SENATOR OSTEN WELCOMES $275,000 IN EDUCATION GRANTS TO HELP REDUCE ABSENTEEISM IN NORWICH

NORWICH — State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) today welcomed $275,000 in state grants to improve student attendance in Norwich.

“Over the past four years, the percentage of students in the Norwich public schools who are chronically absent has dropped dramatically, from nearly 30% in 2022 to under 20% last year. We’re getting very near the state average, and it’s programs like LEAP that are making a difference in student and family interaction and success,” Sen Osten said.

The grants are being made through Connecticut’s Learner Engagement and Attendance Program, or LEAP. Since the Lamont administration established LEAP in 2021, chronic absenteeism has declined for four consecutive years, from 23.7% in 2021-2022 to 16.4% in 2025-2026, meaning nearly 35,000 more students are attending school regularly compared with 2021-2022.

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