DC Youth and Young Adult Update 11-21-25

News at NYEC: 

• Join NYEC in Houston, TX for Rooted in Action: 2026 Annual Forum! The National Youth Employment Coalition will head to Houston, TX from March 30 – April 1, 2026 for our annual convening of 450+ direct service providers, practitioners, community leaders, employers, and young adults. Across three days, participants will cultivate connections; share innovative strategies, proven practices, and community-driven solutions; and explore how collective strength, perseverance, and action can drive meaningful, systemic change.  

Join us as we work together to increase opportunity and improve education and employment outcomes for all young people! 

• Submit a proposal to present at the Annual Forum! We’re looking for sessions that offer practical tools, real-world examples, and bold ideas for strengthening opportunities for young people and the systems that support them. Proposals with multiple speakers (including panels) are highly encouraged! Learn more HERE. Proposals due December 10th! 

Legislative Branch:   

• Kiley Holds Hearing on Strengthening Skills Pathways Through CTE: Rep. Kevin Kiley (CA-03), the Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee Chairman, held a hearing titled, “From Classroom to Career: Strengthening Skills Pathways Through CTE.” The full hearing can be viewed here. 

• Senator Murray Makes Statement on Trump Administration’s Latest Steps to Dismantle the Department of Education: Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued a statement on plans announced by the Trump administration to further dismantle the Department of Education.  

Executive Branch: 

• Trump Administration Announces Plans to Dismantle Department of Education: President Trump has unveiled a strategy to further dismantle the Department of Education, directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to transfer key programs out of the agency and eventually shut it down altogether. The plan includes interagency agreements that shift six major offices, including K–12 grant programs, into other federal departments such as Labor, Interior, Health & Human Services, and State.  

Federal Funding Opportunities with upcoming deadlines: 

• 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. 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. 

 

• HUD Grant: FY 2025 Continuum of Care Competition and Youth Homeless Demonstration Program Grants: The Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is designed to promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness, provide funding for these efforts, and optimize self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Applications are due January 14, 2026. 

From the States: 

• Minnesota: The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announced more than $4.8 million in grants to 39 organizations to help train 4,000 young people for their first jobs.  

• Arkansas: Both student and community leaders are committed to reducing the national youth unemployment rate of 10.8%. X’Zaeviun Sims, president-elect of Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), and Ross White, director of the Division of Career and Technical Education at the Arkansas Department of Education, both emphasized that the path forward depends on better connecting education to real opportunities. 

Resources: 

• Youth Justice by the Numbers – The Sentencing Project: This article offers a comprehensive overview of youth justice data, drawing on figures dating back to 2000 and analyzing the key trends that have emerged in recent years. 

• Unpacking the Joint CoC/YHDP NOFO: This webinar, hosted by the National Network for Youth, provides an in-depth overview of recent federal policy updates and explains how they affect programs serving homeless youth and young families.