U.S. Code > Title 29 Labor > CHAPTER 30—WORKFORCE INVESTMENT SYSTEMS (§§ 2801—2945) > SUBCHAPTER II—STATEWIDE AND LOCAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT SYSTEMS (§§ 2811—2872) > Part D—Youth Activities (§§ 2851—2854) > § 2854. Use of funds for youth activities

§ 2854. Use of funds for youth activities

(a) Purposes
The purposes of this section are—
(1) to provide, to eligible youth seeking assistance in achieving academic and employment success, effective and comprehensive activities, which shall include a variety of options for improving educational and skill competencies and provide effective connections to employers;
(2) to ensure on-going mentoring opportunities for eligible youth with adults committed to providing such opportunities;
(3) to provide opportunities for training to eligible youth;
(4) to provide continued supportive services for eligible youth;
(5) to provide incentives for recognition and achievement to eligible youth; and
(6) to provide opportunities for eligible youth in activities related to leadership, development, decisionmaking, citizenship, and community service.
(b) Statewide youth activities
(1) In general
Funds reserved by a Governor for a State as described in sections 2853 (a) and 2863 (a)(1) of this title—
(A) shall be used to carry out the statewide youth activities described in paragraph (2); and
(B) may be used to carry out any of the statewide youth activities described in paragraph (3),
regardless of whether the funds were allotted to the State under section 2852 (b)(1) of this title or under paragraph (1) or (2) of section 2862 (b) of this title.
(2) Required statewide youth activities
A State shall use funds reserved as described in sections 2853 (a) and 2863 (a)(1) of this title (regardless of whether the funds were allotted to the State under section 2852 (b)(1) of this title or paragraph (1) or (2) of section 2862 (b) of this title) to carry out statewide youth activities, which shall include—
(A) disseminating a list of eligible providers of youth activities described in section 2843 of this title;
(B) carrying out activities described in clauses (ii) through (vi) of section 2864 (a)(2)(B) of this title, except that references in such clauses to activities authorized under section 2864 of this title shall be considered to be references to activities authorized under this section; and
(C) providing additional assistance to local areas that have high concentrations of eligible youth to carry out the activities described in subsection (c) of this section.
(3) Allowable statewide youth activities
A State may use funds reserved as described in sections 2853 (a) and 2863 (a)(1) of this title (regardless of whether the funds were allotted to the State under section 2852 (b)(1) of this title or paragraph (1) or (2) of section 2862 (b) of this title) to carry out additional statewide youth activities, which may include—
(A) carrying out activities described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), (iv)(II), and (vi)(II) of section 2864 (a)(3)(A) of this title, except that references in such clauses to activities authorized under section 2864 of this title shall be considered to be references to activities authorized under this section; and
(B) carrying out, on a statewide basis, activities described in subsection (c) of this section.
(4) Prohibition
No funds described in this subsection or section 2864 (a) of this title shall be used to develop or implement education curricula for school systems in the State.
(c) Local elements and requirements
(1) Program design
Funds allocated to a local area for eligible youth under paragraph (2)(A) or (3), as appropriate, of section 2853 (b) of this title shall be used to carry out, for eligible youth, programs that—
(A) provide an objective assessment of the academic levels, skill levels, and service needs of each participant, which assessment shall include a review of basic skills, occupational skills, prior work experience, employability, interests, aptitudes (including interests and aptitudes for nontraditional jobs), supportive service needs, and developmental needs of such participant, except that a new assessment of a participant is not required if the provider carrying out such a program determines it is appropriate to use a recent assessment of the participant conducted pursuant to another education or training program;
(B) develop service strategies for each participant that shall identify an employment goal (including, in appropriate circumstances, nontraditional employment), appropriate achievement objectives, and appropriate services for the participant taking into account the assessment conducted pursuant to subparagraph (A), except that a new service strategy for a participant is not required if the provider carrying out such a program determines it is appropriate to use a recent service strategy developed for the participant under another education or training program; and
(C) provide—
(i) preparation for postsecondary educational opportunities, in appropriate cases;
(ii) strong linkages between academic and occupational learning;
(iii) preparation for unsubsidized employment opportunities, in appropriate cases; and
(iv) effective connections to intermediaries with strong links to—
(I) the job market; and
(II) local and regional employers.
(2) Program elements
The programs described in paragraph (1) shall provide elements consisting of—
(A) tutoring, study skills training, and instruction, leading to completion of secondary school, including dropout prevention strategies;
(B) alternative secondary school services, as appropriate;
(C) summer employment opportunities that are directly linked to academic and occupational learning;
(D) as appropriate, paid and unpaid work experiences, including internships and job shadowing;
(E) occupational skill training, as appropriate;
(F) leadership development opportunities, which may include community service and peer-centered activities encouraging responsibility and other positive social behaviors during non-school hours, as appropriate;
(G) supportive services;
(H) adult mentoring for the period of participation and a subsequent period, for a total of not less than 12 months;
(I) followup services for not less than 12 months after the completion of participation, as appropriate; and
(J) comprehensive guidance and counseling, which may include drug and alcohol abuse counseling and referral, as appropriate.
(3) Additional requirements
(A) Information and referrals
Each local board shall ensure that each participant or applicant who meets the minimum income criteria to be considered an eligible youth shall be provided—
(i) information on the full array of applicable or appropriate services that are available through the local board or other eligible providers or one-stop partners, including those receiving funds under this subchapter; and
(ii) referral to appropriate training and educational programs that have the capacity to serve the participant or applicant either on a sequential or concurrent basis.
(B) Applicants not meeting enrollment requirements
Each eligible provider of a program of youth activities shall ensure that an eligible applicant who does not meet the enrollment requirements of the particular program or who cannot be served shall be referred for further assessment, as necessary, and referred to appropriate programs in accordance with subparagraph (A) to meet the basic skills and training needs of the applicant.
(C) Involvement in design and implementation
The local board shall ensure that parents, participants, and other members of the community with experience relating to programs for youth are involved in the design and implementation of the programs described in paragraph (1).
(4) Priority
(A) In general
At a minimum, 30 percent of the funds described in paragraph (1) shall be used to provide youth activities to out-of-school youth.
(B) Exception
A State that receives a minimum allotment under section 2852 (b)(1) of this title in accordance with section 2852 (b)(1)(C)(iv)(II) of this title or under section 2862 (b)(1) of this title in accordance with section 2862 (b)(1)(B)(iv)(II) of this title may reduce the percentage described in subparagraph (A) for a local area in the State, if—
(i) after an analysis of the eligible youth population in the local area, the State determines that the local area will be unable to meet the percentage described in subparagraph (A) due to a low number of out-of-school youth; and
(ii)
(I) the State submits to the Secretary, for the local area, a request including a proposed reduced percentage for purposes of subparagraph (A), and the summary of the eligible youth population analysis; and
(II) the request is approved by the Secretary.
(5) Exceptions
Not more than 5 percent of participants assisted under this section in each local area may be individuals who do not meet the minimum income criteria to be considered eligible youth, if such individuals are within one or more of the following categories:
(A) Individuals who are school dropouts.
(B) Individuals who are basic skills deficient.
(C) Individuals with educational attainment that is one or more grade levels below the grade level appropriate to the age of the individuals.
(D) Individuals who are pregnant or parenting.
(E) Individuals with disabilities, including learning disabilities.
(F) Individuals who are homeless or runaway youth.
(G) Individuals who are offenders.
(H) Other eligible youth who face serious barriers to employment as identified by the local board.
(6) Prohibitions
(A) Prohibition against Federal control of education
No provision of this Act shall be construed to authorize any department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States to exercise any direction, supervision, or control over the curriculum, program of instruction, administration, or personnel of any educational institution, school, or school system, or over the selection of library resources, textbooks, or other printed or published instructional materials by any educational institution, school, or school system.
(B) Nonduplication
All of the funds made available under this Act shall be used in accordance with the requirements of this Act. None of the funds made available under this Act may be used to provide funding under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 (20 U.S.C. 6101 et seq.) or to carry out, through programs funded under this Act, activities that were funded under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, unless the programs funded under this Act serve only those participants eligible to participate in the programs under this Act.
(C) Noninterference and nonreplacement of regular academic requirements
No funds described in paragraph (1) shall be used to provide an activity for eligible youth who are not school dropouts if participation in the activity would interfere with or replace the regular academic requirements of the youth.
(7) Linkages
In coordinating the programs authorized under this section, youth councils shall establish linkages with educational agencies responsible for services to participants as appropriate.
(8) Volunteers
The local board shall make opportunities available for individuals who have successfully participated in programs carried out under this section to volunteer assistance to participants in the form of mentoring, tutoring, and other activities.