Connecticut's Unspoken Crisis
Prepared by BCGThe report Connecticut’s Unspoken Crisis from Dalio Education finds that 63,000 young people ages 14 to 26 are not engaged in prosocial institutions and/or not on track for gainful employment, and another 17,000 are at the greatest risk for becoming so.
A Continuum of Disconnection
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On Track
Young adults aged 14-26 who are engaged in prosocial institutions and on-track for gainful employment
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At Risk
High school students who are at risk of not graduating and, therefore, also at risk for eventual disconnection. Sub-populations
Off-track: Students who do not meet state credit attainment requirements
At-risk due to other factors: Students who exhibit concerning rates of absenteeism and/or behavioral issues
Severely off-track: Students who are both off-track and at risk due to other factors
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Disconnected
Young adults aged 14-26 who are not engaged in prosocial institutions and/or not on-track for gainful employment. Sub-populations
Moderately disconnected: (1) High school diploma holders who are neither employed nor in postsecondary and (2) high school non-graduates who are employed
Severely disconnected: Young adults who are not employed, have not attained a high school diploma/equivalent and/or are incarcerated
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4 in 5 towns in Connecticut had at least 50 young people at risk in the 2021-2022 school year
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83% of young people who became disconnected were at risk of not graduating during high school
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Only 31% of severely disconnected young people were employed at 22, with a median wage of $8,000
Inequitable Outcomes
Young people of almost all non-White races/ethnicities are more likely to experience disconnection.
Up to $750M Annual Fiscal Impact
By helping today’s 63,000 disconnected young people to get back on track, Connecticut would save $400 million in costs and realize up to $350 million in additional tax revenues annually.
Report Recommendations
Key recommendations from the report include:
- Expand Capacity. Increase capabilities of high-performing organizations that serve at risk and disconnected young people and significantly expand organizational capacity.
- Fund Effective Programs. Invest in scalable, evidence-based supports and services for at risk and disconnected young people:
- Invest in expanding supports and services
- Invest in high-touch case management
- Invest in tackling chronic absenteeism
- Strengthen pathways to employment
What CTOP Is Doing
CTOP invests in non-profit organizations in Connecticut working with young people who are severely off-track and disconnected. Through long-term partnerships, we provide financial and non-financial resources, supporting our grantee partners in strenghtening their organizational capacity and ability to consistently deliver positive, long-term outcomes for young people.
