmerman, executive director of the Connecticut Commission on Children, said a work group is examining how to create a school readiness plan that focuses on two generations.

"We're no longer going to work in Connecticut focused just on the child or just on the adult," Zimmerman said. "But we're going to work concurrently on the needs of child and the needs of the parent, particularly for parents who are unemployed or seeking a change in employment to change their wage."

Zimmerman said state and federal governments often work in silos -- only addressing a specific need, that of a child or an adult. But she said agencies need to coordinate better with community groups to focus on the family as a whole.

"If an unemployed parent went to a workforce board, they might learn about a job opportunity but they would also learn about quality places where their children could be for free that would help with school readiness and school success," Zimmerman said.

Connecticut's interest is pegged to a national focus on reversing poverty. Zimmerman cited work by the Kellogg Foundation and Aspen Institute in examining whether this focus on the whole family could result in cost savings and better outcomes.

To study two-generational work, pilot sites have been launched in New Haven, Norwalk, Meriden, Colchester, Bridgeport, and Greater Hartford. Zimmerman added that asking parents what they need to succeed will be a key part.

Lucy leads Connecticut Public's strategies to deeply connect and build collaborations with community-focused organizations across the state.

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