by Christian Wade
A federally funded Connecticut program that pays for “home visits” to check on chronically absent students has reduced truancy, according to a new report.
The report by the Center for Connecticut Education Research Collaboration said the state’s Learner Engagement and Attendance Program found student attendance rates increased by approximately 4% in the month following an initial visit.
Following the first home visit, attendance for pre-kindergartners to fifth graders increased 8%, and students in grades six to 12 increased by 16%, according to the state-funded report.
Nine months after the first home visit, attendance among pre-kindergarteners through fifth graders increased by 8%, the report noted, while attendance among students in grades six to 12 increased by 16%.
Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker said the data shows progress in the state’s ongoing efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism.
“These important evaluations and their results enable us to continue what’s working, refine what’s not as effective, and recommend targeted investments where necessary,” she said in a statement.
The program was launched in 2021 by Gov. Ned Lamont with $10.7 million in federal funding as part of a broader effort to address student absenteeism and disengagement from school due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It provides grants to 15 targeted school districts to help train teachers and community groups to conduct home visits with families of chronically absent students. Students participating in the program are paired with mentors who help them and their families deal with issues ranging from behavioral problems, to learning support for students who have fallen behind.
The group’s analysis found students who received the LEAP intervention showed a “statistically significant increase” in their rates of attendance compared to pre-intervention rates.
“The upward trend was particularly dramatic for Hartford Public Schools where attendance rates increased by nearly 30% in the six months or more after treatment,” the report’s authors wrote.
Hartford Superintendent Leslie Torres-Rodriguez said the ability for staff to conduct home visits with families at more appropriate times of the day, “like nights and weekends” has proven to be an effective approach to reaching students who are struggling.
“Connecting with our parents at times when they are more comfortable, and available, has led to more productive conversations and an increased level of student and family engagement,” she said.
Federal data show chronic absenteeism, which is defined as missing 10% or more of school days — has skyrocketed among both students and teachers in public schools.
More than 70% of schools surveyed have had more absenteeism for students and teachers since the pandemic started in 2019-20, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Advocates say the Connecticut program shows home visits offer an opportunity to build trusting relationships and establish a rapport with students, before any problems arise.
“While overcoming the current challenges to regular attendance will take time, LEAP is an example of a program that can have an immediate impact on students, families and the school community,” said Hedy Chang, executive director of Attendance Works, a nonprofit that tracks absenteeism. “We know that students succeed when staff establish relationships of trust with families and work together as equal partners.”
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Christian Wade is a contributor to The Center Square.
