May 8 Newsletter — OY Federal Updates
Let’s Catch Up...
Senate Hearing with Education Secretary on FY27 Budget
On April 28, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon testified to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS-Ed) to discuss the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) federal budget proposal. Republican and Democratic Senators alike voiced concern about proposed eliminations and cuts to programs like TRIO and funding for rural education. The negative impacts of programmatic consolidation and elimination through block granting with Make Education Great Again (MEGA) were brought up by multiple Democratic Senators. The unintended negative consequences of the current interagency agreements were a theme throughout the hearing as well.
You can watch the full hearing and read Secretary McMahon’s testimony here.
On Thursday, May 14, at 10:15am ET, the House Education and Workforce Committee will hold a hearing on “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education” with Education Secretary Linda McMahon testifying again.
Next Steps in FY27 Appropriations
Next on the calendar for the appropriations process, the House Appropriations Labor-HHS-Ed Subcommittee plans to markup their appropriations bill on June 5th for full Appropriations Committee markup on June 9.
Here’s how you can get involved:
Use this action alert to let your member of congress know how important critical federal programs are to connecting young people to education, training, and workforce programs.
Sign this letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership stating the impact of funding for programs that support Opportunity Youth, and why such programs cannot be eliminated or minimized.
More information about taking action is below.
Refresher: President’s FY27 Budget Request
The President proposes full eliminations or significant cuts to Labor-HHS-Ed programs in the FY27 budget request. Overall, the budget proposes a decrease of $3 billion (3.9%) for the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and a decrease of about 25.9% for the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).
Programmatic eliminations include, but are not limited to:
WIOA Youth Activities and other youth and young adult training programs. Like last year’s budget request, the President proposes a block grant approach to workforce funding called “Make America Skilled Again.” Check out this blog about how block granting can be extremely harmful to workforce programs.
21st Century Community Learning Centers
Apprenticeships
Education for homeless children and youth
TRIO
YouthBuild
Resources:
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Reauthorization
Last month, House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) introduced the House Republican proposal for a WIOA reauthorization bill. The new “A Stronger Workforce for America Act (ASWA) of 2026” is an iteration of the bipartisan and bicameral ASWA that nearly passed at the end of 2024. WIOA reauthorization is long overdue, and we voiced support for the 2024 ASWA legislation in the recent letter to Congress.
Take Action: Sign On Today!
We need YOUR help to urge Congressional members to fortify investments for all education and labor programs to provide more opportunities for young people to engage in economic advancement in FY27. Some of the key programs include:
WIOA Youth Activities
Apprenticeship
Adult Education State Grants
AmeriCorps State and National
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps
McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program
Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO)
Runaway and Homeless Youth Act Program
YouthBuild
Job Corps
You can sign on to the letter using this link: OY Sign-On Letter
You can read the full letter here: RYC FY27 Appropriations Request Letter
The Deadline to Sign On is Extended to May 22!
Support Our Campaign Partners
This month, Representatives Troy Carter (D-LA) and Rob Bresnahan (R-PA) launched the Bipartisan Opportunity Youth Caucus to address this crisis head on. The Caucus Co-Chairs shared a joint press release that emphasized their commitment to OY policy and re-engaging young people in education and the workforce.
The caucus will:
Highlight federal policies that support disconnected youth
Share local programs creating real pathways to success
Elevate Opportunity Youth research and solutions
Backed by nearly 150 organizations, including many of our coalition members, this caucus creates momentum for scaling the policies and programs that help Opportunity Youth succeed!
Please contact info@noycoalition.org for more information about the Bipartisan Opportunity Youth Caucus or the National Opportunity Youth Coalition.
Resource Center
Getting Workforce Pell Right for Young People – What We've Learned from Career Technical Education
Advance CTE and the National Skills Coalition (NSC) discuss the movement of Workforce Pell from policy to practice, and how new opportunities for learners and workers can have access to high quality education and training programs. This blog explores how policymakers can draw from learnings in Career Technical Education (CTE) to ensure that Workforce Pell is a meaningful bridge to new college and career possibilities for young people – not a detour that constrains their futures.
Opportunity in Action at the Louisiana State Capitol
In this blog, Opportunity Youth Congressional Liaison Samarah Bentley reflects on recently attending Opportunity in Action Day at the Louisiana State Capitol and how that experience is shaping her approach to national advocacy. Read Samarah's Blog Here.
Why New SNAP Work Requirements Undermine Workers and States
The National Skills Coalition (NSC) writes about the new federal work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through the "Big Beautiful Bill" (H.R. 1) that was passed earlier this year. This article discusses how the work requirements are actually barriers to workers finding and keeping good jobs, and will ultimately block people from food assistance during the process.
Economic Bill of RYTS (Real Youth Troubles & Solutions)
MyPath's Youth Economic Bill of RYTS (Real Youth Troubles and Solutions) is a document created by and for youth that identifies the most pressing financial issues young people around the country face and offers policy-based youth-centered solutions. The current version was created in 2019 and reflects the needs of youth navigating a global pandemic. The current 2025-2026 POWER Leaders cohort is working to 'refresh' the document to reflect the current realities and needs of young people. As the group creates a first draft, we want to gather input from as many voices and policy perspectives as possible. We invite you to review the current Bill of RYTS and share your feedback — what feels most relevant, what may be missing, and what should be reconsidered as we shape the next iteration of this important youth-centered policy tool.
Career Pathways to Success
The Anne E. Casey Foundation invests in efforts to equip OY with the skills, credentials, and experiences needed to prepare for placement in their first job, gain experience, and grow their careers. This report highlights key strategies that Casey and its partners have implemented to help young people navigate transitions from school to work.
Monthly Opportunity Youth Policy Stakeholders Meeting
For all those with important perspectives to share and a willingness to engage in federal advocacy and implementation, but for whom weekly meetings would be overkill, we will host monthly meetings that cover the content from both meetings above (advocacy and implementation), briefing participants on key developments, soliciting views and priorities, and providing meaningful opportunities to engage. These meetings are designed particularly for organizations whose work is not primarily federal advocacy, but whose voices are critical to ensure federal efforts meet their needs — for example, Aspen Opportunity Youth Forum sites, LEAP sites, and NLC Reengagement Network participants.
Meetings are held on the last Monday of each month at 4pm (EST).
Connect With Us On LinkedIn!
The Reconnecting Youth Campaign is on LinkedIn! Give us a follow to keep up with news and resources, and message us if there's a post you'd like amplified.
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