Southington Schools Awarded Large Grant For Special Education Programs

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Southington Public Schools will receive nearly $300,000 in state funding aimed at expanding special education services within school districts and reducing reliance on out-of-district placements.

Southington was awarded $297,397 for programming through Connecticut's newly established High-Quality Special Education Incentive Grant Program, Gov. Ned Lamont and state Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker announced.

The district did not receive capital improvement funding through this round.

Southington is among 41 special education programs statewide sharing approximately $10.6 million in the first round of grants from the program.

The competitive program is administered by the Connecticut State Department of Education and was established under Public Act 25-93.

It is intended to help local and regional school systems establish or expand special education programs within their districts or through regional partnerships.

State officials say increasing local capacity could allow more students with disabilities to attend programs in their home communities while reducing districts' reliance on often-costly out-of-district placements.

“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.

Lamont said special education has become one of the largest cost drivers for Connecticut school districts, citing both an increase in the number of students eligible for services and rising costs associated with out-of-district programs.

Russell-Tucker said the grants will give districts additional resources to develop and expand local programs.

“Every student deserves access to high-quality learning opportunities that meet their individual needs and foster a strong sense of belonging in their school community,” Russell-Tucker said.

Statewide, approximately $8.9 million of the grant funding is designated for program costs, with another $1.7 million going toward eligible capital improvements.

Programming grants can pay for planning and startup expenses, staffing, assistive technology, instructional materials, professional development and flexible learning models.

The state said potential uses include developing specialized programs for students with significant disabilities, establishing therapeutic social, emotional and behavioral support programs, and expanding inclusive co-teaching classrooms.

Capital funding available to other recipients can support facilities, renovations, equipment, transportation and related infrastructure.

The announcement did not specify which programs or services Southington plans to support with its $297,397 award.

Local and regional school boards seeking funding in the first round were required to apply by July 10.

Individual district applications were eligible for 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.