: A Look at 16-24
Year Olds Who Are Not Working or In School
Prepared By:
Joseph McLaughlin, Boston Private Industry Council
Ishwar Khatiwada, Center for Labor Market Studies
July 2013
Opportunity Youth
Disconnected Youth
Opportunity Youth and Disconnected Youth are
often
used interchangeably.
The size of the disconnected pool of youth can be measured in a few different
ways. The most common measure is the number of 16-24 year olds who are
not
in school
or
working
at a point in time (Based on CPS and ACS/ Census surveys).
-24 year olds
who are
insufficiently attached
to the labor market or schooling. The phrase
insufficiently attached has led some researchers and policymakers to include the
following three groups as members of the Opportunity Youth population:
Enrolled dropouts- students enrolled in school, but not showing up regularly and not progressing;
Youth who are enrolled in college half-time, and not employed; and
Demographic Characteristicsand Ratesof DisconnectionAmong
-24 Year Old Population:
Based on Findings From the 2009-2011 American Community
Surveys
Group
Total
Population
# of
Disconnected
%
Disconnected
All (16-24)
122,408
11,765
9.6%
Male
58,219
6,328
10.9%
Female
64,190
5,438
8.5%
16-19
43,246
2,119
4.9%
20-24
79,162
9,646
12.2%
24% of disconnected females are single mothers.
Comparing Disconnection Rates of
-24 Year
Olds to State and National Averages
Group
Boston
Massachusetts
U.S.
All (16-24)
9.6%
10.1%
14.6%
Male
10.9%
11.4%
15.1%
Female
8.5%
8.9%
14.1%
16-19
4.9%
5.6%
8.7%
Youth
White, 15.1% Black, 39.1% Asian, 7.4% Hispanic, 34.0% Other, 4.4%Race-Ethnic Distribution
Foreign-Born, 27% Native Born, 73%Native and Foreign Born
Shares
Disconnection Rates By Race-Ethnic Group and Nativity
Status, Boston, 2009-2011
Group
Total
Population
# of
Disconnected
%
Disconnected
White
60,269
1,774
2.9%
Black
23,129
4,601
19.9%
Asian
12,291
868
7.1%
Hispanic
21,579
3,999
18.5%
Other
5,140
523
10.2%
Foreign-Born
22,587
3,133
13.9%
Native Born
99,822
8,633
8.7%
Comparison of Disconnection Rates of 16-24 Year Olds
Across Race-Ethnic Groups, Boston vs. U.S., 2009-2011
2.9%
19.9%
7.1%
18.5%
11.6%
22.4%
7.9%
18.4%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Boston
U.S.
Country of Origin of Foreign Born Opportunity
Youth in Boston, 2009-2011
Country of Birth
Number
Percent
Dominican Republic
603
19.3%
Puerto Rico*
454
14.5%
Colombia
328
10.5%
China
208
6.6%
Jamaica
201
6.4%
El Salvador
201
6.4%
Somalia
198
6.3%
Vietnam
180
5.7%
Haiti
150
4.8%
Cape Verde
137
4.4%
Guatemala
135
4.3%
Above Countries Combined
2,794
89.2%
Disconnection Rates Across Census Subdivisions of Boston
Area of Boston
16-19
20-24
All, 16-24
Allston/Brighton/Fenway/
Kenmore
1.0%
4.3%
3.0%
Charlestown/East
Boston/Central/South Boston
5.9%
12.6%
10.4%
Roxbury/Mission Hill/
Mattapan
11.7%
19.5%
16.6%
South Boston/North
Dorchester/South Dorcester
11.1%
15.1%
13.6%
Jamaica Plain/West
Roxbury/Roslindale/
Hyde Park
4.5%
11.4%
8.9%
Educational Attainment Levels of Opportunity Youth in
Boston By Age Group, 2009-2011
16-19
20-24
Educational Attainment
#
%
#
%
High School Dropout
1,077
51%
2,211
23%
GED or Alternative Credential
176
8%
1,102
11%
Regular High School Diploma
632
30%
3,185
33%
Some College, but less than 1
year
163
8%
515
5%
1 or more years of college credit,
no degree
71
3%
1,525
16%
Associate's degree
0
0%
179
2%
Bachelor's or Higher degree
0
0%
928
10%
Percent of 16-24 Year Olds Reporting a Disability: Connected
vs. Disconnected, 2009-2011
3.2%
4.4%
11.9%
16.4%
0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
12.0%
14.0%
16.0%
18.0%
Boston
Massachusetts
Connected
Disconnected
Poverty and Low Income Status of 16-24 Year Olds in
Boston (Connected Vs. Disconnected)
Group
Connected
Disconnected
Disconnected
Connected
(in Percentage
Points)
Poor
20.5%
37.9%
+17.4
Poor or Near
Poor
24.9%
43.4%
+18.5
Low Income
35.8%
54.7%
+18.9
Employment/Population Ratios of 20-24 Year Olds in Selected
EducationalAttainmentGroups in the U.S., 2000-2012
60.2
75.4
71.9
80.5
45.5
60.5
61.7
74.7
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
90.0
H.S. Dropout
H.S. Graduate
13-15 Years
BA or Higher
Degree
P
er
Ce
n
t
2000
2012
The Full-Time Employment / Population Ratios of
Non-College Bound High School Graduates in October 2011,
Class of 2011, All and by Race-Ethnic Group, U.S.
21.0
7.0
24.0
25.0
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
All
Black
Hispanic
White, not
Hispanic
P
er
Ce
n
t
Group
Median Weekly Earnings of Young Men (16-24) Relative to
Older Men (25 and Over), Selected Years, 1967-2010 (in %)
74.0
67.0
62.4
54.3 54.4
51.2 52.2
53.7 54.3 52.5 53.8 53.8 52.5
50.7
40.0
45.0
50.0
55.0
60.0
65.0
70.0
75.0
80.0
ComparisonsoftheActualMedianRealWeeklyEarningsofFull-Time
EmployedYoungMenandtheMedianWeeklyWagesThey WouldHave
EarnedIfThey HadMaintainedTheir1967-1973 RealWeeklyEarnings
GrowthRates,SelectedYears1973-2010 (in2010 Dollars)
629 577 510 477 426 483 466 466 443 629 680 707 774 847 904 976 1002 1014 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1973 1979 1982 1989 1996 2001 2007 2009 2010 Actual Weekly Earnings Hypothetical Weekly Earnings
Program Features
Extended school
day/year to allow for
academic program,
vocational training, &
field work
Specific career-track
programs with
experience and/or an
industry-recognized
credential
Engages local employers
in curriculum design,
instruction, and job
placement
Program Type:
Dropout Recovery High School Plus
Status / Age:
Dropouts / 16-21
Focus:
Diploma + Career Focus and/or Industry-Recognized Credential
Program Type:
Gateway to College
Status / Age:
Dropouts / 16-21
Focus:
Diploma + Significant College Credit Attainment
Transition to Partner Community College
Students take classes at partner
community college
along with general student
population for dual credit
Students focus in a pathway/major
that is aligned with high school
completion.
(Allows for maximum college credit acquisition while students complete diploma)
Students have total access to college resources.
(Fosters sense of engagement and attachment to college and community)
Foundation Term
Small cohort, intensive instruction
Learn and practice college ready
behaviors
Program Type: National Comprehensive Programs for Dropouts
YouthBuild, Job Corps, Conservation & Service Corps, National Guard Youth ChalleNGe
Status / Age: Dropouts / 16-24
Focus: Secondary Credential to Employment
Program Features
Integrate HS education &
job training through
work/service experience
Paid work-based
learning & job training
Individualized or small
group instruction
towards HSD/GED
Leadership development
;
play role in program
decisions
Develop sense of
connection to
community through
service
Transition supports to
employment or further
training
(& education to a lesser degree)
*Conservation & Service Corps serves dropouts AND graduates
GED to College Programs
More Traditional GED Programs
College access & completion = indicator of success GED pass = indicator of success Academic program to prepare students for college courses
(GED preparation supplemental, not the goal)
Academic program to prepare students to pass GED test
career-oriented curriculum GED textbook Use pre/post assessments to measure college readiness Limited/no assessment
Clear entry / exit points to build cohorts of students Multiple entry/exit points for individuals Postsecondary bridging & support services
(See page on Postsecondary Bridging & First Year College Supports for details)
Limited/no bridging or support services
More hours/week over longer period of time 6 months or less / 15-20 hours per week
Program Type:
GED to College
Status / Age:
Dropouts / 18 - 24
Program Type:
Year Up
Status / Age:
Graduates / 18-24
Focus:
Employment (and postsecondary education to lesser degree)
First 6 Months
Full time coursework in technical
and professional skills training in IT
or financial services
Employers & community colleges
engaged in designing curriculum
Students earn college credits
(avg. 16) for coursework
Professional & communication classes(time management, conflict resolution, business writing, etc)Second 6 Months
Paid internship placements at
leading US Companies
(AOL, American Express, JP Morgan, etc.)
Weekly meetings for students to
meet as a cohort & debrief
internship experiences
Employability skills development
(resume writing, mock interviews, etc.)
Support from Year Up staff &
business community members
Program Type:
Postsecondary bridging & first year college supports
Status / Age:
Graduates / 18-24
Focus:
Postsecondary education
Enriched Preparation for College
Explicit college going culture College ready curriculum Development of individualized postsecondary plans Postsecondary Bridging
Bridging coursework mimics
college instruction Development of college-readybehaviors & navigation skills Application & financial aidassistance Programming to build strong peer-to-peer support systems for cohorts that will be enrolling together
First Year College Supports Students check in regularly with
a designated staff member
(min. once a month)
Connection to college-friendly work opportunities to help
mitigate costs
Intensive, unstigmatized academic support to ensure success in credit-bearing courses Performance / effort based
incentives & emergency funds available
Engage program alumni as mentors
Through College Model
*There are few standalone bridging programs.
*Most located within existing programs (dropout recovery HS, GED to College programs, programs serving homelessness youth, etc.)
Dropout Recovery HS:
South Brooklyn
Community High
School (NYC)
65% graduation rate More than 90% go on to postsecondary education and/or employment*Funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to codify &
replicate model
Dropout Recovery HS Plus:
Mound Street
Academies
One year follow up on 2010grads:
40% attending school full time
20% working full time
30% attending school AND working
Gateway to College
National Network
49% fall-to-fall persistence rate(9% higher than persistence for regular students at same
partner colleges)
32 college credits accrued on average during time in
program
Approximately 75% of Gateway students continue in college
after completing program
National Comprehensive Program for Dropouts:
YouthBuild USA
78% enrollees complete program
63% completers obtained HSD/GED
60% went on to jobs averaging $9.20 per hour Recidivism rates for court-involved YB students 40% lower
than national average
GED to College:
LaGuardia Community
Business Program
68% GED course completion vs. 47% for comparison traditional GED
program 53% GED Exam passing rate
44% passed GED in first 6 months after program
24% enrolled in CUNY
12% college persistence rate
Year Up
84% graduates employed or attending college full time
within 4 months of graduation
Employed Year Up grads earn average of $15 per
hour
90% corporate partners would recommend Year Up
