Hartford Schools See Gains in Reading Scores
Elementary students in 11 Hartford schools showed improved reading benchmark results in fall 2026 compared with fall 2025.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Primary Education
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Hartford Public Schools reported that 29 of 30 reading comparisons improved this fall after implementing the Connecticut Literacy Model in 11 elementary schools. The share of students in grades 1 through 5 at or above the DIBELS Composite benchmark rose in every grade compared with the start of 2025-26.
Why it matters
The Connecticut Literacy Model was created to help close reading gaps and support literacy success for all students. Early benchmark gains suggest the approach may be helping more young readers reach grade-level skills.
Benchmark attainment rose in all five elementary grades, with Grade 3 gaining the most at 9 percentage points, from 39% to 48%. The only decline among 30 comparisons was a 1 percentage-point drop in Grade 4 maze comprehension.
The players
Hartford Public Schools
The public school district serving the city of Hartford, Connecticut, whose elementary schools implemented the literacy model.
Connecticut State Board of Education
The state body that oversees Connecticut's public schools and received the reading results at its Nov. 4, 2026 meeting.
Connecticut Education Association
The statewide union representing Connecticut educators, which surveyed teachers on reading instruction in September 2026.
The details
Hartford Public Schools implemented the Connecticut Literacy Model in 11 elementary schools, a program that helps schools build on their current reading instruction. A team of reading coaches, trainers and evaluators works directly with schools to put the model into practice.
Timeline
The 2025-26 school year served as the baseline for benchmark comparisons.
In September 2026, the Connecticut Education Association surveyed teachers on reading.
On Nov. 4, 2026, results were presented at a State Board of Education meeting.
Beginning-of-year reading benchmark data for the 2026-27 school year was then collected.
Season Trajectory
The Connecticut Literacy Model is being rolled out in several districts, including East Hartford, Middletown, Norwalk and Waterbury, with Hartford among the early adopters. Early benchmark gains in Hartford's 11 schools place the model's first results alongside those other districts' ongoing efforts.
Families with children in Hartford's 11 participating elementary schools may see reading instruction shaped by the Connecticut Literacy Model. Parents can track their child's benchmark progress with teachers as the school year continues.
The takeaway
Early reading gains show the model may be strengthening foundational skills, but whether they last through the year will determine its lasting impact. Parents can ask teachers how their child is progressing against grade-level benchmarks.
Further reading
Explore more Primary Education coverage to see how early reading programs are shaping student outcomes.
Source note: This article includes information reported by CT Insider.
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