Disconnected youth is a label in United States public policy debate for NEETs, a British term referring to young people "Not in Education, Employment, or Training".
[2] Emphasis is placed upon this group because the years between the late teens and the mid-twenties are believed to be a critical period during which young people form adult identities and move toward independence.
According to the Measure of America report, the average disconnected youth costs $37,450 a year in government services with varying levels of successful impact.
[1] A 2012 study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that "the data show that the populations struggling the most to enter the workforce and stay in school today are youth who are less educated, come from low-income families and belong to a racial or ethnic minority.
"[5] The United States Department of Education defines disconnected youth as those aged 14 to 24 years old, but relies on calculations done for the 16-24 group by Measure of America.