[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1748 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1748
To provide at-risk and disconnected youth with subsidized summer and
year-round employment and to assist local community partnerships in
improving high school graduation and youth employment rates, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 28, 2017
Mr. Scott of Virginia (for himself, Ms. Adams, Ms. Bass, Ms. Bonamici,
Mr. Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Brown of Maryland, Ms. Brownley of
California, Ms. Judy Chu of California, Ms. Clark of Massachusetts, Ms.
Clarke of New York, Mr. Clay, Mr. Correa, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Danny K.
Davis of Illinois, Mrs. Davis of California, Mr. DeSaulnier, Ms. Fudge,
Mr. Al Green of Texas, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Gutierrez, Ms. Jayapal, Mr.
Jeffries, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Kihuen, Mr. Langevin, Mrs.
Lawrence, Mr. Lawson of Florida, Ms. Lee, Ms. Moore, Mrs. Napolitano,
Mr. Nolan, Mr. Norcross, Ms. Norton, Mr. Payne, Mr. Polis, Ms. Roybal-
Allard, Mr. Rush, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Sablan, Mr. Sarbanes, Ms.
Schakowsky, Mr. David Scott of Georgia, Mr. Serrano, Ms. Sewell of
Alabama, Ms. Shea-Porter, Mr. Takano, Mrs. Torres, Ms. Wasserman
Schultz, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Meeks, Mr.
Swalwell of California, and Ms. Blunt Rochester) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and
the Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide at-risk and disconnected youth with subsidized summer and
year-round employment and to assist local community partnerships in
improving high school graduation and youth employment rates, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Opening Doors for Youth Act of
2017''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The time between the early teens and mid-twenties
represents a critical developmental period in which individuals
can gain the education and training, entry-level work
experiences, work-readiness skills, and social networks needed
to smoothly transition into the labor market and build towards
future professional success.
(2) Yet, nearly 5 million young people ages 16 to 24 are
out of school and unemployed, leaving them disconnected from
the systems and institutions critical for developing the
building blocks of independence and self-sufficiency.
(3) Communities of color experience the highest rates of
youth disconnection: 25.4 percent of Native American youth,
18.9 percent of Black youth, and 14.3 percent of Latino youth
between the ages of 16 and 24 were disconnected from school and
work in 2015.
(4) Disconnected youth are also three times more likely
than other youth to have a disability, twice as likely to live
below the Federal poverty threshold, and significantly more
likely to live in racially segregated neighborhoods.
Disconnected young women and girls are three times more likely
to have a child, and young people involved in the juvenile
justice system or aging out of the foster care system are at
high risk of disconnection.
(5) Disconnection from school and work can have significant
consequences for youth, including decreased earning power and
fewer future employment opportunities. According to the 2012
report, ``The Economic Value of Opportunity Youth'',
disconnected youth will, on average, earn $392,070 less than
the average worker over their lifetimes.
(6) Failure to successfully connect young people to
employment and educational opportunities also results in a
significant loss in productivity for the overall economy, as
well as increases in government spending. According to a recent
report from Measure of America, in 2013, youth disconnection
resulted in $26.8 billion in public expenditures, including
spending on health care, public assistance, and incarceration.
(7) Disconnected young people, commonly referred to as
``opportunity youth'' because of their tremendous potential,
can add great social and economic value to our communities and
the economy, if given the appropriate supports and resources.
According to the Opportunity Index, an annual measurement of
opportunity in a geographic region, the number of opportunity
youth, along with educational attainment and poverty rates, are
strongly linked to overall opportunity in communities. When
young adults do well, communities do well.
(8) Despite their talent and motivation, many opportunity
youth lack access to the training, education, and entry-level
jobs that can help them gain the work experience and
credentials needed to successfully transition into the labor
market.
(9) Lack of access to entry-level jobs can limit a young
adult's ability to accrue early work experience and demonstrate
productivity and work readiness to potential employers. Labor
market shifts have also limited opportunities for young people
without a high school diploma or with limited postsecondary
credentials. According to a 2013 report from the Georgetown
University Center on Education and the Workforce, by the year
2020, an estimated 65 percent of all U.S. jobs will require
postsecondary education and training.
(10) Summer and year-round youth employment programs that
connect young people with entry-level jobs give youth the work
experience and opportunity for skill development needed to
transition into the labor market and prevent points of
disconnection, such as involvement in the criminal and juvenile
justice systems.
(11) Evidence suggests that summer youth employment
programs may help in-school youth remain connected to the
education system. A 2014 study of the New York City Summer
Youth Employment Program found that after program
participation, youth older than 16 increased their school
attendance by four or five additional days compared to their
previous fall semester attendance. This attendance increase
represented 25 percent of the total days students were
permitted to miss school and still continue on to the next
grade.
(12) Evidence shows that participation in summer youth
employment programs also reduces the rate of violent crimes
arrests. For example, a 2014 study of Chicago's One Summer Plus
program shows that the program reduced violent crime arrests
among at-risk youth by approximately 43 percent, with crime
reduction benefits lasting over a year after the program had
ended. This reduction can have significant impact for young
people, given the impact of a criminal record on future
employment prospects and wages.
(13) Despite its benefits, summer youth employment has
declined by more than 40 percent during the past 12 years, at a
loss of more than 3 million summer jobs for young Americans. A
J.P. Morgan Chase study of 14 major U.S. cities found that
summer youth employment programs were only able to provide
opportunities for 46 percent of applicants in 2014.
(14) According to research by Measure of America, the
overwhelming number of youth disconnected from school and work
come from disconnected communities marked by high adult
unemployment, poverty, and racial segregation, as well as low
levels of adult education attainment. These communities often
lack the resources and supports needed to prevent and reverse
youth disconnection.
(15) Many at-risk or opportunity youth, finding that
traditional pathways to educational attainment or employment
are ill-matched to their individual needs, struggle to remain
connected or reconnect to school and work.
(16) For some youth, individual barriers--such as unstable
housing, lack access to affordable child care or
transportation, or involvement in the juvenile or criminal
justice system--make it difficult to take advantage of existing
employment and education pathways.
(17) According the 2016 report, ``Supportive Services in
Job Training and Education: A Research Review'', studies
suggest that education and training programs that offer
supportive services, such as child care, transportation, and
financial assistance, are associated with improved outcomes.
(18) Community-based preventions and interventions can
address the distinct problems opportunity youth may face in the
local community and provide a connection to the education and
training, re-engagement, and supportive services needed to help
these young people succeed.
(19) Previous Federal grant programs targeting communities
with high rates of poverty have been successful in building
such communities' capacity to improve labor market
participation and education attainment rates for young people.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Labor--
(1) $1,500,000,000 to carry out section 5;
(2) $2,000,000,000 to carry out section 6; and
(3) $2,000,000,000 to provide competitive grants in
accordance with section 7.
SEC. 4. RESERVATION OF FUNDS FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AND OTHER PURPOSES.
(a) Reservation of Funds.--The Secretary of Labor shall reserve--
(1) not more than 5 percent of amounts available under each
of paragraphs (1) through (3) of section 3 for the costs of
innovation and learning activities under section 10;
(2) not more than 5 percent of amounts available under each
of paragraphs (1) through (3) of section 3 for the costs of
Federal administration of this Act; and
(3) not more than 2 percent of amounts available under each
of paragraphs (1) through (3) of section 3 for the costs of
evaluations conducted under section 11.
(b) Period of Availability.--The amounts appropriated under this
Act shall be available for obligation by the Secretary of Labor until
the date that is 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 5. SUMMER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR AT-RISK YOUTH.
(a) In General.--Of the amounts available under section 3(1) that
are not reserved under section 4, the Secretary of Labor shall, for the
purpose of carrying out summer employment programs under this section--
(1) make an allotment in accordance with section
127(b)(1)(C)(ii) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3162(b)(1)(C)(ii)) to each State that meets the
requirements of section 102 or 103 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 3112,
3113);
(2) reserve not more than one-quarter of 1 percent of such
amounts to provide assistance to the outlying areas; and
(3) reserve not more than 1\1/2\ percent of such amount to,
on a competitive basis, make grants to, or enter into contracts
or cooperative agreements with, Indian tribes, tribal
organizations, Alaska Native entities, Indian-controlled
organizations serving Indians, or Native Hawaiian organizations
to carry out the activities described in subsection (d)(2).
(b) Within State Allocations.--
(1) In general.--The Governor of a State, in accordance
with the State plan developed under section 102 or 103 of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3112,
3113), shall allocate the amounts that are allotted to the
State under subsection (a)(1) to eligible local areas in
accordance with section 128(b)(2)(A) of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3163(b)(2)(A)) for
the purpose of developing and expanding summer employment
programs under this section.
(2) Supplement not supplant.--Funds made available for
summer youth employment programs under this section shall
supplement and not supplant other State or local public funds
expended for summer youth employment programs or other youth
activities funded under section 129 of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3163).
(3) Reallocation among local areas.--The Governor may,
after consultation with the State board, reallocate to eligible
local areas within the State amounts that are made available to
local areas from allocations made under this section and that
are available for reallocation in accordance with section
128(c)(2)-(4) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
(29 U.S.C. 3163(c)(2)-(4)).
(4) Local reservation.--Of the amounts allocated to a local
area under paragraph (1), not more than 7 percent of such
amounts may be used for the administrative costs, including
costs for participating in regional and national opportunities
for in-person peer learning under section 10.
(c) Local Plans.--
(1) In general.--The local board of the local area shall
develop and submit, in partnership with the chief elected
official, a 4-year plan. The plan shall be consistent with the
local plan submitted by the local board under section 108 of
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3123),
as determined by the Governor.
(2) Submission.--The plan shall be submitted to the
Governor at such time and in such manner as the Governor may
reasonably require. A local area may develop and submit to the
Governor a local plan for programs under this section and a
local plan for programs under section 6 in lieu of submitting
two plans.
(3) Contents.--At a minimum, each plan shall include--
(A) a description of how the local area will use
program funds, in accordance with subsection (d), to
develop or expand summer youth employment programs for
each program year;
(B) a description of how the local area will
recruit eligible youth into the program;
(C) the number of individuals expected to
participate in the summer employment program each
program year;
(D) a description of the services, including
supportive services, that the summer employment program
is expected to provide;
(E) reasonable goals for performance accountability
measures outlined in subsection (i);
(F) an assurance that the summer employment program
will be aligned with the youth services provided under
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3101 et seq.);
(G) an assurance that the local area will adhere to
the labor standards outlined in section 8; and
(H) any other information as the Governor may
reasonably require.
(d) Local Use of Funds.--
(1) Youth participant eligibility.--To be eligible to
participate in activities carried out under this section during
any program year, an individual shall, at the time the
eligibility determination is made, be either an out-of-school
youth or an in-school youth.
(2) Local activities.--
(A) Development activities.--A local area that has,
at the beginning of the program year, no summer youth
employment programs or programs that do not have all
program elements described in paragraph (3)(B) shall
use unreserved allotted funds to--
(i) plan, develop, and carry out activities
described in paragraph (3)(B);
(ii) at the local area's discretion,
develop technology infrastructure, including
data and management systems, to support program
activities;
(iii) conduct outreach to youth
participants and employers; and
(iv) at the local area's discretion, use
not more than 25 percent of allocated program
funds to subsidize not more than 75 percent of
the wages of each youth participant.
(B) Expansion activities.--A local area that has,
at the beginning of the program year, a summer youth
employment program that has all program elements
described in paragraph (3)(B) shall use unreserved
allotted funds to--
(i) increase the number of summer
employment opportunities, including
unsubsidized or partly subsidized opportunities
and opportunities in the private sector;
(ii) conduct outreach to youth participants
and employers;
(iii) use allocated program funds to
subsidize not more than 50 percent of the wages
of each youth participant; and
(iv) at the local area's discretion,
enhance activities described in paragraph
(3)(B).
(3) Local elements.--
(A) Program design.--Programs funded under this
section shall match each youth participant with an
appropriate employer, based on factors including the
needs of the employer and the age, skill, and informed
aspirations of the youth participant, for a high-
quality summer employment opportunity, which may not--
(i) be less than 4 weeks; and
(ii) pay less than the highest of the
Federal, State, or local minimum wage.
(B) Program elements.--Program elements include--
(i) work-readiness training and educational
programs to enhance the summer employment
opportunity;
(ii) coaching and mentoring services for
youth participants to enhance the summer
employment opportunity and encourage program
completion;
(iii) coaching and mentoring services for
employers on how to successfully employ each
youth participant in meaningful work;
(iv) career and college planning services;
(v) high-quality financial literacy
education, including education on the use of
credit and financing higher education, and
access to safe and affordable banking accounts
with consumer protections;
(vi) supportive services, or connection to
existing supportive services, to enable
participation in the program;
(vii) integration of services provided by
the program with existing year-round employment
programs, youth development programs, secondary
school programs, youth services provided under
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
(29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), and skills training
programs funded by the State or Federal
Government;
(viii) referral of at least 30 percent of
participants from or to providers of youth,
adult, vocational rehabilitation services, and
adult education and literacy services under the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29
U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) or skills training
programs funded by the State or Federal
Government;
(ix) rigorous evaluation of programs using
research approaches appropriate to programs in
different levels of development and maturity,
including random assignment or quasi-
experimental impact evaluations, implementation
evaluations, pre-experimental studies, and
feasibility studies; and
(x) commitment and support from mayors or
county executives.
(C) Priority.--Priority shall be given to summer
employment opportunities--
(i) in existing or emerging in-demand
industry sectors or occupations; or
(ii) that meet community needs in the
public, private, or nonprofit sector.
(4) In-school youth priority.--For any program year, not
less than 75 percent of the unreserved funds allotted to local
area under this section shall be used to provide summer
employment opportunities for in-school youth.
(e) Reports.--
(1) In general.--For each year that a local area receives
funds under this section, the local area shall submit to the
Secretary of Labor and the Governor a report with--
(A) the number of youth participants in the
program, including the number of in-school and out-of-
school youth;
(B) the number of youth participants who completed
the summer employment opportunity;
(C) the expenditures made from the amounts
allocated under this section, including expenditures
made to provide youth participants with supportive
services;
(D) a description of how the local area has used
program funds to develop or expand summer youth
employment programs, including a description of program
activities and services provided, including supportive
services provided and the number of youth participants
accessing such services;
(E) the source and amount of funding for the wages
of each youth participant;
(F) information specifying the levels of
performance achieved with respect to the primary
indicators of performance described in subsection (i)
for the program;
(G) the average number of hours and weeks worked
and the average amount of wages earned by youth
participants in the program;
(H) the percent of youth participants placed in
employment opportunities in the nonprofit, public, and
private sectors; and
(I) any other information that the Secretary of
Labor determines necessary to monitor the effectiveness
of the program.
(2) Disaggregation.--The information required to be
reported pursuant to subparagraphs (A), (B), and (G) of
paragraph (1) shall be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex,
age, and subpopulations described in section
129(a)(1)(B)(iii)(I)-(VI) of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3164(a)(1)(B)(iii)(I)-(VI)).
(f) Performance Accountability.--Primary indicators of performance
shall be the performance metrics described in sections
116(b)(2)(A)(i)(V) and 116(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I) of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3141(b)(2)(A)(i)(V),
3141(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I)) and a work-readiness indicator established by the
Secretary of Labor.
(g) Technical Assistance for Local Area Failure To Meet Local
Performance Accountability Measures.--If a local area fails to meet
performance accountability goals established under local plans for any
program year, the Governor, or, upon request by the Governor, the
Secretary of Labor, shall provide technical assistance, which may
include assistance in the development of a performance improvement
plan.
SEC. 6. YEAR-ROUND EMPLOYMENT FOR OPPORTUNITY YOUTH.
(a) In General.--Of the amounts available under section 3(1) that
are not reserved under section 4, the Secretary of Labor shall, for the
purpose of carrying out year-round employment programs under this
section--
(1) make an allotment in accordance with section
127(b)(1)(C)(ii) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3162(b)(1)(C)(ii)) to each State that meets the
requirements of section 102 or 103 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 3112,
3113); and
(2) reserve not more than one-quarter of 1 percent of such
amounts to provide assistance to the outlying areas.
(b) Within State Allocations.--
(1) In general.--The Governor of a State, in accordance
with the State plan developed under section 102 or 103 of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3112,
3113), shall allocate the amounts that are allotted to the
State under subsection (a)(1) to eligible local areas in
accordance with section 128(b)(2)(A) of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3163(b)(2)(A)) for
the purpose of developing and expanding year-round employment
programs under this section.
(2) Supplement not supplant.--Funds made available for
year-round youth employment programs under this section shall
supplement and not supplant other State or local public funds
expended for year-round youth employment programs or other
youth activities funded under section 129 of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3163).
(3) Reallocation among local areas.--The Governor may,
after consultation with the State board, reallocate to eligible
local areas within the State amounts that are made available to
local areas from allocations made under this section and that
are available for reallocation in accordance with section
128(c)(2)-(4) of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
(29 U.S.C. 3163(c)(2)-(4)).
(4) Local reservation.--Of the amounts allocated to a local
area under paragraph (1), not more than 7 percent of such
amounts may be used for the administrative costs, including
costs for participating regional and national opportunities for
in-person peer learning under section 10.
(c) Local Plans.--
(1) In general.--The local board of the local area shall
develop and submit, in partnership with the chief elected
official, a 4-year plan. The plan shall be consistent with the
local plan submitted by the local board under section 108 of
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3123),
as determined by the Governor.
(2) Submission.--The plan shall be submitted to the
Governor at such time and in such manner as the Governor may
reasonably require. A local area may develop and submit to the
Governor a local plan for programs under this section and a
local plan for programs under section 5 in lieu of submitting
two plans.
(3) Contents.--At a minimum, each plan shall include--
(A) a description of how the local area will use
program funds, in accordance with subsection (d), to
develop or expand year-round youth employment programs
for each program year;
(B) a description of how the local area will
recruit eligible youth into the program;
(C) the number of individuals expected to
participate in the year-round employment program each
program year;
(D) a description of the services, including
supportive services, that the year-round employment
program is expected to provide;
(E) reasonable goals for performance accountability
measures outlined in subsection (i);
(F) an assurance that the year-round employment
program will be aligned with the youth services
provided under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.);
(G) an assurance that the local area will adhere to
the labor standards outlined in section 8; and
(H) any other information as the Governor may
reasonably require.
(d) Local Use of Funds.--
(1) Youth participant eligibility.--To be eligible to
participate in activities carried out under this section during
any program year, an individual shall, at the time the
eligibility determination is made be an out-of-school youth and
unemployed individual.
(2) Local activities.--
(A) Development activities.--A local area that has,
at the beginning of the program year, no year-round
youth employment programs or programs that do not have
all program elements described in paragraph (3)(B)
shall use unreserved allotted funds to--
(i) plan, develop, and carry out activities
described in paragraph (3)(B);
(ii) at the local area's discretion,
develop technology infrastructure, including
data and management systems, to support program
activities;
(iii) conduct outreach to youth
participants and employers; and
(iv) at the local area's discretion, use
not more than 30 percent of allocated program
funds to subsidize the wages of each youth
participant.
(B) Expansion activities.--A local area that has at
the beginning of the program year, a year-round youth
employment program that has all program elements
described in paragraph (3)(B) shall use unreserved
allotted funds to--
(i) increase the number of year-round
employment opportunities, including
unsubsidized or partly subsidized opportunities
and opportunities in the private sector;
(ii) conduct outreach to youth participants
and employers;
(iii) use allocated program funds to
subsidize wages of each youth participant; and
(iv) at the local area's discretion,
enhance activities described in paragraph
(3)(B).
(3) Local elements.--
(A) Program design.--
(i) In general.--Programs funded under this
section shall match each youth participant with
an appropriate employer, based on factors
including the needs of the employer and the
age, skill, and informed aspirations of the
youth participant, for high-quality year-round
employment, which may not--
(I) be less than 180 days and more
than 1 year;
(II) pay less than the highest of
the Federal, State, or local minimum
wage; and
(III) employ the youth participant
for less than 20 hours per week.
(ii) Employer share of wages.--Programs
funded under this section shall require not
less than 25 percent of the wages of each youth
participant to be paid by the employer, except
this requirement may be waived for not more
than 10 percent of youth participants with
significant barriers to employment.
(B) Program elements.--Program elements include--
(i) work-readiness training and educational
programs to enhance year-round employment;
(ii) coaching and mentoring services for
youth participants to enhance the year-round
employment opportunity and encourage program
completion;
(iii) coaching and mentoring services for
employers on how to successfully employ each
youth participant in meaningful work;
(iv) career and college planning services;
(v) high-quality financial literacy
education, including education on the use of
credit and financing higher education, and
access to safe and affordable banking accounts
with consumer protections;
(vi) supportive services, or connection to
existing supportive services, to enable
participation in the program;
(vii) integration of services provided by
the program with existing youth development
programs, secondary school programs, youth
services provided under the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101
et seq.), and skills training programs funded
by the State or Federal Government;
(viii) referral of at least 30 percent of
participants from or to providers of youth,
adult, vocational rehabilitation services, and
adult education and literacy services under the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29
U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), or skills training
programs funded by the State or Federal
Government;
(ix) rigorous evaluation of programs using
research approaches appropriate to programs in
different levels of development and maturity,
including random assignment or quasi-
experimental impact evaluations, implementation
evaluations, pre-experimental studies, and
feasibility studies; and
(x) commitment and support from mayors or
county executives.
(C) Priority.--Priority shall be given to year-
round employment opportunities--
(i) in existing or emerging in-demand
industry sectors or occupations; or
(ii) that meet community needs in the
public, private, or nonprofit sector.
(e) Reports.--
(1) In general.--For each year that a local area receives
funds under this section, the local area shall submit to the
Secretary of Labor and the Governor a report with--
(A) the number of youth participants in the
program;
(B) the number of youth participants who completed
the year-round employment opportunity;
(C) the expenditures made from the amounts
allocated under this section, including expenditures
made to provide youth participants with supportive
services;
(D) a description of how the local area has used
program funds to develop or expand year-round youth
employment programs, including a description of program
activities and services provided, including supportive
services provided and the number of youth participants
accessing such services;
(E) the source and amount of funding for the wages
of each youth participant;
(F) information specifying the levels of
performance achieved with respect to the primary
indicators of performance described in subsection (f)
for the program;
(G) the average number of hours and weeks worked
and the average amount of wages earned by youth
participants in the program;
(H) the percent of youth participants placed in
employment opportunities in the nonprofit, public, and
private sectors;
(I) the number of youth participants who are asked
to remain after the end of the year-round employment
and the number of youth participants actually retained
for not less than 90 days; and
(J) any other information that the Secretary of
Labor determines necessary to monitor the effectiveness
of the program.
(2) Disaggregation.--The information required to be
reported pursuant to subparagraphs (A), (B), and (G) of
paragraph (1) shall be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex,
age, and subpopulations described in section
129(a)(1)(B)(iii)(I)-(VI) of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3164(a)(1)(B)(iii)(I)-(VI)).
(f) Performance Accountability.--Primary indicators of performance
shall be the performance metrics described in sections
116(b)(2)(A)(i)(III), 116(b)(2)(A)(i)(V), and 116(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I)-(II)
of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3141(b)(2)(A)(i)(III), 3141(b)(2)(A)(i)(V), 3141(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I)-(II))
and a work-readiness indicator established by the Secretary of Labor.
(g) Technical Assistance for Local Area Failure To Meet Local
Performance Accountability Measures.--If a local area fails to meet
performance accountability goals established under local plans for any
program year, the Governor, or upon request by the Governor, the
Secretary of Labor, shall provide technical assistance, which may
include assistance in the development of a performance improvement
plan.
SEC. 7. CONNECTING-FOR-OPPORTUNITIES COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Of the amounts available under section 3(3) that
are not reserved under section 4, the Secretary of Labor shall, in
consultation with the Secretary of Education, award grants on a
competitive basis to assist local community partnerships in improving
high school graduation and youth employment rates.
(b) Local Community Partnerships.--
(1) Mandatory partners.--A local community partnership
shall include at a minimum--
(A) one unit of general local government;
(B) one local educational agency;
(C) one institution of higher education;
(D) one local workforce development board;
(E) one community-based organization with
experience or expertise in working with youth;
(F) one public agency serving youth under the
jurisdiction of the juvenile justice system or criminal
justice system;
(G) a State or local child welfare agency; and
(H) an agency administering programs under part A
of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 601
et seq.).
(2) Optional partners.--A local community partnership may
also include within the partnership--
(A) American Job Centers;
(B) employers or employer associations;
(C) representatives of labor organizations;
(D) programs that receive funding under the
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (42
U.S.C. 5601 et seq.);
(E) public agencies or community-based
organizations with expertise in providing counseling
services, including trauma-informed and gender-
responsive counseling;
(F) public housing agencies, collaborative
applicants, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11301 et seq.), or private
nonprofit organizations that serve homeless youth and
households or foster youth; and
(G) other appropriate State and local agencies.
(c) Application.--A local community partnership desiring a grant
under this section shall submit to the Secretary of Labor an
application at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may reasonably require. At a minimum, each
application shall include a comprehensive plan that--
(1) demonstrates sufficient need for the grant in the local
population (indicators of need may include high rates of high
school dropouts and youth unemployment and a high percentage or
number of low-income individuals in the local population);
(2) demonstrates the capacity of each local community
partnership to carry out the activities described in subsection
(d);
(3) is consistent with the local plan submitted by the
local board under section 108 of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3123), the local plan for career and
technical education programs authorized under the Carl D.
Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C.
2301 et seq.) (if not part of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act local plan) and the State plan for programs
under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
601 et seq.); and
(4) includes an assurance that the local community
partnership will adhere to the labor standards outlined in
section 8.
(d) Use of Funds.--A local community partnership receiving a grant
under this section shall use the grant funds--
(1) to target individuals not younger than age 14 or older
than age 24;
(2) to make appropriate use of existing education, child
welfare, social services, and workforce development data
collection systems to facilitate the local community
partnership's ability to target the individuals described in
paragraph (1);
(3) to develop wide-ranging paths to higher education and
employment, including--
(A) using not less than 50 percent of the grant
funds to help individuals described in paragraph (1)
complete their secondary school education through
various alternative means, including through high-
quality, flexible programs that utilize evidence-based
interventions and provide differentiated services (or
pathways) to students returning to education after
exiting secondary school without a regular high school
diploma or who, based on their grade or age, are
significantly off track to accumulate sufficient
academic credits to meet high school graduation
requirements, as established by the State;
(B) creating career pathways focused on paid work-
based learning consisting of on-the-job training and
classroom instruction that will lead to credential
attainment and prioritize connections to registered
apprenticeship programs and pre-apprenticeship
programs;
(C) providing career navigators to provide
individuals described in paragraph (1) with pre-
employment and employment counseling and to assist such
individuals in--
(i) finding and securing employment or
work-based learning opportunities that pay not
less than the highest of the Federal, State, or
local minimum wage;
(ii) identifying and assessing eligibility
for training programs and funding for such
programs;
(iii) completing necessary paperwork; and
(iv) identifying additional services, if
needed;
(D) connecting individuals described in paragraph
(1) with providers of youth services, adult services,
vocational rehabilitation services, and adult education
and literacy services, under the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.), career
planning services, and federally and State funded
programs that provide skills training; and
(E) ensuring that such individuals successfully
transition into pre-apprenticeship programs, registered
apprenticeship programs, or programs leading to
recognized postsecondary credentials in in-demand
industry sectors or occupations;
(4) to provide a comprehensive system aimed at preventing
the individuals described in paragraph (1) from disconnecting
from education, training, and employment and aimed at re-
engaging any such individual who has been disconnected by--
(A) providing school-based dropout prevention and
community-based dropout recovery services, including
establishing or improving school district early warning
systems that--
(i) connect such systems to existing data
gathering and reporting systems established
under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) for the purpose of
identifying the individuals described in
paragraph (1); and
(ii) engage any such identified individual
using targeted, evidence-based interventions to
address the specific needs and issues of the
individual, including chronic absenteeism; and
(B) providing the individuals described in
paragraph (1) with access to re-engagement services for
training programs and employment opportunities and
using providers of youth services under the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.)
to conduct intake and refer such individuals and their
families to the appropriate re-engagement service; and
(5) to provide a comprehensive system of support for the
individuals described in paragraph (1), including--
(A) connecting such individuals with professionals
who can--
(i) provide case management and counseling
services; and
(ii) assist such individuals in--
(I) developing achievable short-
term goals and long-term goals; and
(II) overcoming any social,
administrative, or financial barrier
that may hinder the achievement of such
goals; and
(B) providing or connecting participants with
available supportive services.
(e) Priority in Awards.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary of Labor shall give priority to applications submitted by
local community partnerships that include a comprehensive plan that--
(1) serves and targets communities with a high percentage
or high numbers of low-income individuals and high rates of
high school dropouts and youth unemployment; and
(2) allows the individuals described in paragraph (1) to
earn academic credit through various means, including high-
quality career and technical education, dual enrollment
programs, or work-based learning.
(f) Geographic Distribution.--The Secretary shall ensure that
consideration is given to geographic distribution (such as urban and
rural areas) in the awarding of grants under section.
(g) Performance Accountability.--For activities funded under this
section, the primary indicators of performance shall include--
(1) the performance metrics described in sections
116(b)(2)(A)(i)(III)-(V) and 116(b)(2)(A)(ii)(I)-(II) of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3141(b)(2)(A)(i)(III)-(V), 3141 (b)(2)(A)(ii)(I)-(II));
(2) the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate and the
extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate in a State that
chooses to use such a graduation rate, as defined in section
8101(25) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,
as amended; and
(3) the rate of attaining a recognized equivalent of a
diploma, such as a general equivalency diploma.
(h) Reports.--For each year that a local community partnership
administers a program under this section, the local community
partnership shall submit to the Secretary of Labor and, if applicable,
the State a report on--
(1) the number of youth participants in the program,
including the number of in-school and out-of-school youth,
disaggregated by race, ethnicity, sex, age, and subpopulations
described in section 129(a)(1)(B)(iii)(I)-(VII) of the
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C.
3164(a)(1)(B)(iii)(I)-(VII));
(2) the expenditures made from the amounts allocated under
this section, including any expenditures made to provide youth
participants with supportive services;
(3) a description of program activities and services
provided, including supportive services provided and the number
of youth participants accessing such services;
(4) information specifying the levels of performance
achieved with respect to the primary indicators of performance
described in subsection (f) for the program, disaggregated by
race, ethnicity, sex, age, and subpopulations described in
section 129(a)(1)(B)(iii)(I)-(VII) of the Workforce Innovation
and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3164(a)(1)(B)(iii)(I)-(VII));
and
(5) any other information that the Secretary of Labor
determines necessary to monitor the effectiveness of the
program.
SEC. 8. LABOR STANDARDS.
Activities funded under this Act shall be subject to the
requirements and restrictions, including the labor standards, described
in section 181 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2931)
and the nondiscrimination provisions of section 188 of such Act (29
U.S.C. 2938), in addition to other applicable Federal laws.
SEC. 9. PRIVACY.
Nothing in this Act--
(1) shall be construed to supersede the privacy protections
afforded parents and students under section 444 of the General
Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g); or
(2) shall be construed to permit the development of a
national database of personally identifiable information on
individuals receiving services under this Act.
SEC. 10. INNOVATION AND LEARNING.
Using funds reserved under section 4, the Secretary shall--
(1) provide technical assistance to ensure providers have
sufficient organizational capacity, staff training, and
expertise to effectively implement programs, described under
this Act;
(2) create regional and national opportunities for in-
person peer learning; and
(3) provide on a competitive basis sub-grants to States and
local areas to conduct pilots and demonstrations using emerging
and evidence-based best practices, and models for youth
employment programs and to evaluate such programs using designs
that employ the most rigorous analytical and statistical
methods that are reasonably feasible.
SEC. 11. EVALUATION AND REPORTS.
(a) Evaluation.--Not earlier than 1 year or later than 2 years
after the end of the award grant period, the Secretary of Labor shall
conduct an evaluation of the programs administered under this Act.
(b) Reports to Congress.--The Secretary of Labor shall transmit to
the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate not later than 5 years after the end of the
award grant period, a final report on the results of the evaluation
conducted under subsection (a).
SEC. 12. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) ESEA terms.--The terms ``extended-year adjusted cohort
graduation rate'', ``evidence-based'', ``four-year adjusted
cohort graduation rate'', ``local educational agency'', and
``secondary school'' have the meanings given such terms in
section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
(2) Institution of higher education.--The term
``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
(3) Registered apprenticeship program.--The term
``registered apprenticeship program'' has the meaning given
such term in section 171(b) of the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3226(b)).
(4) Other wioa terms.--The terms ``administrative costs'',
``career and technical education'', ``career pathway'',
``career planning'', ``community-based organization'',
``Governor'', ``in-demand industry sector or occupation'',
``in-school youth'', ``local area'', ``local board'', ``low-
income individual'', ``one-stop center'', ``on-the-job
training'', ``outlying area'', ``out-of-school youth'',
``school dropout'', ``State'', ``supportive services'',
``unemployed individual'', and ``unit of general local
government'' have the meanings given such terms in section 3 of
the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3102).
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