Sep 11 Newsletter — OY Federal Updates
WE STILL NEED WIOA FUNDING FOR OY!
Government Shutdown is Prevented
The Senate will return from August recess on Monday, and with the House having returned on August 31st both chambers will be in session for the first time since July. Where did we leave off? Both the House and Senate are working to avoid a government shutdown on October 1st and moved forward with their own Continuing Resolutions (CRs) before leaving for recess. Both versions maintained funding at Fiscal Year 26 (FY26) levels during the CR, but the Senate bill included language to delay implementation of the new OMB uniform guidance during the CR. When the House returned they advanced the bipartisan Senate CR and it was then signed into law. So, the federal government will operate on this CR through December 11, 2026 while Congress works on a full Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) funding bill.
September is Workforce Development Month
We are in the midst of Workforce Development Month, and this is a great time to remind policymakers of the need for continued funding for youth workforce programs! Follow this link from the National Skills Coalition (NSC) to send a note to your Representative and Senators urging them to increase and protect federal workforce and education investments.
October Recess is around the corner. Join us for our upcoming webinar
Advocacy in Your District: A Virtual Training from the Reconnecting Youth Campaign (RYC)
During this virtual training, you’ll hear from the Reconnecting Youth Campaign (RYC) about the federal policy landscape for Opportunity Youth and how you can advocate for increasing funding for programs that connect to education and the workforce. The Forum for Youth Investment, The Corps Network, and YouthBuild Global will share our collaborative RYC framework that emphasizes youth and community voice, collaboration across policy levels, and systems change. We will walk through the interactive district advocacy tool, and how it plugs in to the current Congressional agenda.
Speakers Include:
Lakeisha Arias De los Santos, Policy and Mobilization Manager, YouthBuild Global
Meredith Hills, Senior Manager, Policy and Advocacy, Forum for Youth Investment
Danielle Owen, Director of Government Relations, The Corps Network
If you are interested in having an in-district meeting with your legislators but can’t find the information, please feel free to reach out to any of the team members below:
Gerod Blue – Gerod@ForumFYI.org
Meredith Hills – Meredith@ForumFYI.org
The RYC is a coalition of national, state, and local organizations that work to scale effective evidence-based federally funded programs that connect young people to education and workforce training.
Support Our Campaign Partners
Jobs for the Future Webinar: State Models for Effective Workforce Delivery and System Modernization
Join Jobs for the Future on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. ET, for a timely conversation during Workforce Development Month on state models for effective workforce delivery and system modernization. Amid rapid technological acceleration that is reshaping the nature of work and the U.S. economy, the importance of the public workforce system has never been more salient. While the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) establishes a national framework for the workforce development system, states have broad discretion in how they implement programs, coordinate across agencies, and deliver services on the ground.
Building on insights from JFF’s recent brief, “State Models for Effective Workforce Delivery and System Modernization,” the discussion will highlight state-led strategies to build more agile and effective workforce systems, and actionable recommendations for strengthening workforce systems at scale.
Forum for Youth Investment: New Youth Workforce Program Quality Improvement Tool
The Forum for Youth Investment's Weikart Center has launched a free, research-based way for youth workforce development programs to measure and strengthen program quality, starting immediately and at no cost. Built on more than two decades of research connecting staff practice to youth outcomes, the Youth Program Quality Improvement (YPQI) Approach is a practical, research-based framework for continuous quality improvement that helps organizations assess practice, build staff capacity, and strengthen program quality over time. The YPQI Approach is designed to fit the realities of youth workforce development and other youth-serving settings. Workforce examples, implementation guidance, and professional learning help organizations apply the approach in ways that reflect their context and goals.
These free, ready-to-use tools include foundational versions of our core Quality Assessment (PQAs) and a Quick Start Guide built specifically for the realities of workforce programs, including staff turnover and seasonal timelines. Whether you're just getting started or building on existing efforts, these free resources offer an immediate way to strengthen the internships, apprenticeships, job readiness programs, and other experiences that help young people prepare for work and life.
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 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.
Fund the Workforce. Sustain the System.
The Forum for Youth Investment writes about how youth development is essential infrastructure, not an add-on, and sustaining it requires real investment in the systems, intermediaries, and workforce that support young people every day.
The Annie 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)
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