Using data, lived experience, and practitioner knowledge to define policy priorities and engaging local collaboratives in advocacy
COYN responds to and promotes legislation and policies at the local and state level that support positive life trajectories for Opportunity Youth. COYN builds relationships with legislators to ensure that a well-informed understanding of Opportunity Youth is top of mind for the representatives accountable to our communities. COYN develops and promotes common data, metrics, and lifts up voices that tell the Opportunity Youth story in COYN communities to funders and legislatures to gain a deeper understanding of both the problems and solutions facing young people and their communities.
State Policy Priorities ’24
Implementation, Extension and Evaluation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Out of-School Youth (OSY) Waiver
In partnership with the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB), COYN helped secure a federal WIOA waiver in August 2021 that provides additional flexibility to workforce development boards (WDBs) across California to serve systems-involved youth regardless of whether they are attending school or not. Since then, 23 WDBs across the state opted into the waiver. CWDB has also embedded the waiver into California’s WIOA State Plan.
In 2024, COYN will once again engage additional WDBs across the state to urge them to opt into the waiver during the program year beginning on July 1, 2024. We will also be collecting data from local WDBs that have participated in the waiver to assess how they are using its flexibility to meet the needs of systems-involved youth and to produce an evaluation report documenting its impact thus far.
California lacks a coordinated plan for serving Opportunity Youth through the workforce system, resulting in a patchwork of programs and approaches with widely variable approaches to serving these young people across the various regions. To address this issue, COYN and the California EDGE Coalition advanced Assembly Concurrent Resolution 16 (ACR 16) in 2023, directing the state to develop a comprehensive plan for serving OY.
COYN will collaborate with the California Workforce Development Board and California EDGE Coalition to implement ACR 16 and collectively develop a statewide plan that will address the persistent economic inequities experienced by OY and prioritize policies that will help create pathways to success for these youth.
COYN and the Alliance for Boys & Men of Color (ABMOC) helped secure $65 million in the 2022-2023 state budget over the next three years to establish the California Youth Apprenticeship Program. Under this program the state will distribute resources to develop and test innovative practices, increase the participation of OY in pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, and demonstrate the impact of youth apprenticeships through California Opportunity Youth Apprenticeship (COYA) grants. Unfortunately, the 2024–2025 Governor’s Proposed Budget proposes delaying $25 million in funding for this program as part of its plan to address the deficit.
COYN and ABMOC will work with state policymakers on the continued implementation of the California Youth Apprenticeship Program in 2024. COYN will also advocate to protect the program from the $25 million in funding delays proposed in the 2024–2025 Governor’s Proposed Budget.
With California facing a projected $38 billion state deficit in 2024–2025, the Governor’s Proposed Budget recommends a series of cuts and funding delays to programs that support the development of career pathways for OY. In addition to the proposed funding delays for the California Youth Apprenticeship Program, funding cuts are proposed for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Corps and High Road Training Partnerships (HRTPs) as well as delays in funding for California Jobs First and the Apprenticeship Innovation Fund, all of which provide opportunities for expanding career pathways for OY.
COYN will work with its state partners to inform legislators about the potential harmful effects of these proposed funding cuts and delays on the career prospects of OY and advocate for the Legislature to preserve them in the 2024-2025 state budget.
In December 2023, the House Education and Workforce Committee passed the Stronger Workforce for America Act, a bipartisan reauthorization of WIOA. The bill includes several major COYN priorities, including: replacing the “out-of-school” youth definition with “opportunity youth” and including all systems-involved youth regardless of school status; streamlining enrollment processes and allowing youth to self-attest to their eligibility; and requiring local and state WDBs to plan for the unique needs of OY.
COYN will work with its national partners to inform House and Senate members of the positive potential impacts of the Stronger Workforce for America Act and advocate for its enactment.
Congress is discussing reauthorization of the National Apprenticeship Act (NAA), which could potentially expand the federal role in facilitating and overseeing quality apprenticeship programs. NAA reauthorization would provide an opportunity to establish standards for youth and pre-apprenticeship programs, further encourage cross-system integration and alignment of apprenticeship programs, and secure new funding to increase the number of apprentices.
COYN will work its national partners to inform House and Senate members of the potential impact that apprenticeships have in advancing the career prospects of OY, share information about the implementation of the California Youth Apprenticeship Program, and ensure that any NAA reauthorization prioritizes the expansion of youth apprenticeships.
Caucuses are unique forums within Congress for dialogue, information-sharing, and advocacy around particular issues. They have proven to be very effective in coordinating and strengthening collective efforts to advance causes. Unfortunately, there is currently no caucus in Congress focused specifically on issues related to Opportunity Youth.
COYN will work with its national partners to formally launch a Congressional Caucus on Opportunity Youth in 2024 and cultivate a bipartisan group of Members of Congress to serve as co-chairs and caucus members to champion OY issues at the federal level.
