This data set is collected by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Overall a vast majority of youth ages 16-19 are either in school or employed. The percentage of youth enrolled or employed has remained steady between 96 and 97 percent. In 2014, the number declined slightly. This change largely occurred due to a 2.3 point decline in Hispanic youths and a .40 decline among white students. Black students improved by .60 percentage point increase.

According to the Connecticut Commission on Children (COC), notable factors that affect this segment of the population include: teen parenthood, immigration status, mental or physical disability, juvenile justice or child welfare involvement, and homelessness. CT Voices for Children has noted that Connecticut’s teen pregnancy rate has seen a substantive decline for several years. Unfortunately, despite the trend, we have not seen a significant impact on the 2.5-3 percent of youth who are unemployed and out of school. Many youth in Connecticut, especially those in more urban areas, face the systemic barriers to success mentioned above regarding immigration status as well as juvenile justice and child welfare involvement. CT Voices for Children has added that urban school students, especially Black/Hispanic youths, are disproportionately more likely to be suspended or expelled than their white counterparts. Their involvement in school and attaining a diploma is crucial to future success for children.

Each involvement with the juvenile justice system brings a child one step closer towards not being enrolled in school and subsequently hinders their job prospects. According to the COC, individuals without a high school diploma are twice as likely to be unemployed compared to those with a diploma, and five times more likely to be unemployed compared to those with a bachelor’s degree or higher. COC adds these rates are similar in regards to underemployment for youth in Connecticut. CT Voices on Children concurs with these negative results, and adds that continued youth involvement in the juvenile justice system leads to adult incarceration and a greater reliance on state programs for assistance. The very low rate of youths not employed or enrolled in school may be due in part to a variety of policies and programs that seek to improve youth employment, and eliminate truancy or chronic absenteeism.

One such program is the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Alliance District program. This program provides funding to the 30 lowest performing districts to supplement the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) program funds. Providing funds to lower-income cities/towns and underperforming school districts supports investments in staffing, programs, and tools that will positively impact a student’s perception of primary education. The Connecticut General Assembly has also sought to enact policies to improve graduation rates and maintain student enrollment, including the High School Graduation Issues Taskforce established in 2012.

For the purposes of teen employment, The Connecticut Commission on Children has actively sought to partner with the Connecticut Workforce Development council to improve summer employment opportunities for all children, and prepare youth in the care of DCF for employment opportunities once they are no longer of age to receive DCF support. The Department of Labor’s Youth Employment Committee meets quarterly to discuss youth employment issues.

• Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
• Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission
• Commission on Children
• Connecticut Voices for Children
• Department of Education
• Department of Labor

• Support structured out-of-school programs that infuse innovative approaches to reinforce reading and other academic skill and promote positive youth development. (HFPG)
• Increase the number of internships and summer jobs for low-income youth. (LPRAC)

Strategies provided by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving (HFPG) and the Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission (LPRAC)