State Report

Connecticut

Connecticut is building the foundation for high school transformation across 3 Policy Actions.

State Report

Connecticut

Connecticut is building the foundation for high school transformation across 3 Policy Actions.

Overview

Policy makers in Connecticut have established a solid foundation for high school transformation by establishing flexibility from seat time requirements and supporting college and career readiness for every student across the state. State policy empowers students to earn credit towards graduation based on mastery—demonstrations of learning—while providing flexibility for school systems to explore mastery-based approaches to instruction and assessment. To support these efforts, the Connecticut State Department of Education has also developed a mastery-based learning section on its website to help define the approach and answer frequently asked questions.

In addition, state law requires each local or regional school board to adopt an Advanced Placement (AP) course program that offers university-level courses that high school students can take for credit. The state’s commitment to postsecondary success extends to the state’s data and reporting systems, which present disaggregated information on postsecondary enrollment and attainment by high school.

Connecticut state leaders have the opportunity to accelerate high school transformation efforts by creating a state Portrait of a Graduate that reflects the broad set of durable competencies every Connecticut graduate should have by the end of high school. State leaders could also launch a statewide initiative with dedicated resources to incentivize community-led high school redesign.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Highlights from Connecticut

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Highlights from Connecticut

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Highlights from Connecticut

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Connecticut
Connecticut’s economy will add an average of 197,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 135,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Connecticut
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Connecticut’s 5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $142 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Connecticut
In Connecticut and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 34 percent of Connecticut seniors graduated ready for college in math and 58 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in that year’s SAT).³ 32 percent of Connecticut’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 35 percent were proficient in reading.
³ The College Board. (2024). SAT Suite annual report 2024. https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results
⁴ he Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Connecticut
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Connecticut workers by $3,471 annually, totaling $69,437 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $5,821 per year, adding up to $116,433 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Connecticut
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Connecticut
Connecticut’s economy will add an average of 197,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 135,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Connecticut
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Connecticut’s 5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $142 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Connecticut
In Connecticut and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 34 percent of Connecticut seniors graduated ready for college in math and 58 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in that year’s SAT).³ 32 percent of Connecticut’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 35 percent were proficient in reading.
³ The College Board. (2024). SAT Suite annual report 2024. https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results
⁴ he Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Connecticut
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Connecticut workers by $3,471 annually, totaling $69,437 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $5,821 per year, adding up to $116,433 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Connecticut
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Connecticut
Connecticut’s economy will add an average of 197,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 135,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Connecticut
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Connecticut’s 5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $142 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Connecticut
In Connecticut and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 34 percent of Connecticut seniors graduated ready for college in math and 58 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in that year’s SAT).³ 32 percent of Connecticut’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 35 percent were proficient in reading.
³ The College Board. (2024). SAT Suite annual report 2024. https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results
⁴ he Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Connecticut
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Connecticut workers by $3,471 annually, totaling $69,437 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $5,821 per year, adding up to $116,433 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Connecticut
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Connecticut
Connecticut’s economy will add an average of 197,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 135,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Connecticut
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Connecticut’s 5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $142 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Connecticut
In Connecticut and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 34 percent of Connecticut seniors graduated ready for college in math and 58 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in that year’s SAT).³ 32 percent of Connecticut’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 35 percent were proficient in reading.
³ The College Board. (2024). SAT Suite annual report 2024. https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results
⁴ he Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Connecticut
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Connecticut workers by $3,471 annually, totaling $69,437 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $5,821 per year, adding up to $116,433 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Connecticut
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;

Connecticut
Connecticut’s economy will add an average of 197,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 135,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Connecticut
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Connecticut’s 5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $142 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Connecticut
In Connecticut and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 34 percent of Connecticut seniors graduated ready for college in math and 58 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in that year’s SAT).³ 32 percent of Connecticut’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 35 percent were proficient in reading.
³ The College Board. (2024). SAT Suite annual report 2024. https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results
⁴ he Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Connecticut
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Connecticut workers by $3,471 annually, totaling $69,437 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $5,821 per year, adding up to $116,433 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Connecticut
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Connecticut
Connecticut’s economy will add an average of 197,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 135,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Connecticut
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Connecticut’s 5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $142 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Connecticut
In Connecticut and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 34 percent of Connecticut seniors graduated ready for college in math and 58 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in that year’s SAT).³ 32 percent of Connecticut’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 35 percent were proficient in reading.
³ The College Board. (2024). SAT Suite annual report 2024. https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results
⁴ he Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Connecticut
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Connecticut workers by $3,471 annually, totaling $69,437 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $5,821 per year, adding up to $116,433 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Connecticut
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Connecticut
Connecticut’s economy will add an average of 197,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 135,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Connecticut
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Connecticut’s 5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $142 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Connecticut
In Connecticut and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 34 percent of Connecticut seniors graduated ready for college in math and 58 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in that year’s SAT).³ 32 percent of Connecticut’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 35 percent were proficient in reading.
³ The College Board. (2024). SAT Suite annual report 2024. https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results
⁴ he Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Connecticut
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Connecticut workers by $3,471 annually, totaling $69,437 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $5,821 per year, adding up to $116,433 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Connecticut
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Connecticut
Connecticut’s economy will add an average of 197,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 135,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Connecticut
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Connecticut’s 5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $142 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Connecticut
In Connecticut and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 34 percent of Connecticut seniors graduated ready for college in math and 58 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in that year’s SAT).³ 32 percent of Connecticut’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 35 percent were proficient in reading.
³ The College Board. (2024). SAT Suite annual report 2024. https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results
⁴ he Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Connecticut
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Connecticut workers by $3,471 annually, totaling $69,437 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $5,821 per year, adding up to $116,433 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Connecticut
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;

Connecticut
Connecticut’s economy will add an average of 197,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 135,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Connecticut
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Connecticut’s 5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $142 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Connecticut
In Connecticut and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 34 percent of Connecticut seniors graduated ready for college in math and 58 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in that year’s SAT).³ 32 percent of Connecticut’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 35 percent were proficient in reading.
³ The College Board. (2024). SAT Suite annual report 2024. https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results
⁴ he Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Connecticut
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Connecticut workers by $3,471 annually, totaling $69,437 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $5,821 per year, adding up to $116,433 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Connecticut
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Connecticut
Connecticut’s economy will add an average of 197,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 135,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Connecticut
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Connecticut’s 5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $142 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Connecticut
In Connecticut and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 34 percent of Connecticut seniors graduated ready for college in math and 58 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in that year’s SAT).³ 32 percent of Connecticut’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 35 percent were proficient in reading.
³ The College Board. (2024). SAT Suite annual report 2024. https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results
⁴ he Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Connecticut
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Connecticut workers by $3,471 annually, totaling $69,437 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $5,821 per year, adding up to $116,433 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Connecticut
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Connecticut
Connecticut’s economy will add an average of 197,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 135,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Connecticut
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Connecticut’s 5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $142 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Connecticut
In Connecticut and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 34 percent of Connecticut seniors graduated ready for college in math and 58 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in that year’s SAT).³ 32 percent of Connecticut’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 35 percent were proficient in reading.
³ The College Board. (2024). SAT Suite annual report 2024. https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results
⁴ he Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Connecticut
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Connecticut workers by $3,471 annually, totaling $69,437 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $5,821 per year, adding up to $116,433 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Connecticut
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Connecticut
Connecticut’s economy will add an average of 197,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 135,000 (69 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Connecticut
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Connecticut’s 5 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $142 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Connecticut
In Connecticut and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 34 percent of Connecticut seniors graduated ready for college in math and 58 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in that year’s SAT).³ 32 percent of Connecticut’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down seven percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 35 percent were proficient in reading.
³ The College Board. (2024). SAT Suite annual report 2024. https://reports.collegeboard.org/sat-suite-program-results
⁴ he Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Connecticut
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Connecticut workers by $3,471 annually, totaling $69,437 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $5,821 per year, adding up to $116,433 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Connecticut
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;

Progress

High school is where America’s future takes shape. Today’s students are tomorrow’s innovators, problem solvers, and leaders—but our schools are still rooted in a century-old model built for the industrial age. As automation and AI transform the job market, too many students leave high school unprepared for what comes next.

Connecticut

Connecticut

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Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data

Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data

Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data