The National Center for Educational Statistics publishes Youth Indicators to meet the needs of policy makers who must establish a context for viewing trends in the well-being of youth. Youth Indicators is a statistical compilation of data on young people including information about family structure, economic factors, jobs, extracurricular activities, and several dozen other elements. These data present a composite of the youth experience, highlighting connections that might otherwise be missed between experiences during and outside of school hours. Although the data presented are national in scope, many of the indicators can be used or adapted for use at the local level. Whenever possible, tables with data for the past 50 years provide needed historical context for today's issues.
Some indicators cover only more recent years.
Because new data reveal changes in some of the trends presented, Youth Indicators is updated regularly to maintain its usefulness. Each indicator is described with a table, chart, and brief descriptive text. The indicators are grouped in sections that feature particular aspects of youth experience. The tables give current and trend information on a given topic. The charts illuminate the statistical tables, highlighting their most important aspects.