by Staff Report
HARTFORD, CT — The Connecticut State Department of Education is awarding approximately $6.2 million in state grants to 29 school districts through the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP), continuing Connecticut’s investment in a research-based approach to approving student attendance and engagement.
The grants are supported through a dedicated $7 million state budget line-item. Of that amount, approximately $6.2 million is being awarded directly to school districts, with the remaining funds supporting statewide LEAP infrastructure, including home visitor training, program implementation, and data collection.
Since the program’s establishment in 2021, chronic absenteeism has declined for four consecutive years, from 23.7% in 2021-22 to 16.4% in 2025-26, meaning nearly 35,000 more students are attending school regularly compared with 2021-22, state officials said.
“We launched LEAP because we knew we needed to find new ways to reconnect students and families with their schools, and the results show that this approach is working,” Gov. Ned Lamont said. “That is why we are making LEAP a sustained state investment and expanding it to more districts. Getting students into classrooms and keeping them engaged is fundamental to their success, and this investment will help more schools build the relationships with families that make a real difference.”