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Connecticut

U.S.
Rank
#43
Overall PPI Score: 59.9%
← Back to Connecticut state overview
Opportunity
Innovation
Policy Environment

Digital & Innovative Learning Opportunities

Score
82%
Grade: B
Rank: #23

The state supports mastery-based learning, providing districts with resources for implementation; currently, over 43 schools implement mastery-based programming across the state. Students can also engage in dual enrollment and have the ability to earn college credit in high school, while the state’s CTE programming allows both middle and high school students to engage in one of the state’s 12 career clusters.

Transformational Learning Opportunities:

Virtual & Online Schooling:

  • Connecticut does not offer a free, state virtual school nor does it have a public online school. Most online learning programs are private. Thus, very few of the state’s students attend an online or virtual school. The Hartford School District is one of the sole providers of a virtual education program.
  • Meriden School District is a member of Digital Promise’s League of Innovative Schools. The League of Innovative Schools is a national network of school leaders in 150 districts in 38 states that aim to enhance and scale digital learning opportunities for students across the nation.

Digital Learning Resources:

  • In partnership with the CT State Department, the Virtual Content Learning Hub provides online learning content that districts, schools, educators, and families can utilize. The state also offers open education resources. 
  • Curious about your district’s internet access? ConnectK-12 provides state- and district-specific information on access to the recommended bandwidth speeds and monthly internet costs. 

Career & Technical and/or Work-based Education:

  • Connecticut encourages Career & Technical and work-based education. The state allows students to earn credits towards graduation for work-based learning activities and there is a path to a CTE diploma endorsement, as determined by the school district. 

Personalized, Competency- and/or Mastery-based Learning:
  • The state implements a policy enabling school districts to grant high school graduation credits based on a demonstration of mastery following competency and performance standards, as per guidelines established by the State Board of Education.
  • Connecticut also allows competency-based graduation; the state even provides schools and districts with suggested mastery-based demonstrations to employ for credits.
  • The Connecticut DOE provides numerous resources for school districts to execute mastery based learning in their schools. Meriden School District is a great example of personalized learning happening in CT; Meriden has implemented learner profiles, where students develop profiles based on their interests, and participate in projects that reflect their profiles and prepare them for their future. 

Innovation Schools, Zones, and/or Districts: 

  • Legislation created the Innovation School Program, giving school districts flexibility in policies, budget, calendar schedule, and curriculum to allow for personalized learning.