In 2021, the City of Los Angeles (LA) was home to approximately 3.9 million people, making it the second most populous city in the country. Given its size, it is not surprising that LA is also home to the second largest population of teens and young adults (ages 16- 24) who are neither in school nor at work (i.e., disconnected). As of 2021, over 62,000 young people were disconnected. Often referred to as Opportunity Youth (OY), this population represents an enormous amount of untapped potential. But without the appropriate resources, services, and support, many OY are likely to face several challenges and obstacles as they go through life. Teen and young adult disconnection from two foundational pillars – education and employment – is a serious issue that requires our immediate attention and action. The purpose of this brief paper is to summarize the most recent data on LA’s OY population in 2021.

One of the most important steps in helping Los Angeles’s disconnected teens and young adults is understanding who and where they are. For this reason, this report provides a high- level summary of just this type of information. It is our hope that these data be used to spark discussion, initiate action, inform policy, and generally make data-driven decisions that optimize the chances of success for as many youth as possible.

Read the report below.

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