DC Youth and Young Adult Update 6-27-2025

By NYEC | June 27, 2025

News at NYEC:  

  • Registration is Open for NYEC’s Annual Youth Days Event in Washington, D.C., from November 5-7, 2025! NYEC is inviting practitioners, community and organization leaders, and young people to join us to bring a voice for opportunity youth to Congress.Whether you’re an expert at telling your story to legislators or if it’s your first time, we will provide the tools and training so you can join us in calling for increased investments and new policies that will benefit young people across the nation. We hope to see you there!  

Legislative Branch:  

  • 119th Congressional Committee Updates: 
  • Sen. Sanders Releases New Report Detailing Impact of Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” on Health Care in America: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) released a new report detailing how Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” would create a national health care emergency, drawing on responses from more than 750 health care providers across 47 states and the District of Columbia. Specifically, the report finds that the bill would increase the number of uninsured Americans in every state in the country and nearly double the uninsured rate in some states — including Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Washington. The legislation would kick 19 people off their health insurance for every millionaire household that receives a tax cut. The full state-by-state analysis of how uninsured rates will skyrocket available here. 
  • Sen. Gillibrand Introduces S.2166: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduces S.2166, a bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to include child development and early learning as community services under the Federal work-study program. The full bill text has not been released yet. 

Executive Branch:  

  • U.S. Department of Education Issues School Choice Guidance to States: The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education sent a letter to all chief state school officers providing guidance on how states can use their federal formula funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) to both expand education choice. 

Federal Funding Opportunities with upcoming deadlines: 

  • HHS Grant: National Center on Head Start Early Learning, Health and Family Engagement: The Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start announces the availability of approximately $15,000,000 to be competitively awarded for the purpose of operating the Head Start National Center on Early Learning, Health, and Family Engagement. This NC will provide training and technical assistance that reflects current evidence, is research-informed, and promotes best practices. Applications are due December 15, 2025. 

Previously Shared  

  • ED Grant: OSERS: OSEP: Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities and Demonstration and Training Programs–National Technical Assistance Center on Transition for Students and Youth with Disabilities: The purpose of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program is to promote academic achievement and to improve results for children with disabilities by providing TA, supporting model demonstration projects, disseminating useful information, and implementing activities that are supported by scientifically based research. The purpose of the Demonstration and Training program is to provide competitive grants, including cooperative agreements to, or enter into contracts with, eligible entities to expand and improve the provision of vocational rehabilitation (VR) and other services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), or to further the purposes and policies in sections 2(b) and (c) of the Rehabilitation Act by supporting activities that increase the provision, extent, availability, scope, and quality of rehabilitation services under the Rehabilitation Act, including related research and evaluation activities. Applications are due July 18, 2025. 

From the States: 

  • Texas: Texas lawmakers passed several measures during their legislative session aimed at closing workforce gaps by expanding career-focused opportunities. House Bill 20 enables high school students to earn career and technical education credits in place of core academic credits after passing end-of-course exams. Senate Bill 1535 directs the Texas Workforce Commission to establish an advanced nuclear workforce development program, while House Bill 3260 removes federal approval requirements to expand apprenticeship initiatives.

  • Indiana: State funding is being cut for a program aimed at helping opportunity youth graduate from high school. Educators who have worked with the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) program told I-Team 8 that decisions by the state legislature ultimately paved the way for the program’s funding to be cut. During the last legislative session, JAG’s funding was cut from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. Losing the JAG program could have severe consequences on the lives of the students it helps.

Resources:  

  • The Pinterest Apprenticeship Program: The Pinterest Apprenticeship Program is an opportunity for professionals from non-tech backgrounds and those who may face barriers of entry into the industry to experience engineering, product management, design and research at Pinterest. Apprenticeships are up to one year long with the opportunity to be considered for conversion to a full-time role. 
Posted in Uncategorized