Connecticut students posted gains in English, math and science for the fourth consecutive year, with several grades moving closer to pre-pandemic performance levels
Chronic absenteeism fell to its lowest point since the pandemic, continuing a four-year decline from its 2021-22 peak
State education officials pointed to continued investment in literacy, tutoring and attendance programs as part of the effort behind the gains
For the fourth straight year, test scores rose in Connecticut schools while fewer students missed class, with some performance figures coming closer to pre-pandemic standards.
According to data released by the State Department of Education, academic improvement in Connecticut in the 2025-26 school year was marked by all seven tracked grade levels (grades 3-8 and grade 11) showing improvements year-over-year in mathematics while five of seven grades tracked showed improvement in English.
Additionally, two of three tracked grades showed significant year-over year improvement in science.
Overall, all students in Connecticut averaged a score of 65 on their English standardized tests, up from 64.7 in 2025. Average math scores came in at 61.7, up from 61.1 the previous year, and all students combined scored a 63.1 in science, up from 62.6 in 2025.
Chronic absenteeism also fell for the fourth straight year, with the state’s youngest students continuing to post the lowest rates. While chronic absenteeism was still higher than officials would like at 16.4% at the end of 2025-26, it was well down from peak levels of 23.7% seen in the 2021-22 school year after the pandemic took a toll on families.
These advances came as the state invested heavily in its education systems. In recent years, the State Department of Education put nearly $40 million into the state’s comprehensive literacy strategy, funding new assessments, materials and teacher training, along with $2 million in a literacy coaching initiative providing job-embedded support to K-3 educators and nearly $13.5 million in mathematics tutoring programs.
The state also spent $6 million on scholarships to support aspiring educators, $2 million to continue an apprenticeship program for teachers, and $1 million for a new academy for paraeducators aimed at removing barriers to entering the field.
Further investments included the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program, which sends staff to visit students at home to strengthen family-school relationships; more than $41 million in grants for mental health services and summer enrichment programming; and regular meetings with school leaders to identify strategies for improving attendance.
By Joe O’Leary
