09/01/2026
There’s some encouraging news in Connecticut’s latest student performance data.
For the second year in a row, we’re seeing positive progress across student groups and communities throughout the state. That progress matters, and it reflects the work happening every day by students, families, educators, districts, and state leaders.
But progress alone can’t be the finish line.
The latest results also show that too many students are still being left behind, particularly Black and Hispanic students, students with disabilities, low-income students, and multilingual learners.
A few numbers stood out:
📚 51% of students met or exceeded expectations in ELA.
➗ 46.7% met or exceeded expectations in math.
📖 Only 47.3% of third graders met or exceeded expectations in ELA, meaning more than half are leaving third grade below expectations in literacy.
📉 In math, 52.2% of third graders met or exceeded expectations, but by eighth grade that number drops to 41.9%.
🏫 One particularly encouraging sign: chronic absenteeism has fallen from 23.7% in 2021-22 to 16.4% in 2025-26. More students are showing up to school, and that matters.
At ConnCAN, we believe Connecticut can celebrate progress while still pushing for something much bigger.
We want an education system where every child can read by the end of third grade. Where every student develops the math skills needed for a modern economy. Where families have access to schools that meet their children’s needs. Where funding reaches the students and schools that need it most. Where language is never a barrier to a family participating in their child’s education. Where great educators are prepared, supported, and encouraged to stay. And where students who need additional help have access to proven supports like high-dosage tutoring.
Because incremental progress is worth celebrating, but every Connecticut student deserves the opportunity to thrive.
