Study: Kentucky's Immigrant Youth Face Tough Transition To Adulthood
Jun 27, 2008

Louisville, KY – In Kentucky, as across the nation, children in immigrant families are a growing part of the population and future workforce. However, as the number of immigrant youth has increased in recent years, programs and services that would help them succeed in school and become productive adults have not kept pace, according to a new issue brief released today by Kentucky Youth Advocates.

The report, Making their Way: Helping Kentucky’s Immigrant Youth Successfully Transition into Adulthood, found that language and cultural barriers are leading more immigrant youth to drop out of high school and enter a cycle of low-paying jobs and unemployment. According to the brief, 41 percent of Kentucky’s older immigrant youth, aged 16 to 19, speak English “not wellâ€