Governor Lamont Publicizes Deployment of Extra Than $16 Million To Help Native Particular Schooling COVID-19 Restoration Efforts
Press releases
02/08/2021
Governor Lamont announces more than $ 16 million in funding to support local special education efforts to recover from COVID-19
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Acting Connecticut Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker visited Higganum Regional School District 17 today to highlight more than $ 16 million in Elementary and Secondary Education II (ESSER II) to help 170 Connecticut school districts serve special needs education to more than 80,000 students in the 2021-22 school year.
“These funds are an important way to provide special education programs across Connecticut with the resources they need to ensure that all of our students have equal access to the education they deserve.” Governor Lamont said.
“The Connecticut State Department of Education’s longstanding commitment to equal access to education for all of our students drives the work of our department.” Acting Commissioner Russell-Tucker said. “We strive to use all available resources to help our district partners meet the needs of their school communities in innovative ways. For this reason, we use these funds to support the targeted regaining of education for students with disabilities. “
“From day one of this pandemic, the Connecticut State Department of Education has been committed to helping students with disabilities meet the challenges of this pandemic.” Bryan Klimkiewicz, director of special education for the Connecticut State Department of Education, said. “That commitment is evident in our four initiatives that will accelerate student recovery and help families and educators build on the strong foundation laid by their Herculean efforts over the years.”
ESSER funding is critical to re-engaging all students and accelerating learning while taking into account the diverse and unique needs of students, e.g. B. to support students with disabilities. The Connecticut State Department of Education is using its state ESSER-II shutdown to complement local efforts to recover from COVID-19 in the special education sector through several piloted initiatives by several districts, including Regional School District 17, during the final school year were created by engaging stakeholders to meet the needs of students with disabilities with their local ESSER II funds. During the 2021-22 school year, four main initiatives will be coordinated by the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Bureau of Special Education (BSE) to support the delivery of services to students with disabilities and their families. These include:
- Addressing delayed, interrupted, suspended, or inaccessible Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and services: Up to $ 13 million in funding will help districts cope with delayed, interrupted, suspended, or inaccessible IEP support and services for students with IEPs in each school district.
- Special educational evaluations: Up to $ 1 million in funding will increase the capacity of the state’s six Regional Education Service Centers (RESC) to assist school districts with special education assessments that will benefit approximately 240 students and planning and placement teams.
- Supplementary tutoring and reading lessons: Up to $ 2 million in funding will help 170 districts support complementary tutoring and reading classes to meet the needs of 3,092 students with an IEP and a primary disability category of SLD / dyslexia, in line with reading objectives in the current IEP’s To meet the student’s needs.
- Individual support at home for students with high needs: Up to $ 272,000 in funding will partner with the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services for 8,000 hours of personalized home support to provide 1: 1 home support and support to up to 200 high-need students.
Governor Lamont and Acting Commissioner Russell-Tucker also attended Haddam-Killingworth Recreation Department’s summer camp, located on the Regional School District 17 high school campus. Haddam-Killingworth Recreation Department is one of 235 statewide programs receiving grants through the Connecticut State Department of Education’s COVID-19 Recovery Fund provision to provide affordable, quality education and recreation this summer.
In total, the scholarships have already expanded access to enriching experiences for more than 50,000 Connecticut students, with a focus on children and communities hardest hit by the pandemic. Many summer programs remain openly enrolled, and families still have time to find many financially accessible options in their area.
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