Connecticut Test Scores and Attendance Continue to Improve

Press Releases

08/31/2026

Math and Science Scores Improve for the Fourth Consecutive Year Nearing Pre-Pandemic Levels as English Language Arts Continues Upward Trend

(Hartford, CT) — Academic performance in Connecticut improved in 2026 across nearly every student group in English language arts (ELA), mathematics, and science. At the same time, chronic absenteeism declined for the fourth consecutive year from a high of 23.7 percent in 2021–-22 to 16.4 percent in 2025–26, meaning nearly 35,000 more students are attending school regularly. 

Statewide Test Results Show Continued Improvement 
 
Statewide assessment results continued to improve in 2025–26, with gains in mathematics and science for the fourth consecutive year and both subjects moving closer to pre-pandemic achievement levels. English language arts results also improved from the previous year. The tables below show statewide results using the Connecticut Performance Indexi, which measures overall student achievement in each subject. 

Connecticut Performance Index (CPI) Trend in English Language Arts and Mathematics
for All Grades and Student Groups
(State Target for the Performance Index is 75. Improvements are in green) 

 

Connecticut Performance Index (CPI) Trend in Science for All Grades and Student Groups
(State Target for the Performance Index is 75. Improvements are in green) 

Students statewide continue to achieve approximately 60 percent of their annual growth targets on average. Students achieved 59.3 percent of their growth targets on average in ELA and 60.9 percent of their growth targets on average in mathematics. Higher levels of academic growth are evident across many Connecticut schools. Students in 35 schools met at least 80 percent of their ELA growth targets, while students in 100 schools met that benchmark in mathematics. These results demonstrate that higher levels of academic growth are possible and provide important examples as Connecticut continues working to accelerate student growth statewide. 
 
Chronic Absenteeism Continues to Improve 
 
Chronic absenteeism improved in nearly every grade in 2025–26 and for the majority of student groups. Students in Grades 3, 4, and 5 continue to have the lowest chronic absenteeism rates, each grade less than 12 percent. The largest improvements were in Grade 9, where chronic absenteeism declined from 20.7 percent to 19.1 percent. Chronic absenteeism also declined among Grade 10 students.  
 
While chronic absenteeism remains highest among high school students, the improvements in Grades 9 and 10 are encouraging. Districts continue to address absenteeism through strategies that strengthen conditions for learning, use data to identify and support students, and build strong connections with students and families.  

Statewide Initiatives Supporting Student Learning 
 
Building on the progress reflected in this year’s results, Connecticut continues to invest in the strategies and supports that strengthen student learning and engagement and accelerate academic growth. The CSDE works with districts, schools, and community partners to provide resources, share effective strategies, and help accelerate student learning. Several initiatives to boost engagement and academic recovery are already underway or completed.  
 
The examples below are organized by the CSDE’s 2025–26 Focus Areas. 

Elevate curriculum frameworks and curricula 

• Providing free access to high-quality K–8 model curricula and 9–12 courses, instructional resources, and aligned professional learning. 
• Supporting 130 teacher leaders through the Curriculum Teacher Leader Fellowship, a statewide professional learning opportunity focused on developing and implementing local systems, practices, and policies for high-quality curriculum. 
• Advancing Connecticut’s comprehensive literacy strategy, grounded in the Right to Read legislation, through more than $24 million invested in K–3 literacy assessments and instructional materials, and $15 million in professional learning for educators and leaders statewide, including the Science of Reading Masterclass. 
• Investing $2 million in a statewide literacy coaching initiative to provide job-embedded support to K–3 educators in identified schools, while leveraging a five-year, $10 million federal grant to expand targeted reading intervention for K–3 students experiencing significant reading difficulties across a statewide network of 75 elementary schools. 
• Establishing Connecticut’s first Educator Competencies for Structured Literacy and Dyslexia, which set research-aligned expectations for the knowledge and practices educators need to effectively teach reading and writing. 
• Providing approximately 300 short interim block assessments in ELA, mathematics, and science at no cost to districts to monitor student learning throughout the year and support instruction. 
• Investing an additional $2 million in high-dosage tutoring following nearly $11.5 million in mathematics tutoring investments that improved academic outcomes for participating students. 

Recruit and retain a diverse workforce

• Investing $6 million through the Aspiring Educators Scholarship Program to provide scholarships of up to $10,000 annually to eligible students enrolled in approved educator preparation programs in Connecticut. 
• Investing $2 million in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Labor to continue a teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program to provide aspiring educators with an earn-while-you-learn pathway that combines educator preparation with paid, hands-on classroom experience. 
• Expanding Grow Your Own educator pathways, including Educators Rising and Next-Gen Educators, to introduce students to careers in education and build a more diverse pipeline of future Connecticut educators.  
• Supporting beginning educators through the Teacher Education and Mentoring (TEAM) Program, which provides mentorship and professional learning to strengthen educator development and retention. 
• Investing $1 million to launch the new Paraeducator Preparation Academy, which removes barriers for aspiring paraeducators by providing free training, study materials, exam fees, mentorship, and Spanish-language support. 
  

   

Ensure students are physically present and engaged, support a safe and healthy learning environment 

• Implementing the evidence-based Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP), and expanding to include alternative education programs, through a $7 million state investment to support home visits that strengthen family-school relationships and improve student attendance and engagement. 
• Convening educators, school staff, community partners, and school leaders through Talk Tuesdays to share practical, research-based strategies for improving student attendance and engagement. 
• Investing approximately $20 million in grants to 92 school districts to support the delivery of school-based mental health services for students during school years 2023 through 2026. 
• Providing approximately $8 million in grants to 84 districts and summer camp programs to support the delivery of mental health services for students during the summer months. 
• Investing more than $13 million in grants to provide summer enrichment opportunities to children during the summers of 2023 and 2024. 
• Providing actionable data through EdSight Secure, including longitudinal information and early warning metrics that help authorized district staff identify students who may need additional support. 
• Launching the “No Matter What” campaign to highlight resources available to support regular school attendance for students experiencing homelessness and housing instability. 
• Reaching students and families through the “School is Better with You” campaign to promote school attendance, which generated 59 million online impressions and delivered attendance awareness materials and toolkits to more than 110 districts. 
  

   

Modernize and expand postsecondary pathways 

• Investing $3.8 million in 89 school districts and nearly $5 million in public and private institutions of higher education through the Dual Credit Expansion Grant to increase opportunities for students to earn college credit while in high school. 
• Providing $6 million in new state funding to offset the cost of dual credit courses and programs for Connecticut students and support the expansion of new course offerings. 
• Investing nearly $1 million to help high-need students access postsecondary readiness opportunities, including Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams, dual credit courses, industry-recognized credentials, and the Seal of Biliteracy. 
• Establishing a statewide registry of more than 300 industry-recognized credentials in collaboration with education, workforce, and business partners to support career pathways aligned with real-world job opportunities. 
  

   

Improve outcomes for all students, with a focus on students with disabilities 

• Implementing a statewide individualized education program (IEP) Quality Initiative that provides comprehensive professional learning and technical assistance to educators and school leaders to strengthen IEP quality, implementation, and compliance, and improve outcomes for students with disabilities. 
• Expanding special education leadership supports through executive coaching, the Planning and Placement Team Institute, the Aspiring Leaders Cohort, and the IEP Quality Leadership Module. 
• Strengthening statewide dyslexia and structured literacy efforts through the Dyslexia Awareness Campaign, continued training and professional learning, and an additional $500,000 state investment in the Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities. 
• Investing $30 million in Special Education Enhancement Grants and an additional $40 million through the special education excess cost formula to strengthen supports for students with disabilities. 
• Awarding $10.6 million to 41 programs through the High-Quality Special Education Incentive Grant Program to strengthen and expand in-district and regional programming for students with disabilities. 
  

   

Links to all assessment-related EdSight reports are listed below: 

 

FOR. IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 31, 2026, 10:00 AM

CONTACT INFORMATION: 
Matthew Cerrone 
matthew.cerrone@ct.gov 

 

 

 

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