There are currently 4.9 million opportunity youth, defined as young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither enrolled in school nor participating in the labor market, in the United States. Nearly half of all opportunity youth can be found in rural communities. Because Texas is home to the largest number of rural students in the country, gaining an understanding of the opportunities and challenges of reaching and serving rural opportunity youth in Texas is critical.
Informed by first-hand interviews and observations from community meetings in East and West Texas, this report provides an overview of rural opportunity youth in Texas and recommends programs to support this population.
