Sep 25 Newsletter — OY Federal Updates
IT'S STILL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT MONTH!
First Continuing Resolution of FY27 Delays OMB Rule
After a brief period of overlap with the House and Senate both in session following August recess, we are getting ready to head back into recess through the November midterm elections. As we approach the new fiscal year on October 1, we at least know that we won't have a government shutdown and will immediately begin operating through a Continuing Resolution (CR) through December 11th. This CR maintained education and workforce program funding levels at Fiscal Year 26 (FY26 levels).
It's important to note that the CR included language to delay implementation of the new Uniform Guidance proposed rule on "Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance" from the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) during the duration of the short-term funding bill. One of the main dangers of this rule should it go into effect is the ability for the federal government to immediately terminate grants already in operation should they not align with the beliefs of the Administration. Nearly 500,000 comments were submitted during the public comment period for this rule.
Workforce Pell Grants Awarded
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) signed off on six new Workforce Pell Grant programs in Texas this week. Eligible students at Kilgore College and Weatherford College are now able to use these grant funds to enroll in Electrical Power Linemen, Phlebotomy Technician, Pharmacy Technician, HVAC, Basic Machining, and Advanced Machining programs. This is the fourth state since August to receive approval for Workforce Pell funds. Three programs were approved in Nebraska, allowing eligible students at Metropolitan Community College to use funds for Phlebotomy Technician, Pharmacy Technician, and CompTIA+ with Google IT Support programs. One program was approved in Indiana, and eligible students at Ivy Tech Community College can use the grant to enroll in a Clinical Medical Assistant program. One program was also approved in Iowa (the first Workforce Pell Grant program with approval), and eligible students at Iowa Central Community College can use funds to enroll in an Emergency Medical Technician program.
These awards follow ED's final rules for Workforce Pell Grants, published in May, that allowed institutions to implement grants on July 1, 2026.
EDGAR Comment Review Begins
The comment period on the ED General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) notice of proposed rulemaking closed this week, with a review and response required for each. If it went into effect, this rule would alter the grant administration and management for ED. Similarly to the OMB proposed rule to uniform guidance mentioned above, this poses the threat that activities operating through federal grants can be paused or terminated at the discretion of the overseeing Secretary. The rule is full of other measures that would alter how grants could be used to meet the needs of Americans if services are not efficient or necessary, including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) sent a letter to ED Secretary Linda McMahon urging her to withdraw the proposed rule in its entirety.
September is Workforce Development Month
All of us at the Reconnecting Youth Campaign see what workforce investment makes possible every day: the young person who earns their first credential, the apprentice who lands a job offer, young person disconnected from school who finally finds an on-ramp back to opportunity.
That's why we're marking Workforce Development Month. There are more than 4M+ young people nationwide who are disconnected from school and work, and this month celebrates the programs that help them reconnect to opportunity.
This month, we're asking Congress to keep investing in these critical programs.
To join us CLICK HERE
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.
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
Building the Mental Healthcare Apprenticeship Young People Need: Registered Apprenticeship Explainer
The National Collaborative for Transformative Youth Policy (TYP) offers an overview of Registered Apprenticeships and looks into new opportunities and challenges in the peer support, community health work, and mental healthcare fields. The brief responds directly to questions from professionals in the healthcare industry.
My Right to Lead: Turning Lived Experience into Advocacy
Franklin reflects on how participating in the Forum for Youth Investment’s Opportunity Youth Congressional Liaison (OYCL) program helped them transform lived experience into confidence, leadership, and effective advocacy. Franklin describes applying the skills gained through OYCL at the Young Invincibles National Summit, where they led a session on youth voice, engaged with other young advocates, and returned to Capitol Hill to meet with congressional staff about issues affecting young people. The blog underscores the importance of ensuring young people, particularly those with lived experience, have the knowledge, opportunities, and platforms to help shape policies that directly affect their lives and communities.
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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