The New Jersey State Policy Lab, in collaboration with the Newark City of Learning Collaborative (NCLC), has released a new report examining barriers and opportunities to reengage COVID-disconnected college students aged 18 to 26 in Newark, NJ. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, postsecondary enrollment in New Jersey dropped by 6.7% from spring 2021 to spring 2022, with Newark experiencing an even greater decline of 9% in undergraduate enrollment.
The report addresses the "narrative gap" between dropout youth, as outlined in NJ Assembly Bill 398—which established the Office of Dropout Prevention and Reengagement of Out-of-School Youth and the Student Dropout Prevention Task Force—and those aged 18 to 26 who are not currently enrolled in college. From December 2023 to May 2024, researchers conducted listening sessions, focus groups, and interviews with 22 disconnected youth aged 18 to 26 and ten representatives from local community-based organizations (CBOs) working with this population. The study explored their exposure to future planning while in high school, factors dissuading them from enrolling or reenrolling in college, youth mindset around college enrollment, social-emotional factors impacting mindset, COVID’s impact on college enrollment, and available opportunities and supports in Newark. Additionally, a landscape scan was completed of nine CBOs providing support to disconnected Newark youth.
Findings indicate that youth in Newark are primarily exposed to future planning through high school teachers and counselors but express a desire for more college visits and targeted support for non-traditional educational goals. Financial issues, social-emotional factors influenced by life events such as family deaths, and assumptions that college is not for them dissuade even "college-ready" youth from pursuing postsecondary education. Immediate financial needs often compel these youths to work rather than plan long-term goals.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated feelings of disconnection among some students who had started on a path toward postsecondary education but quit during this period. Many remain unsure about where to seek support for applying or returning to college. Despite these challenges, many disconnected youths still view college as a worthwhile investment but question its relevance in a modern technology-based society. Although several CBOs offer support with future planning, access remains uncertain for these youths who have graduated high school but are not enrolled in college.
Policy recommendations include:
- Enhanced collaboration between CBOs working with this population.
- Involvement of the Student Dropout Prevention Task Force with CBOs.
- Recognition of this group as distinct from those who have dropped out of high school or college.
- Collection of more data about this group for developing appropriate outreach strategies.
- Encouragement for colleges and universities to create engaging programming tailored for disconnected youth.
"This is an important time for the youth of New Jersey," states the report's authors Elisabeth Kim, Ph.D., Bernie Lombardi, Ph.D., and Robyn Ince, Ed.M. They hope initiatives like New Jersey Senate Bill 3080—which establishes the Youth Disconnection Prevention and Recovery Ombudsperson (YDPRO) within the Department of Education—and collaborative efforts among researchers, local CBOs, policymakers, colleges and universities will foster better support systems for transitioning into and thriving within higher education.
###
