Study: 15 Percent of US Youth Out of School, Work

WASHINGTON (AP) — Almost 6 million young people are neither in school nor working, or about 15 percent of those aged 16 to 24.

That's according to a report released Monday from Opportunity Nation, a bipartisan coalition advocating greater economic mobility.

Idle youth are missing an opportunity to build skills they will need later in life or to use knowledge they acquired in college. Without those experiences, the report predicts they're less likely to command higher salaries and more likely to be an economic drain on their communities.

The study also finds that the number of families living in poverty has increased in 49 states, while household median incomes have fallen in 45 states last year. The dour report underscores the challenges young adults face now and foretells trials they're likely to face.