DC Youth and Young Adult Update 9-12-2025

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 are new to policy and advocacy or a skilled advocate, 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:  

• House Appropriations Committee Approves FY26 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act: On September 9, the House Appropriations Committee met to consider the Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Act. The bill text is available here, and the bill report here. The measure was approved by the Committee with a vote of 35 to 28. The bill eliminates funding for critical programs that serve opportunity youth, such as the WIOA Youth Program, Adult Education State Grants, and Reentry Employment Opportunities. On top of these eliminations, the bill makes drastic cuts to AmeriCorps and Job Corps, the nation’s largest residential job training and education program. Take action here by contacting your Representative and letting them know that these programs are critical to the success of young people in your district!  

• Cassidy, Husted, Blunt Rochester Introduce Bill Empowering States to Integrate AI in Classroom: Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jon Husted (R-OH), and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) introduced the Recommending Artificial Intelligence Standards in Education (RAISE) Act. The bill adds AI and emerging technology to the list of subjects that states may establish standards for in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. The full bill text can be found here.  

• Owens Announces Hearing on Reforming College Pricing for Students and Families: On Tuesday, September 16, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development, will hold a hearing titled “No More Surprises: Reforming College Pricing for Students and Families.” The hearing will be live-streamed here. 

• Senate HELP Committee to Hold Hearing on State of K-12 Education: On Thursday, September 18, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will hold a hearing on the state of K-12 education titled “The State of K-12 Education.” The hearing will be live-streamed here.  

Executive Branch: 

• White House: Major Organizations Commit to Supporting AI Education: In April, President Trump signed an Executive Order to create new educational and workforce development opportunities in AI technology. As part of this effort, President Trump established the White House Task Force on AI Education, which is establishing public-private partnerships to provide resources for AI education among K-12 students. The full list of organizations that have committed to providing resources for AI education among America’s youth can be found here. 

• U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor Take Next Steps in Implementing Their Workforce Development Partnership: The U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Labor (DOL) announced they have taken steps to integrate the federal government’s workforce portfolio through its partnership announced a few months ago. The Departments are launching a new, integrated state plan portal that will streamline federal workforce development programs and allow ED and DOL to administer core Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs, including adult education and family literacy programs. ED will transfer program funds and detail staff to DOL to support the programs. These cooperative efforts will provide a coordinated federal education and workforce system, consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order “Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future.” 

Federal Funding Opportunities with upcoming deadlines: 

No new federal funding opportunities. 

Previously Shared: 

• HHS Grant: Grants to Support New Investigators in Conducting Research Related to Preventing Interpersonal Violence Impacting Children and Youth: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) helps researchers develop skills in violence prevention research. The goal is to support scientists in becoming independent researchers. Applicants must propose a research project that focuses on at least one of the following NCIPC research priorities related to interpersonal violence and suicide affecting children and youth (birth to age 17). These research priorities include adverse childhood experiences, child abuse and neglect, youth violence, intimate partner violence (including teen dating violence), sexual violence, suicide, and cross-cutting preventions (i.e. examining two or more of these priority topics). Find more information here. Applicants are encouraged to explore multiple forms of interpersonal violence and/or suicide among children or youth, community factors that increase the risk of interpersonal violence and/or suicide, and the practical relevance of the research for prevention and intervention efforts. Applications are due December 1, 2025. 

• 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. 

 

From the States: 

• Wisconsin: Employ Milwaukee is launching a new workforce initiative supported through a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. The new initiative, called Growth Opportunities Milwaukee, aims to keep local youth out of the justice system and guide them toward successful careers. 

• New York: New York State will send $892,230 to Dutchess County to provide jobs and training to young people from low-income households over the next 10 months. The state will distribute $40.6 million to 21 counties. Putnam County did not receive funds, but Orange County will get $2.7 million, Rockland $2.8 million, Westchester $3.9 million and Ulster $742,000. 

Resources: 

• Brookings | Preparing Young People for the AI Workplace: This piece highlights critical insights from interviews with state and community leaders about how to strategically tackle these opportunity gaps. Brookings spoke to 21 state and local innovators in workforce agencies, community colleges, and training organizations about how they are working across programs to build career pathways for youth. This June, thy distilled their insights into “A Blueprint for Developing Economic Opportunity for All Youth,” published by the American Institutes for Research.  

• Federal Reserve of Philadelphia Occupational Mobility Explorer: This is an interactive tool that sheds light on career pathways in the U.S. labor market. The tool allows users to explore career paths and visualize how job skills needed for specific occupations can transfer to higher-paying occupations in the same geographical area. Users can also access resources to help them search for jobs in their region and build a skills-based resume.