Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in North America
North America: Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary was 1.5% in 2019. ◆ Volatile
Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in North America, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2019, out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in North America stood at 1.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.6% on the previous year and down 57.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in North America peaked at 15.1% in 1979 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2018.
That places North America 43rd out of 43 groups with data for 2019, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in North America, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 14.6% | — |
| 1971 | 14.6% | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 14.6% | +0.4% |
| 1973 | 13.8% | -5.7% |
| 1974 | 14.2% | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 14.2% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 13.8% | -3.2% |
| 1977 | 13.6% | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 13.4% | -1.0% |
| 1979 | 15.1% | +12.5% |
| 1980 | 9.1% | -40.1% |
| 1981 | 9.4% | +3.7% |
| 1982 | 7.5% | -20.2% |
| 1983 | 7.9% | +5.0% |
| 1984 | 7.7% | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 7.7% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 6.7% | -13.2% |
| 1987 | 7.2% | +7.7% |
| 1988 | 5.5% | -24.1% |
| 1989 | 5.2% | -5.9% |
| 1990 | 4.8% | -6.1% |
| 1991 | 4.6% | -4.3% |
| 1992 | 4.5% | -3.0% |
| 1993 | 4.4% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 4.5% | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 4.5% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 5.0% | +9.8% |
| 1997 | 4.9% | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 4.9% | -0.4% |
| 1999 | 5.4% | +11.4% |
| 2000 | 5.2% | -4.6% |
| 2001 | 4.2% | -18.2% |
| 2002 | 5.5% | +30.6% |
| 2003 | 4.2% | -23.7% |
| 2004 | 4.2% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | -20.6% |
| 2006 | 3.5% | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 3.3% | -5.7% |
| 2008 | 3.5% | +6.4% |
| 2009 | 3.4% | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 4.2% | +23.0% |
| 2011 | 4.2% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 3.7% | -12.9% |
| 2013 | 3.7% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 3.4% | -6.9% |
| 2015 | 2.8% | -18.2% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | -45.0% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.3% | -13.9% |
| 2019 | 1.5% | +11.6% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in North America changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | -45.0% | 2.8% | 1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.2% | 13.4% | 15.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.4% | 5.2% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.8% | 4.4% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.0% | 3.3% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.8% | 1.3% | 4.2% | 10 |
Countries ranked near North America
- 40 Cape Verde 13.1% compare
- 41 Lesotho 13.1% compare
- 42 Bulgaria 12.8% compare
- 43 Turks and Caicos Islands 12.7% compare
- 44 Eswatini 12.7% compare
- 45 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 12.6% compare
- 46 Bhutan 12.6% compare
More reference data data for North America
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 2.25 million number (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 2.15 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, both sexes 6.07 years (2019)
- School age population, one year before than official primary entry 4.41 million number (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, male 6.08 years (2019)
- School life expectancy, primary, female 6.07 years (2019)
- Share of all students in secondary education enrolled in general 99.6% (2019)
- School life expectancy, pre-primary, both sexes 2.08 years (2019)
- Gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, adjusted gender parity 1.27 GPIA (2019)
- Teachers in primary education, male 271,413 number (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in North America?
- Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary in North America was 1.5% in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 15.1% in 1979.
- What is the lowest out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2018.
- How does North America rank for out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary?
- North America ranks 43rd out of 43 groups with data for 2019.
- Is out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 57.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North America data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Out-of-school rate for children, adolescents and youth of primary, lower secondary and upper secondary school age, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proportion of children, adolescents, and youth in the official age range for primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary education who are not enrolled in primary, lower secondary, or upper secondary education. To calculate the indicator, the number of students of the official age for primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary education enrolled in primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary education is subtracted from the total population of primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary education. The result is expressed as a percentage of the population of the official age for primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary education. For more information, consult the UNESCO Institute of Statistics website: http://www.uis.unesco.org/Education/