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America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2011

Youth Neither Enrolled in School nor Working

Youth ages 16–19 who are neither in school nor working are detached from these core activities, both of which play an important role in one's transition from adolescence to adulthood. Such detachment, particularly if it lasts for several years, decreases a youth's opportunity to build a work history that contributes to future higher wages and employability.112 The percentage of youth who are not enrolled in school and not working is one measure of the proportion of young people who are at risk of limiting their future prospects.

Indicator Ed5: Percentage of youth ages 16–19 who are neither enrolled in school nor working by gender and race and Hispanic origin, 1985–2010
Percentage of youth ages 16–19 who are neither enrolled in school nor working by gender and race and Hispanic origin, 1985–2010

NOTE: Data relate to the labor force and enrollment status of persons ages 16–19 in the civilian noninstitutionalized population during an "average" week of the school year. School refers to both high school and college. For data before 2003, the 1977 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Standards for Data on Race and Ethnicity were used to classify persons into one of the following four racial groups: White, Black, American Indian or Alaskan Native, or Asian or Pacific Islander. The revised 1997 OMB standards were used for data for 2003 and later years. Persons could select one or more of five racial groups: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. Beginning in 2003, those in each racial category represent those reporting only one race. Data from 2003 onward are not directly comparable with data from earlier years. Data on race and Hispanic origin are collected separately. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey.

  • In an average week during the 2010 school year, 9 percent of youth ages 16–19 were neither enrolled in school nor working. Black, non-Hispanic youth and Hispanic youth are more likely than White, non- Hispanic youth to be neither enrolled in school nor working. In 2010, 11 percent of Hispanic youth and 12 percent of Black, non-Hispanic youth were neither in school nor working, compared with 8 percent of White, non-Hispanic youth.
  • Older youth ages 18–19 are five times as likely to be detached from school and work activities as youth ages 16–17. In 2010, 15 percent of youth ages 18–19 were neither enrolled in school nor working, compared with 3 percent of youth ages 16–17.
  • Sixty-six percent of youth were enrolled in school and not employed in 2010. This proportion has been trending up since 2000, when it was 48 percent.113
  • In 2010, 18 percent of youth were both enrolled in school and employed, down from 31 percent in 1998.

table icon ED5.A HTML Table, ED5.B HTML Table, ED5.C HTML Table (web only)

112 Fernandes, A., and Gabe, T. (2009). Disconnected youth: A look at 16- to 24-year-olds who are not working or in school. (CRS Report No. R40535). Retrieved from Congressional Research Service Web site: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R40535.pdf.

113 For more information, refer to table ED5.C at http://childstats.gov/americaschildren11/tables/ed5c.asp (available on the Web only).