Naugatuck Schools Receive State Grant Aimed At Boosting Student Attendance

NAUGATUCK, CT — Naugatuck is one of nearly 30 school districts being awarded a six-figure grant through a statewide program aimed at improving student attendance and engagement, according to an announcement.

Gov. Ned Lamont and Education Commissioner Charlene M. Russell-Tucker announced the award Wednesday in a news release provided by the governor's office.

According to the release, 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.

Naugatuck's school district will receive $200,000, according to the release.

The release also notes the grants are supported through a dedicated $7 million state budget line-item established with the support of Lamont and the Connecticut General Assembly.

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, according to the release.

Since the Lamont administration established LEAP in 2021, chronic absenteeism has declined for four consecutive years, from 23.7 percent in 2021-2022 to 16.4 percent in 2025-2026, meaning nearly 35,000 more students are attending school regularly compared with 2021-2022, according to the release.

LEAP is one component of Connecticut's broader statewide strategy to improve attendance and student engagement, the release notes.

"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," Lamont said in a news release. "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."

Lamont and CSDE launched LEAP in 2021 using federal COVID-19 relief funding after chronic absenteeism rose sharply during the pandemic and many students became disconnected from their schools, according to the release.

Under the governor's direction, the state looked to research on how best to strengthen relationships between families and schools, resulting in a structured home visiting program with human connection at its center. LEAP initially served 15 school districts, later expanded to 25, and with this latest round of grants will reach 29 districts across Connecticut, according to the release.

Through LEAP, trained school staff and community partners connect directly with students and families, build relationships, identify barriers contributing to absences, and connect families with resources and supports that can help students attend school consistently. Since LEAP launched, home visitors have conducted approximately 88,000 home visits and reached approximately 53,000 students, according to the release.

Independent research has also demonstrated positive outcomes associated with LEAP. An evaluation conducted through the Center for Connecticut Education Research Collaboration found that attendance improved by over 10 percentage points after a LEAP visit. LEAP's benefits also extended beyond attendance. Students who received a LEAP visit experienced a five-percentage-point decline in the number of disciplinary incidents, according to the release.

"Students attending school consistently are engaged in their learning, more connected to their peers and school community, and better positioned for academic success," Russell-Tucker said in a news release. "At the heart of LEAP is human connection. Our home visitors, educators, district leaders, and community partners are building relationships one student and one family at a time, helping us understand and address the barriers that can keep students from school. We are grateful to Governor Lamont and the Connecticut General Assembly for their continued investment in this work and commitment to ensuring more students are present, engaged, and ready to learn. This collaboration demonstrates our theme in education, Connecticut's Mission: Empower Every Learner's Educational Journey."

Developed in partnership with the nationally recognized nonprofit Attendance Works, LEAP is supported by CSDE partners EdAdvance and the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC), which coordinate with new and continuing districts to provide data tools, home visitor training, and technical assistance to support effective implementation of the evidence-based model, according to the release.

The full list of 2026-2027 LEAP grant recipients can be viewed here.