Maines Disappearing Youth: A Search for Solutions

1
Maines Disappearing YouthA Search for
Solutions

• June 2002

2
A Declining Youth Population
3
Why are youth numbers declining?
A Declining Youth Population

• A Falling Birth Rate
• Lowest point ever recorded
• The Migration Problem
• Increasing youth out-migration decreasing youth
  in-migration
• A net loss of 17,000 in the 1990s a 77 increase
  from the previous decade
• The two opposing streams are region specific

4
A Declining Youth Population A Falling Birth
Rate
5
A Declining Youth Population The Migration
Problem
6
A Declining Youth Population The Migration
Problem
7
Why are we losing youth?
A Declining Youth Population The Migration
Problem

• Going to College
• 43.5 of all college bound 19 year olds leave
  state a net loss of 1,367 freshman in 1998.
• Socio-economic Class
• The children of upper and middle class in-migrant
  parents are more likely to go.
• Brain Drain
• The well-educated move more often and farther
  away from rural areas.
• Higher per-pupil expenditure correlates with
  youth out-migration.

8
Why are we losing youth?
A Declining Youth Population The Migration
Problem

• Its the Economy
• Out-migration peaked in the early 1990, when
  Maines economy was worse than the rest of the
  nation.
• Housing Costs
• Portland rents increased by 70 in the 1990s.
• Rural to Urban
• Leaving for the city may be a cultural
  expectation of youth.

9
The perfect out-migrant.
A Declining Youth Population The Migration
Problem

• Male
• Aspirations for college
• Raised in rural area with good schools and poor
  job opportunities
• Upper-middle class, college educated parents
• Parents were in-migrants in the late 1970s

10
Education Implications
Implications for Maine Public Education

• Funding Formula
• Less students means less money from the state.
• School Consolidation and Regionalization
• Small schools will likely close.
• Districts will need to share expenses and
  resources more.
• Higher Education
• Fewer students means less tuition revenues.

11
Implications for Maine Public Education
12
Cultural Implications
Implications for Maine Culture

• Transience Hurts
• When youth leave, community has a dim future.
• Aspirations
• What happens to the youth who are left behind?
• Educational Attainment
• When youth leave, do overall education levels
  fall?

13
The Need for a Response
Solutions

• We Must
• Get the youth population problem on the table.
• Conduct an in depth study of youth migration.
• Create a statewide policy response.

14
Prince Edward Island
Solutions

• Provincial government created the Population
  Strategy Initiative.
• Goals
• Youth internship programs
• Student loan forgiveness programs
• Attract youth from outside
• Involve youth in the planning and public policy
  process
• Conduct a longitudinal study of youth migration
  patterns

15
Japan
Solutions

• Experiencing an extremely low birth rate
• The most elderly country on earth by 2025.
• Solutions
• Better child care
• Child friendly workplaces
• More affordable housing
• Financial incentives for child rearing
• Retain older workers
• Invest in robotics

16
Northeast Ontario
Solutions

• University and Workforce Training Board sponsored
  research and community forums
• Solutions
• More post-secondary education access
• Promote quality-of-life
• Value the contribution of youth in the community
• Closer links between industry and education
• Provide financial incentives for graduates to
  return

17
Ideas
Solutions

• Economic Policy
• Job Creation Tax Policy
• Government / Business Partnerships
• Internship Programs
• Student Loan Forgiveness
• School-to-Work Initiatives
• Child Friendly Workplaces
• Higher Education Policy
• Improve access
• Remove barriers
• Tuition tax credits
• Advertising
• Come Home and Move Here campaigns