A new report from the Connecticut Department of Education shows that students are attending school more often.
It’s been five years since the state first implemented the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program or LEAP. It's a statewide program that launched in 2021 to combat chronic absenteeism following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ajit Gopalakrishnan is the Chief Performance Officer for the State Department of Education. He oversaw the data collection for the 2025-2026 report. He says it showed that chronic absenteeism declined since the program launched.
"Around 24 percent, down to 16.4%, that represents approximately 35,000 more students who are coming to school regularly. That’s huge," Gopalakrishnan said.
The LEAP model works by training educators to conduct home visits to connect with families and students. Monthly data collection allows educators to adjust methods in real time. Often, families receive several visits from educators in an attempt to resolve issues that cause absenteeism.
Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker met with education leaders to discuss methods for reaching students and families. Russell-Tucker said the goal of the program is to increase school attendance and reach numbers closer to pre-pandemic levels.
“We know that every day matters. Students who attend school consistently are more engaged in their learning, more connected to their peers and school community. Just better positioned for academic success,” Russell-Tucker said.
Hedy Chang is the president of Attendance Works, a national organization that has worked with the Department of Education to help implement LEAP since the program launched. She said each child has a different reason for missing school, each requiring a different approach.
“What we find is the only way you reduce chronic absenteeism is to understand why kids aren't showing up to school in the first place. And when you have your data, you're not just using your data, but you're combining it with things like your LEAP home visits so you can much more deeply understand that impact," Chang said.
