How Connecticut’s home visits aim to bring students back to school

Missed school days can signal more than a student falling behind. Transportation, health, housing or family challenges may all affect whether a child can get to class. Connecticut’s Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP) uses home visits to help schools and community partners understand those barriers and connect families with support.

The state is awarding about $6.2 million to 29 districts and regional education organizations for the 2026–27 school year. The latest round expands a program that began with 15 districts in 2021. Waterbury is slated for $525,000, Hartford $500,000, Bridgeport $475,000 and New Haven $425,000.

Statewide chronic absenteeism fell from 23.7% in 2021–22 to 16.4% in 2025–26, according to state figures. That trend does not establish that LEAP alone caused the change; the state describes the program as one part of a broader strategy. The practical question now is how districts turn these grants into consistent, useful help for students and families.

NorthEast News is following education policy across New England. Read our report on the grants and what the numbers do—and do not—show: https://www.northenews.com/article.html?slug=connecticut-leap-attendance-grants-2026