Connecticut’s State Highlights

Summary of Grades

Connecticut scores at or above average in each of the four graded policy categories in Quality Counts.

In standards and accountability, Connecticut fares best on measures of school accountability. The state loses points on policies related to academic standards because the American Federation of Teachers has not rated its English standards clear and specific for any grade span. Connecticut’s social studies standards also fall short of that rating at the elementary and high school levels.

Connecticut does better in teacher quality, ranking third among all 50 states and the District of Columbia in this area. It has an extensive set of teacher assessments in place, both for aspiring teachers and those already in the classroom. Connecticut is also one of only 15 states to require and finance mentoring for new teachers.

In school climate, Connecticut gains points for indicators related to class size. Its average class size in elementary schools is lower than the national average, and the state includes class-size data on school report cards. But the strength of the state’s charter school law received a mediocre rating from the Center for Education Reform.

In the resource equity category, Connecticut performs at about the same level as the average state. For example, Connecticut ranks near the middle of the nation on the coefficient-of-variation measure, indicating a moderate level of disparity in per-pupil expenditures across districts in the state.

Note: Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.