Press Releases

08/27/2024

Connecticut Students Show a Second Year of Improved Attendance and Mathematics and Science Scores

Connecticut Students Show a Second Year of Improved Attendance and Mathematics and Science Scores 

English language arts (ELA) scores are stable overall with improvements in some grades

 

(Hartford, CT) - The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) is releasing chronic absenteeism data for 2023-24, as well as results from the statewide assessments administered in spring 2024. Chronic absenteeism rates declined by 2.3 percentage points from 20 percent to 17.7 percent, representing 11,674 fewer students missing at least 10 percent of school days. Over 80 percent of districts (158 out of 197 districts) showed a decline in their chronic absenteeism rate from 2022-23 to 2023-24.  

The evidence-based home visitation program – Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP) – continues to show double-digit improvement in student attendance rates six months after a visit. All student groups showed improved attendance in 2023-24. Chronic absenteeism in Kindergarten and the early grades is decreasing at a faster rate compared to the upper grades. In addition to improvements in attendance, overall mathematics and science performance improved for the second consecutive year. ELA performance remained stable with improvements in some grades. Additional improvement is needed in all areas to exceed pre-pandemic achievement. 

 

 

The Performance Index is the best measure of overall average achievement across standard and alternate assessments in a content area. Results show overall improvement in mathematics and science for the second consecutive year, with the most noticeable improvements across the majority of student groups in mathematics. ELA performance was at or above 2022-23 levels in Grades 3 through 7. Grades 8 and 11 showed small declines.  

 

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)

 

	English Language Arts (Target 75)				Mathematics (Target 75)
Student Group	2019	2022	2023	2024	2019	2022	2023	2024
All Students	67.7	64.2	63.9	63.9	63.1	58.6	59.7	60.2
High Needs (F/R, EL or SWD)	58.1	54.2	54.1	54.1	52.7	47.7	48.9	49.5
Grade 3	69.9	66.2	65.8	66.0	64.9	60.5	62.1	63.1
Grade 4	72.0	68.9	69.2	69.3	68.4	64.1	65.6	66.6
Grade 5	69.6	66.5	66.4	66.4	67.3	62.8	64.4	65.2
Grade 6	70.3	66.6	66.7	66.9	63.5	58.4	59.7	60.7
Grade 7	68.4	64.2	64.0	64.1	62.1	57.4	58.3	59.3
Grade 8	65.7	61.9	61.6	61.5	60.4	55.0	56.1	57.1
Grade 11	57.7	55.3	53.9	53.7	55.0	52.4	51.9	49.9
Eligible For Free/Reduced Price Meals	58.5	54.4	54.2	54.2	52.7	47.3	48.5	49.1
Students with Disabilities	47.4	45.0	45.3	45.2	41.7	38.8	40.1	40.4
English Learners	55.0	51.2	50.9	49.9	51.7	46.8	47.8	48.3
American Indian or Alaska Native	62.3	58.4	57.3	58.0	57.5	53.0	52.1	55.0
Asian	79.5	77.5	77.1	77.0	79.8	76.6	77.7	77.9
Black or African American	56.8	53.5	53.3	53.6	49.7	44.9	45.8	46.6
Hispanic or Latino	58.1	54.4	54.1	54.0	52.4	47.6	48.8	49.5
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander	66.2	62.5	60.5	60.5	62.8	57.6	56.5	55.3
Two or More Races	70.0	67.0	66.7	67.1	65.0	60.9	62.1	62.9
White	73.6	71.0	70.9	71.2	69.6	66.4	67.7	68.3

 

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)

 

Academic growth on the Smarter Balanced assessments in Grades 4 through 8 is another important indicator. It helps us evaluate if students are making adequate academic progress in a school year. Overall, in both ELA and mathematics, statewide growth from 2022-23 to 2023-24 was similar to those from the prior period i.e., from 2021-22 to 2022-23. Specifically, in reading, students achieved 58.7 percent of their growth targets on average in 2023-24 compared to 57.2 percent in 2022-23; in mathematics they achieved 61.4 percent of their growth targets on average in 2023-24 compared to 61.8 percent in 2022-23. While the state growth averages are stable at around 60 percent, several schools across the state consistently demonstrate average annual growth over 80 percent and many show double digit increases. When students achieve closer to 100 percent of their growth targets annually, then they will reach higher levels of academic achievement in the future.

The CSDE collaborates with district, school, and community partners to support critical work, provide resources, and identify successful strategies to accelerate learning and ensure equity of access in academic recovery. Ongoing efforts include the following: 

• K-8 model curricula that provides free access to high-quality curricula and instructional resources along with aligned professional development opportunities;
• Science of Reading (SOR) Masterclass – a statewide professional learning opportunity to develop local capacity for evidence-based reading;
• investments of over $20 million in evidence-based K-3 core, comprehensive reading curriculum models/programs, universal screening reading assessments, and associated professional learning;
• around 300 short interim block assessments in ELA, mathematics, and science that are provided at no cost to districts to monitor student learning throughout the year and support instruction;
• nearly $11.5 million to expand high-dosage mathematics tutoring in 43 districts in grades 6-9;
• actionable data through EdSight Secure that provides authorized district staff with longitudinal information about students who are doing well and others who may need added support;
• more than $13 million in grants to provide summer enrichment opportunities to children during the summers of 2023 and 2024;
• expansion of the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP) – a supportive home visitation model that has been proven to improve student attendance;
• $3.8 million awarded to 89 school districts and $4 million to public and private institutions of higher education through the Dual Credit Expansion Grant to increase the percentage of students earning college credit in high school;
• a FAFSA Challenge initiative to encourage FAFSA completion that provides schools with mini-grants, training sessions, and supports;
• $3 million initiative in partnership with the Department of Labor to create a new teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program, offer more paraeducator fairs, and expand existing high school “grow-your-own” programs;
• $5.9 Million State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) to improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities;
• more than 4.5 million in grants to 48 districts to support the delivery of mental health services for students during the summer months; $4 million in ARP ESSER funds for the Connecticut Educator Support Funds Initiative that is helping Connecticut teachers with classroom expenses; and 
• the “No Matter What” campaign to highlight resources available for students experiencing homelessness and housing instability.  

Links to all assessment related EdSight reports are listed below. 

• Performance Index (ct.gov)
• Pandemic Recovery Dashboard
• Smarter Balanced Achievement/Participation (ct.gov)
• Smarter Balanced Growth Model (ct.gov)
• Smarter Balanced Rough Cohort Dashboard (ct.gov)
• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Assessment (ct.gov)
• Connecticut School Day SAT

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For Immediate Release: August 27, 2024

MATTHEW CERRONE
CONNECTICUT Education
Phone: 860-424-1988
matthew.cerrone@ct.gov

Twitter: CT State Department of Education Twitter

Facebook: CT State Department of Education Facebook

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