	Introduction

In an increasingly competitive economy, and with retirement underway for the Baby Boomer generation, Congress has indicated a strong interest in ensuring that today's young people have the educational attainment and employment experience necessary to become highly skilled workers, contributing taxpayers, and successful participants in civic life. Challenges in the economy and among vulnerable youth populations, however, have heightened concern among policymakers that many young people may not be prepared to fill these roles. Certain young people in particular—including those from low-income families, high school dropouts, foster youth, and other at-risk populations—face b arriers to completing school and entering the workforce. Since the 1960s, federal job training programs and policies have sought to connect these youth to education and employment pathways. The programs were previously authorized under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 ( P.L. 105-220 ). On July 22, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA, P.L. 113-128 ). Changes made by WIOA generally went into effect on July 1, 2015. These contemporary programs also emphasize leadership development and community service. Generally, these young people have been defined as being vulnerable in some way—either because they are economically disadvantaged and/or have a barrier to securing employment or completing their education. During the Great Depression, the focus was on employing idle young men in public works and other projects. The employment programs from this era included an educational component to encourage youth to obtain their high school diplomas. Beginning in the 1960s, the federal government started funding programs for low-income youth, such as Job Corps, that address their multiple needs, including job training, educational services, housing, and supportive services. Separately, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 (STWOA, P.L. Funding was authorized for the program through FY2003, and Congress continued to appropriate funding for the programs in subsequent years. The major job training programs for youth and other workers are authorized in Title I.

	Overview of Youth Programs Authorized Under Title I of WIOA

WIOA authorizes, and Congress has funded, three job training and employment services for youth:
Youth Workforce Investment Activities Program (hereinafter, Youth Activities Program), a formula grant program for state and local workforce development boards (WDBs) that includes employment and other services that are provided year-round; Job Corps , a program that provides job training and related services primarily at residential centers maintained by contractor organizations; and YouthBuild , a competitive grant program that emphasizes job training and education in the construction trades. WIOA does not explicitly authorize the program, now known as the Reentry Employment Opportunities (REO) program; however, Congress appropriated funding in FY2016 ( P.L. Section 169 authorizes evaluations and research. DOL's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) administers the four programs. All of the programs offer employment, job training, and educational services. Job Corps has generally received the largest appropriation each year, followed by the Youth program, YouthBuild, and the youth component of the Reintegration of Ex-Offenders (although in two years, YouthBuild received less funding than the ReXO youth component). 114-113 ) to fund the Department of Labor and other agencies. Following the enactment of WIOA, Congress has appropriated funding for the program, now known as the Reentry Employment Opportunities program, under the authority of Section 169 of WIOA and the Second Chance Act.
In an increasingly global economy, and with retirement underway for the Baby Boomer generation, Congress has indicated a strong interest in ensuring that today's young people have the educational attainment and employment experience needed to become highly skilled workers, contributing taxpayers, and successful participants in civic life. Challenges in the economy and among certain youth populations, however, have heightened concern among policymakers that some young people may not be prepared to fill these roles. The employment levels for youth under age 25 have declined markedly in recent years, including in the wake of the 2007-2009 recession. Certain young people—such as high school dropouts, current and former foster youth, and other at-risk populations—face challenges in completing school and entering the workforce.
Since the 1930s, federal job training and employment programs and policies have sought to connect vulnerable youth to work and school. Generally, these young people have been defined as being at-risk because they are economically disadvantaged and have a barrier to employment. During the Great Depression, the focus was on employing young men who were idle through public works and other projects. The employment programs from this era included an educational component to encourage youth to obtain their high school diplomas. Beginning in the 1960s, the federal government started funding programs for low-income youth that address their multiple needs through job training, educational services, and supportive services.
Currently, there are four major federal youth employment and job training programs, all of which are administered by the Department of Labor's (DOL's) Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Although these programs have varying eligibility requirements and are carried out under different funding arrangements, they generally have a common purpose—to provide vulnerable youth with educational and employment opportunities and access to leadership development and community service activities. The Youth Activities program offers job training and other services through what are known as local workforce development boards, whose members are appointed by the chief local elected official(s). The program was funded at $873.4 million in FY2016. The Job Corps program provides career and technical training in a number of trades at 125 residential centers throughout the country. The program received FY2016 appropriations of $1.7 billion. Another program, YouthBuild, engages youth in educational services and job training that focus on the construction trades. YouthBuild received FY2016 appropriations of $84.5 million. Separately, the Reentry Employment Opportunities program, formerly known as the Reintegration of Ex-Offenders program, includes job training and other services for juvenile and adult offenders. The youth component of the program was funded at $39.5 million in FY2016.
The four programs were authorized under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA, P.L. 105-220) through FY2003, and Congress continued to appropriate funding for the programs in subsequent years. On July 22, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA, P.L. 113-128). WIOA amended these programs, particularly the Youth Activities program and Job Corps. Like WIA, WIOA does not explicitly authorize the Reentry Employment Opportunities program; however, Congress appropriated funding for the program in FY2016 (P.L. 114-113) under the authority of Section 169 of WIOA and the Second Chance Act. Section 169 authorizes evaluations and research. The amendments made by WIOA generally went into effect on July 1, 2015.