Canton, Simsbury Schools Awarded $850K In State Special Education Grants

CANTON/SIMSBURY/NEW HARTFORD, CT — Canton, New Hartford and Simsbury schools will receive a combined $850,000 in state funding to expand special education programs and reduce reliance on out-of-district placements, state officials announced.

The funding is part of $10.6 million awarded to 41 special education programs across Connecticut through the first round of the state's new High-Quality Special Education Incentive Grant Program.

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Canton and New Hartford will jointly receive $500,000, including $328,660 for programming and $171,340 for capital improvements.

Simsbury will receive $350,000 for programming.

State Sen. Paul Honig, D-Torrington, welcomed the funding, which also includes grants for Region 10 and Torrington schools in his district.

Schools in the communities highlighted by Honig will receive approximately $1.39 million altogether.

"It is wonderful to see that schools in our region will strongly benefit from these investments from the state, helping towns better manage special education costs," Honig said.

"These grants will play a significant role supporting our students' needs while ensuring our communities are better prepared to handle them financially," he added.

The grant program is administered by the Connecticut State Department of Education and was established under legislation approved in 2025.

Its goal is to help school districts develop or expand special education services locally or regionally, allowing more students with disabilities to attend programs closer to home rather than being placed in outside programs.

Gov. Ned Lamont said rising special education costs, particularly those associated with out-of-district placements, have become a significant expense for Connecticut school systems.

"It is important that school districts have the resources to support special education programming that allows more students to learn alongside their peers in their own communities," Lamont said.

Connecticut Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker said the grants are intended to help districts expand their capacity to educate students with disabilities in their neighborhood schools.

Statewide, about $8.9 million of the $10.6 million awarded will pay for program costs, while approximately $1.7 million will support capital improvements.

Programming grants can cover expenses including staffing, assistive technology, instructional materials, professional development and startup costs. Capital grants can be used for renovations, facilities, equipment, transportation and other infrastructure.

The state said projects funded through the program can include specialized learning and independence programs for students with significant disabilities, therapeutic programs addressing social, emotional and behavioral needs, and expanded inclusive co-teaching classrooms.

School districts seeking funding in the first round were required to apply by July 10. Individual districts were eligible for grants of up to $350,000, while collaborative proposals could receive up to $500,000.

For more information on the special education grants, click on this link.