Youth and Young Adult Policy Update 4-17-26

April 17, 2026

• Join us during National Apprenticeship Week: NYEC will be hosting a Virtual Workshop on April 30: Apprenticeship Today — The Landscape and Opportunity, featuring the Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) within New America’s Center on Education & Labor.

• Representatives McBath, Owens Introduce CREATES Act to Streamline Credentialing Process: Representatives Lucy McBath (D-GA-06) and Burgess Owens (R-UT-04) are introducing H.R. 8304, the Credential Repositories and Transparency in States (CREATES) Act, which aims to help states build and maintain their own public credential repositories or registries to connect people with opportunities and good jobs. NYEC endorsed the bill, and the full text can be found here.
• Hayes, Markey Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Connect Vulnerable Youth to Educational and Workforce Development Program: Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05) and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) reintroduced the YouthBuild for the Future Act. This legislation reauthorizes $1 billion for the YouthBuild program. NYEC endorsed the bill, and the full text can be found here.
• Rep. Mackenzie Holds Hearing on Understanding AI’s Economic Impact on Workers and Employers: The Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, chaired by Rep. Mackenzie (R-PA-07), held a hearing to examine the way artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the workplace. The full hearing can be viewed here.
• House Appropriations Committee Releases FY27 Markup Schedule: House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK-04) released the markup schedule for Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations bills. The LHHS Subcommittee plans to mark up the LHHS bill on June 5, and the Full Appropriations Committee plans to mark up the LHHS bill on June 9. This schedule is subject to change, and updates can be found on the Appropriations Committee website.
• Rep. Baumgartner Introduces the Workforce Data Quality Initiative Act: U.S. Representative Michael Baumgartner (R-WA-05) introduced H.R. 8196, the Workforce Data Quality Initiative Act of 2026. The bill seeks to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to add the Workforce data quality initiative. The full bill text can be found here.
• Reps. Mackenzie, Krishnamoorthi Introduce Workforce Recovery and Resilience Act: U.S. Representatives Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA-07) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL-08) introduced H.R. 8203, the Workforce Recovery and Resilience Act. The bill directs the U.S. Department of Labor to identify and share best practices for addressing the workforce impacts of substance use disorder and creates new grant opportunities to support job training tied to treatment and recovery services. The full bill text can be found here.

• Department of Education Releases Final Priority and Definitions on Workforce Readiness and Career Pathways: The Department of Education announced a final priority and definitions on career pathways and workforce readiness for use in currently authorized discretionary grant programs or programs that may be authorized in the future. The full text can be found here.
• Department of Education Releases Final Priority and Definitions on Advancing Artificial Intelligence in Education: The Department of Education announced a final priority and definitions on advancing artificial intelligence in education. This priority supports the integration of AI into teaching and learning, including building AI literacy and supporting educators to effectively use emerging technologies in the classroom. The full text can be found here.

• HHS Grant: SAMHSA: Children’s Mental Health Initiative: The purpose of the Children’s Mental Health Initiative program is to provide comprehensive community mental health services to children, youth, and young adults, birth through age 21 with a serious emotional disturbance, which may include efforts to identify and serve children at risk, and their families. Applications are due April 20, 2026.
• DOL/ED Grant: ETA Talent Search Program: The purpose of the Talent Search Program is to identify qualified individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds with potential for education at the postsecondary level and encourage them to complete secondary school and undertake postsecondary education. Applications are due May 1, 2026.
• DOJ Grant: FY25 Second Chance Act Improving Reentry Education and Employment Outcomes: This funding opportunity supports state, local, and tribal governments and community-based organizations to provide education and employment programs for people leaving jail and prison. The goal of the program is to improve academic and vocational/trade programs available to people in prisons and jails and expand workforce development and career pathways that result in improved job readiness, employment attainment, and retention thereby improving employment prospects and reducing recidivism. Applications are due May 4, 2026.
• DOJ Grant: FY25 Second Chance Act Community-based Reentry Program: This funding opportunity will support community-based organizations and tribal governments to provide mentoring and transitional services for adults returning to communities after a period of incarceration in a prison or a jail and who are assessed as moderate to high risk for recidivism. Applications are due May 4, 2026.
• DOJ Grant: FY25 Expanding Youth Access to Community-Based Treatment: This funding opportunity supports community-based treatment programs serving justice-involved youth under the age of 18 with substance use disorder (SUD) and co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder (MHSUD) needs. Applications are due May 4, 2026.
• DOL Grant: Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants (Round 6): Round 6 of the Strengthening Community Colleges (SCC or SCC6) grants will fund community colleges, with a singular focus on building program and system capacity for implementing and scaling access to short-term training opportunities through Workforce Pell Grants—i.e., promoting industry-driven strategies, worker mobility, and integration with the larger state workforce system (e.g., Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) partners) for statewide impact. Applications are due May 20, 2026.
• DOL Grant: State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula (Round 4): The fourth round of State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula grants provides direct funding to states and territories based on a new performance-based formula. This formula rewards states for recent growth in active and new apprentices and encourages strategies that increase employer participation. Applications are due May 26, 2026.

• Minnesota: A Minnesota House workforce panel advanced an omnibus bill that includes a range of workforce and economic development provisions, including expanding allowable support services like childcare and transportation in youth employment programs.
• Alabama: Local advocate DJ Rodski of Mobile, Alabama has proposed a youth workforce transportation pilot program aimed at addressing transportation barriers that often prevent young people from accessing jobs and training opportunities in the state. The proposal would provide supports such as bus passes, ride-share vouchers, and gas stipends to help youth ages 13–21 reliably commute to work, interviews, and workforce programs.

• New Door Ventures Webinar: Open Door: Closing the Gap After High School: Join New Door for a 45-minute Lunch & Learn to explore what’s changed in the workforce in the last 2–3 years, why healthcare pathways are gaining momentum, how we’re responding in real time, and what it takes to keep young people connected before they fall through the cracks.
• National Apprenticeship Week: April 28 – May 2, 2026: The U.S. Department of Labor is hosting National Apprenticeship Week 2026, a nationwide celebration that brings together employers, educators, workforce partners, and apprentices to showcase the value of Registered Apprenticeship programs. The week includes events across the country highlighting how apprenticeship expands career pathways, meets industry workforce needs, and connects individuals to in-demand jobs, with a particular emphasis on youth pathways and emerging sectors like AI.