Title: Opening Doors for Youth Act of 2017
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
Opening Doors for Youth Act of 2017
This bill requires the Department of Labor to provide funding to states for the development or expansion of summer and year-round youth employment programs that: (1) match youth participants with appropriate employers for high-quality employment opportunities; and (2) provide work-readiness training and educational programs, coaching and mentoring, career and college planning services, financial literacy education, and supportive services.
In addition, Labor must award grants to assist community partnerships in improving high school graduation and youth employment rates.
The bill establishes labor standards, performance accountability measures, and reporting requirements with respect to each of these new programs.

[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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