HARTFORD, Conn. — In response to a growing special education teacher shortage across Connecticut , Gov. Ned Lamont and state legislators unveiled a new $30 million initiative aimed at expanding special education programs and improving staffing across districts.

The new initiative, known as the Special Education Expansion and Development Grant, offers flexible funding and streamlines the application process for special education certification.

“We do a lot of things for show, this is for real,” Lamont said during the announcement Monday.

The grant is designed to give districts more autonomy in how they spend the money, which officials said will help address both staffing and student service gaps.

“They can use the funding for anything cost-related to special education, that could be d

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