Directions for a National Youth Policy: A Federal Youth Development Council

Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives to establish a Federal Youth Development Council (“Council”).* The proposed legislation correlates with the recommendations of the White House Task Force for Disadvantaged Youth: Interagency coordination, understanding what works, enhancing youth and families, holding programs accountable for results, and caring for special . . . populations.** The legislation also satisfies the ‘criteria’ for a national youth policy as suggested by Edelman (2001): “[A national youth policy includes] juvenile and criminal justice, education, reproductive health, welfare, and so on . . . We need to tie it all together — conceptually, operationally and fiscally.” ***

If enacted, the law would support the development of the first U.S. National Youth Policy.

Duties of the Council have been described as follows:
(1) To ensure communication among agencies administering programs designed to serve youth, especially those in disadvantaged situations;
(2) To assess the needs of youth, especially those in disadvantaged situations, and those who work with youth, and the quantity and quality of Federal programs offering services, supports, and opportunities to help youth in their educational, social, emotional, physical, vocational, and civic development;
(3) To set objectives and quantifiable 5-year goals for such programs;
(4) To make recommendations for the allocation of resources in support of such goals and objectives;
(5) To identify target populations of youth who are disproportionately at risk and assist agencies in focusing additional resources on them;
(6) To develop a plan, including common indicators of youth well-being, and assist agencies in coordinating to achieve such goals and objectives;
(7) To assist Federal agencies, at the request of one or more such agency, in collaborating on model programs and demonstration projects focusing on special populations, including youth in foster care, migrant youth, projects to promote parental involvement, and projects that work to involve young people in service programs;
(8) To solicit and document ongoing input and recommendations from –
(A) youth, especially those in disadvantaged situations, by forming an advisory council of youth to work with the Council;
(B) national youth development experts, parents, faith and community-based organizations, foundations, business leaders, youth service providers, and teachers;
(C) researchers; and
(D) State and local government officials; and
(9) To work with Federal agencies to conduct high-quality research and evaluation, identify and replicate model programs, and provide technical assistance, and, subject to the availability of appropriations, to fund additional research to fill identified needs.

* On February 16, 2005, Senators Norm Coleman (R-MN), Mike DeWine (R-OH), and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) introduced S.409 (related bill is H.R.856). Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) became a co-sponsor on April 11, 2005. The PDF version of S.409 is available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:s409is.txt.pdf. S.409 was referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Also on February 16, 2005, Representatives Tom Osborne (R-NE), Harold E. Ford, Jr. (D-TN), Pete Hoekstra (R-MI), and Donald M. Payne (D-NJ) introduced H.R.856 (related bill is S.409). Congressman John E. Peterson (R-PA) became a co-sponsor of H.R. 856 on March 15, 2005. H.R. 856 is available at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills&docid=f:h856ih.txt.pdf. H.R. 856 was referred to the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

** White House Task Force For Disadvantaged Youth. (2003, October). Final Report. Retrieved April 30, 2004, from http://www.ncfy.com/disadvantaged/FinalReport.pdf

*** Forum For Youth Investment, The. (2001, December). Youth policy — a national perspective: A forum interview with Peter Edelman, Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center. Retrieved August 29, 2003, from http://www.forumforyouthinvestment.org/fyi/edelmanppolicy.pdf, Last Access April 25, 2005, from http://www.forumfyi.org/Files/edelmanppolicy.pdf, first paragraph

Page Updated: June 01, 2005