Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont participated in a White House event on chronic absenteeism on Wednesday. He highlighted the state's efforts to get students back in the classroom.
According to data from the state, during the last full school year (2022-23), 20% of the state’s 99,000 students were chronically absent — that means they missed more than 10% of school days.
That’s compared to a chronic absenteeism rate of 12% before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the number is down from its peak — 23.2% during the 2020-21 school year.
At the event, Connecticut native and U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona praised the state for its efforts to reduce student absences.
“In my home state of Connecticut, they launched a research-based home visiting program to support student and family reengagement, and get them back into school,” Cardona said.
That’s the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP), which pays outreach workers in 14 districts to meet with students and parents. It launched in 2021, and is funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
According to Lamont, it helps them solve the problems keeping them out of school.
“We had thousands of folks, be it the teachers, the superintendents, the students, not-for-profits, knocking on doors, saying, ‘We miss Jose; where's he been? We want him back in school because his friends miss him," Lamont said.
But the LEAP workers didn’t just ask where the students were; they asked what it would take to get them back to school.
“Maybe it's finding a way to help your mom get to that doctor's appointment. Maybe it's mental health and counseling,” Lamont said.
The program is funded in Bridgeport, the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC), Danbury, East Hartford, Hartford, Manchester, Meriden, New Haven, New London, Norwich, Stamford, Torrington, Waterbury and Windham.
Lamont also spoke about offering practical job training to high schoolers, like internships and apprenticeships.
“Making education relevant so they know why they're learning and what they're learning in the classroom, and see how it will go elsewhere,” Lamont said.
Watch the full event here.
