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Connecticut Education Data 2025-2026: What the Research Shows

New reports from DataHaven, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the CT State Department of Education offer a detailed look at education outcomes, poverty, and equity across Connecticut and in Stamford. Here's what the data shows.

Connecticut Ranks Third in Education Nationally. But the Full Picture Is More Complex.

New research released in 2025 and 2026 offers a detailed look at how children in Connecticut, and in Stamford specifically, are faring across education, economic well-being, and equity. The data reflects both strengths and persistent gaps that matter for STEM learning access across the state.

What the 2026 Kids Count Report Found

The Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2026 Kids Count Data Book, released June 2026 in partnership with Connecticut Voices for Children, ranks Connecticut third in the nation for education and fourth for child health. These are strong standings. But the report also shows that children in Connecticut fared worse in 2024 than they did in 2019, and much of that decline is driven by education.

Key findings from the statewide data:

  • 64% of 4th graders were not reading at grade level in 2024, up from 60% in 2019

  • 68% of 8th graders were not proficient in math, up from 61% in 2019

  • 40% of pre-K-aged children were not enrolled in school, up from 35%

  • Only one education metric improved: high school graduation rates increased slightly

On the economic side, the picture improved. Fewer children are living in poverty than in 2019, and fewer households face severe housing cost burdens. But Connecticut still ranks closer to the middle of the pack nationally on economic well-being (20th) and family and community indicators (18th), pointing to structural inequities that affect children's readiness to learn.

Stamford: A Closer Look at Equity

DataHaven's Stamford Equity Profile, with the most recent version released in December 2025, provides a neighborhood-level view of how these statewide trends play out in one of Connecticut's largest and most diverse cities.

Stamford is home to 135,470 residents, 52% of whom are people of color. The city's median household income is $99,791, above the statewide median of $83,572. But that average masks significant disparity. The report tracks:

  • Poverty rates and access to SNAP benefits

  • Housing cost burden, with a deficit of approximately 4,100 affordable units for the city's lowest-income households

  • Student test scores and graduation rates by neighborhood and demographic group

  • School discipline (suspension rates), which often correlate with barriers to learning

  • Linguistic isolation and adult education levels, which affect family engagement in schooling

These indicators matter for STEM education specifically. When families face housing instability, food insecurity, or language barriers, afterschool programs, summer camps, and enrichment opportunities are the first things to fall away. The children who need STEM exposure most often have the least access to it.

What This Means for Connecticut's STEM Ecosystem

Connecticut has real assets: strong universities, a growing clean energy sector, advanced manufacturing, and a network of STEM-focused nonprofits, schools, and businesses working to connect students with opportunity. But the data shows that access to those opportunities is not evenly distributed.

Reading and math proficiency are foundational. A student who cannot read at grade level by 4th grade faces compounding barriers in every STEM subject that follows. Pre-K enrollment gaps mean children arrive in kindergarten at very different starting points.

Closing those gaps requires coordinated effort across the sectors that make up the STEM learning ecosystem: K-12 schools, higher education, community organizations, employers, and policymakers working together on shared goals.

Explore the Research

The following reports informed this post and are available publicly:

Statewide:

Stamford-Specific:

School-Level Data:

Connecticut Education Data 2025-2026: What the Research Shows — STEMACT