WEST HARTFORD – Calling it “Connecticut’s Unspoken Crisis,” Dalio Education’s co-CEOs Barbara Dalio and Andrew Ferguson held a press conference in West Hartford today to release a 65-page research report showing that in 2022 there were 119,000 young people in Connecticut who are “at-risk or disconnected,” a number that represents 1 in 5 of Connecticut’s 14- to 26-year-olds.
The report was commissioned by Dalio Education, and researched and produced by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and took 12 months to complete. Click here to access a full copy of the report, including definitions of the terms “at-risk” and “disconnected.”
“This report lays out in very stark terms the depth of this crisis and the impact it has on these young people, and their families,” said Barbara Dalio, Dalio Education’s Founder and co-CEO. “By commissioning and releasing this report, we’re hoping to raise awareness of the crisis, and take it from being something most people don’t know about or talk about, to something that is a top-of-mind issue and one that Connecticut decides to make a priority.”
Connecticut is leaving between $650 million and $750 million on the table every year by not addressing this statewide crisis. The real annual cost of this crisis is between $350 million and $400 million, accounting for what Connecticut is currently paying for this population in costs associated with SNAP, Medicaid, rental assistance, TANF, and incarceration. In addition, there’s the opportunity cost that shows the great benefits that Connecticut is not currently realizing. For example, if all disconnected young people were re-engaged by the time they reach 26 years old, Connecticut could realize $300 million to $350 million in additional tax revenue, driven by higher earnings, which then translate to higher income taxes and greater levels of consumer activity.
“I see many of my former students in this population of 119,000, and I know that every one of them has great brilliance and resilience,” said Andrew Ferguson, co-CEO of Dalio Education, who started his career as a public school teacher in New Haven. “I also know that educators, non-profit leaders, municipal leaders, and so many others are heroes working hard every day to support our young people. They are working their hearts out, and we call for everyone to join them to help get our young people back on track. From Thompson to Stamford, Hartford to Sprague, this is a statewide crisis that we can address if we work together.”
Joining Dalio and Ferguson at the press conference were several subject matter experts, who served as members of the Advisory Group that assisted BCG in its research efforts, which took several months to complete. Their statements are below:
Chris DiPentima, CBIA president and CEO, said: "There's an urgent need to engage and work with communities across our state, particularly those young people who are most disconnected from the economy, and unlock career opportunities for all residents. The Dalio/BCG study provides a clear understanding of why and where residents are detached from the labor market—whether it's access to education, housing, childcare, transportation, or other hurdles—and how Connecticut can best connect and develop meaningful solutions."
Hector Glynn, Chief Operating Officer for The Village for Families and Children, said: “The Village is grateful to Dalio Education and the Connecticut Opportunity Project for focusing on Connecticut’s at-risk and disconnected young people – and the organizations which serve them. It is my profound hope that this report marks the beginning, not the end, of our collective effort to harness the potential of our young people who are struggling. The Village has been committed to this work for more than 200 years. While incredible progress has been made, far too many young people in Connecticut still face trauma and neglect. This report should be a call to action.”
Mike Lawlor, a former state lawmaker who later served as the top criminal justice advisor to former Governor Dannel P. Malloy, and is currently an Associate Professor in the Criminal Justice Department at the Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences, said: “For almost 15 years the number of juveniles and young adults under age 26 committing crimes and becoming involved in the criminal justice system has steadily declined. This extensive study demonstrates, for the first time in Connecticut, the direct correlation between ‘disconnected’ children and young adults and their propensity to commit crimes. Armed with this insight, Connecticut should focus on crime prevention by addressing the needs of ‘at risk’ and ‘disconnected’ young people.”
Thea Montanez, Chief Operating Officer for the City of Hartford, said: “Unless we shine a bright light on the crisis of disconnection affecting young people across Connecticut, we won’t be able to solve it – and that’s why this report is so important. When we do hear about this crisis, it’s generally in a news report that doesn’t recognize the systemic issues in government, the non-profit sector, and in our communities that are at play. I’m grateful to Dalio Education for commissioning this important report, and I hope it helps focus our state on compassionate, evidence-based solutions that can help all young people in our state succeed.”
Martha Stone, Executive Director for the Center for Children’s Advocacy, said: "This report is an important call to action to catch the cascade of youth who fall through the cracks of the different systems set up to help them succeed. It should set off alarm bells that if we continue on this path in our failure to reconnect our vulnerable youth to school or employment, the dismal outcomes that we see will be perpetuated. Having worked in this field for a long time, this is the first report I have seen which doesn't segment youth from adults but takes the important step of focusing on the continuum of young people from age 14 to 26."
Kevin Walston, Superintendent of Danbury Public Schools, said: As a superintendent, I see how hard educators work each day to provide the best educational opportunity for every student. This report highlights something that many of us have already known, that teachers alone cannot meet the wide range of needs of all students, and that we need a more robust and coordinated community of support to engage and reengage those young people who are struggling the most. This report identifies the magnitude of this issue and highlights the fact that these at risk and disconnected young people are in each and every community across this state. We all must do better for these young people and for the future of our state, and I call on everyone to join in supporting educators and public schools in this noble mission.”
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