New Orleans Youth Dream Big Despite Mental Health Struggles

New Orleans students are setting their sights high, with 70% expecting to earn at least a bachelor's degree and more than a third planning to launch their own businesses right after graduation.

But a sweeping new survey from Tulane University's Education Research Alliance reveals these ambitious young people are fighting an uphill battle. About 40% showed symptoms of depression, and one in four students who needed counseling last year never received it.

The survey reached approximately 2,000 students in grades 6 through 11 across 16 charter schools during the 2024-25 school year. It marks the third time researchers have taken the pulse of New Orleans youth, asking them directly about their hopes, challenges, and what they need to succeed.

The mental health gap hits hardest for Black and Hispanic students, who reported greater needs but less access to support than their white peers. More than half of all students said they avoided seeking help because they worried what others would think.

Inside classrooms, students described teachers who push them to think critically but don't always keep them engaged or show they care at the same rates seen in schools nationwide. Attendance and effort remain below pre-pandemic levels, and 18% of students reported being bullied at school.

The Ripple Effect

The survey is already sparking action. Jamie Carroll, managing director of the research alliance, points to a powerful mismatch: students dream of careers as doctors, entrepreneurs, and artists, but many of these paths don't align with jobs available in New Orleans outside of healthcare.

That gap could determine whether young people build their futures in the city or leave to chase opportunities elsewhere. Carroll and her team are calling for career training programs that start earlier, in middle school, and better match what students actually want to do with their lives.

The 35% of New Orleans students planning to start businesses crushes the 11% national average, suggesting an entrepreneurial spirit that could transform the local economy if properly supported. Students identified motivation, academic performance, and uncertainty about next steps as their biggest barriers, not a lack of ambition.

On May 7, researchers, educators, and community leaders will gather for a public panel to turn these findings into solutions. The goal is to ensure every student voice shapes the decisions that affect their lives.

"New Orleans youth deserve to have their voices included in school, community, and government decisions," Carroll said. This survey gives the city a roadmap to help its most ambitious generation yet actually reach their dreams.