Over a year in the making, the 119K Commission released its comprehensive, 120-page report on Wednesday detailing four strategic pillars and 22 “aligned” actions on how to reconnect 60,000 of the roughly 119,000 disconnected youth in Connecticut.
The report, titled “Young People First: A bold Plan to Address Connecticut’s Statewide Crisis,” is the result of the findings in Dalio Education’s original report, “Connecticut’s Unspoken Crisis,” which was researched and compiled by the Boston Consulting Group and released about a year ago.
The “unspoken crisis” identified about 119,000 young people, ages 16 through 26, and in all 169 of Connecticut’s municipalities, who have become disconnected from education and employment. They live in poverty, often facing food insecurity or homelessness, which make it difficult to stay in school. Some struggle with mental health conditions or addiction – or their parents struggle with the same. Some must care for siblings while parents work – or they are simply without parents or guardians.
The original report shined light on the bigger picture – that a group of 119,000 disconnected youth represents both a moral and financial crisis. If 119,000 young people are to remain uneducated and unemployed, or under-employed, the cycle continues, gets worse, and will reduce the state’s GDP by an estimated $5.5 billion a year.
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The nonprofit School + State Finance Project also lauded the report, describing it as a thoughtful, collaborative, and comprehensive plan to support students, lift up communities, and build a stronger, more equitable Connecticut.
“One young person left behind is too many. When 119,000 are being left behind, it should be a clarion call for our state to come together and take bold, immediate action,” Executive Director Lisa Hammersley said in a statement. “We sincerely thank Commission members for heeding that call and for their time, work, and dedication to laying out a vision to solve a crisis impacting every community in our state.”
Hammersley added: “We look forward to working alongside Commission members, CCM, and other stakeholders from across Connecticut during the upcoming 2025 legislative session to implement the Commission’s recommendations and ensure every young person in our state has the opportunity to succeed inside and outside of the classroom.”