The AID Youth Employment Act allocates funds for subsidized summer and year-round employment programs for youth ages 14-24, prioritizing those in marginalized communities, and requires performance measures and annual reviews to ensure program effectiveness.
Robin Kelly
Representative
IL-2
The AID Youth Employment Act amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish subsidized summer and year-round employment opportunities for eligible youth aged 14-24. It allocates significant funding through competitive grants to states, local governments, Indian tribes, and community organizations for program implementation. The act prioritizes coordination with local employers, emphasizes performance measurement, and mandates annual reviews for continuous program improvement, with the goal of enhancing education, training, and employment outcomes for young participants. It authorizes appropriations for both the summer and year-round programs from 2026 through 2030.
AID Youth Employment Act Proposes Billions in Grants for Summer and Year-Round Jobs for Ages 14-24, Starting 2026
This bill, the "Assisting In Developing Youth Employment Act" (AID Youth Employment Act), aims to boost job opportunities for young people by amending the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). It sets up competitive grant programs designed to fund both summer and year-round subsidized employment for individuals aged 14 to 24, specifically targeting those who are in-school, out-of-school, or currently unemployed. The legislation makes significant funding available—up to $1.8 billion for summer jobs and $2.4 billion for year-round positions—and authorizes annual appropriations of $375 million (summer) and $500 million (year-round) from fiscal year 2026 through 2030.
Show Me the Money: How the Grants Work
The core of the bill creates two distinct competitive grant programs: one for summer jobs and another for year-round employment. States, local governments, tribal organizations, and community-based groups can apply for these funds. There are two types of grants available:
- Planning Grants: Up to $250,000 for one year to help organizations map out their youth employment programs.
- Implementation Grants: Up to $6 million over three years to actually run the programs.
Applications need to detail who they plan to serve (prioritizing "marginalized" youth and areas with high need), how they'll partner with local employers and agencies, and what their goals are. The money can primarily be used for youth wages, necessary support services (like transportation or childcare), and data systems, with administrative costs capped at 10% of the grant.
Clocking In: Program Rules and Reality Checks
It's not just about handing out cash; the bill sets rules for participation and oversight. For year-round jobs, in-school youth can work a maximum of 15 hours per week, while out-of-school youth are expected to work between 20 and 40 hours weekly. Crucially, the programs receiving grants aren't just expected to provide jobs; they must track their effectiveness using specific performance measures. This means monitoring outcomes related to education, training credentials, and actual employment success for the participants.
The legislation also mandates annual reviews and a system for "continuous quality improvement," suggesting an effort to ensure these programs adapt and genuinely help young people gain meaningful work experience. The Secretary overseeing these programs can reserve up to 10% of the total funds for technical assistance and making sure everything runs smoothly. These changes are formally integrated into the existing WIOA framework through conforming amendments.