Five years after its inception, Connecticut’s Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP) is being hailed as a model for reducing chronic absenteeism. The state‑wide effort, launched in 2021 with federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, has helped bring the chronic absenteeism rate down from a pandemic peak of 23.7% to 16.4% this past school year – a drop that represents roughly 35,000 more students attending regularly.
How LEAP works
LEAP is a partnership among the state, Regional Education Service Centers and local community organizations. Trained home visitors are paired and sent into households with children identified as at risk for chronic absenteeism. Over several months they build relationships, identify barriers such as transportation, illness, housing instability, language challenges or the demands on single‑parent families, and connect families with appropriate resources.
“Some of the barriers will be transportation, illness, loss of permanent housing, language… a single mom working two jobs,” said LEAP home visitor Cecelia Garay. The visitors aim to shift the conversation from blame to engagement and prevention, according to Attendance Works CEO Hedy Chang, who has worked with Connecticut on LEAP since its start.
Results and impact
State education officials report that students served by LEAP improve attendance by double‑digit percentages on average and receive fewer disciplinary actions. A 2023 brief from Attendance Works also noted qualitative benefits, including greater family awareness of community resources and a stronger sense of belonging.
Since 2021, LEAP has expanded from 15 high‑need districts to 25, with a $7 million line item now funded through the state budget after the original ARPA money expired. The program’s success is credited in part to Connecticut’s long‑standing practice of collecting attendance data monthly and defining chronic absenteeism as missing 10% of school days, which gave officials early warning signs when the pandemic struck.
Challenges that remain
Despite the progress, chronic absenteeism remains above pre‑pandemic levels. Chang points to lingering attitudes toward in‑person schooling, rising food and housing costs for low‑income families, and cuts to federal health, housing and nutrition programs enacted by the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act as ongoing hurdles.
She also highlighted the impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity near schools, noting research that shows raids can deter both undocumented students and those with legal status from attending classes.
Future goals
Education Commissioner Charlene Russell‑Tucker said the State Board of Education is targeting a 6% chronic absenteeism rate statewide, describing the goal as “bold but achievable.” Governor Ned Lamont, who has overseen LEAP from its creation, expressed optimism at a recent celebration, telling students, “Come to school. We miss you. We love you.”
The LEAP model is being watched by other states seeking to replicate Connecticut’s data‑driven, family‑engagement approach to keeping children in school.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
