Federal education officials are doling out over $19 million across the country in an effort to better prepare teachers to work with students who have disabilities.

The majority of the funds — $11.5 million — will go to universities in 24 states to train educators to address everything from early intervention to speech and language needs as well as transition.

Meanwhile, $7.7 million is headed to state officials in Connecticut, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon and Wyoming in order to enhance professional development for special educators.

“The quality of education our students with disabilities receive is dependent on how well the workforce is prepared to address their needs,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “These grants will support states’ efforts to improve their training systems for staff, and better serve students with disabilities as a result.”

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