Funding awarded to Norwalk schools to improve attendance

  • 2026-10-12
Norwalk Public Schools will receive $284,977 through the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP) of Connecticut. This is part of a statewide initiative designed to improve student attendance and strengthen connections between schools and families.

The funding is included in just over $6m being distributed to 29 school districts across the state. The grants are supported by a $7m state budget allocation for LEAP, with the funds that remain to be dedicated to data collection program training and implementation.

State officials say the program has produced measurable results since its launch in 2021. The rate of chronic absenteeism in the state has decreased for four consecutive years, dropping from close to 24% in the 2021-22 school year to just over 16% in 2025-26. The improvement translates to nearly 35,000 more students attending school regularly compared with four years ago.

LEAP uses trained staff from the schools and community partners to conduct visits at homes, build relationships with families, identify challenges contributing to student absences, and connect households with available resources. Since the program began, home visitors have completed roughly 88,000 visits and reached about 53,000 students statewide.

News of such funding and its benefits for school districts can be made known throughout a community with flyer printing.

Originally funded through federal pandemic relief dollars, LEAP has expanded from 15 districts to 29 and is now supported through ongoing state investment.