Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- H.R. 811
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Education
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-01-28: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-02-25T09:06:44Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2025 aims to create a competitive grant program under the U.S. Department of Labor to fund mentoring initiatives for at-risk youth. It focuses on building social and emotional skills, employability abilities, career exploration, work-based learning, and other workforce opportunities to help youth succeed in high school, higher education, and employment.
Key Provisions
- Grant Program Authorization: The Secretary of Labor awards competitive grants to eligible entities (community-based organizations or partnerships) for up to 3 years to establish, expand, or support mentoring programs. Grants fund at least one program per recipient, with options for subgrants.
- Eligible Youth Definition: Includes in-school youth (ages 14-21, typically in secondary school), out-of-school youth, and those at risk due to factors like academic failure, chronic absenteeism, gang involvement, family substance use issues, parental incarceration, or adverse childhood experiences (traumatic events assessed via evidence-based screening).
- Mentoring Requirements: Programs must match screened and trained adult or peer mentors with youth for at least one year of regular activities. Mentors receive training on trauma-informed practices (approaches sensitive to past trauma), cultural competency (understanding diverse backgrounds), social-emotional learning (developing emotional awareness and relationship skills), and disability inclusion.
- Authorized Activities:
- Core activities include skill-building for workforce readiness, reducing justice system involvement, fostering relationships, community service, goal-setting for education and careers, and inclusive engagement like job site visits, internships, apprenticeships, resume writing, financial literacy, and leadership development.
- Additional uses: Professional development for educators, employer resources, partnership building, and program evaluation.
- Application Process: Entities submit needs assessments, program plans (including outcomes, participant data, screening methods, budgets), and assurances for mentor screening (e.g., criminal background checks excluding those with child-safety-related convictions in the past 7 years or during participation).
- Priorities for Funding: Preference for programs serving high-poverty, rural, or high-risk communities (e.g., violence, poverty, substance use); those offering career development like internships or higher education prep; and those involving youth input in design.
- Reporting and Evaluation: Annual reports on participant numbers, demographics, academic outcomes (e.g., dropout rates, arrests), employment, postsecondary enrollment, and social-emotional progress (using validated tools). Privacy protections follow the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which safeguards student records.
- Support Resources: Collaboration with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and Department of Education for best practices, training, and transition services (e.g., for youth from correctional facilities or with disabilities).
- Appropriations: Authorizes necessary funds for fiscal years 2026-2030.
- Study Requirement: Mandates a Department of Labor study within 3 years on successful mentoring strategies, mentor roles in skill development, and grant program effectiveness, with results reported to Congress.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill amends Subtitle D of Title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA, a 2014 law governing job training and workforce programs) by:
- Inserting a new Section 172 on youth mentoring programs after Section 171.
- Redesignating the existing Section 172 (on appropriations) as Section 173.
- Updating the WIOA table of contents accordingly.
These changes expand WIOA's youth provisions (originally under Section 129 for in-school and out-of-school youth) to explicitly include structured mentoring with workforce integration, without altering core WIOA eligibility or funding structures.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The Department of Labor gains responsibility for grant administration, evaluation, and interagency coordination, potentially increasing workload and requiring new resources. It may enhance collaboration with education and justice departments for youth support.
- Citizens: At-risk youth in underserved areas could gain better access to mentors, skills training, and career pathways, potentially lowering dropout rates, justice involvement, and unemployment while boosting educational attainment and emotional well-being. Communities may see reduced social risks like violence or substance use.
- International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic youth programs.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Youth: Primarily eligible in-school and out-of-school youth (ages 14-24, especially those in high-need situations like poverty, trauma, or disabilities), including underserved groups such as youth of color, LGBTQ+ youth, indigenous youth, and expectant/parenting youth.
- Mentors and Organizations: Community-based nonprofits, faith-based groups, educational agencies, industry partnerships, private employers, and local boards providing mentoring and workforce services.
- Educators and Families: Schools (especially high-need ones), teachers, and families benefiting from coordinated support for student success and transitions.
- Government Entities: Department of Labor (grant oversight), local workforce boards, and partnering agencies like Education and Justice Departments.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Emphasizes evidence-based practices and privacy under FERPA, with strict mentor screening to ensure child safety, aligning with child protection laws. Disability provisions support the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act by promoting inclusion and transition services.
- Constitutional: No apparent conflicts; promotes equal access to education and workforce opportunities, potentially advancing equity under the Equal Protection Clause by targeting underserved communities without discrimination.
- Political: Encourages bipartisan youth investment by linking mentoring to workforce development, with priorities for high-risk areas that could address social issues like opioid crises or violence. The required study provides a mechanism for future evidence-based refinements, but funding depends on congressional appropriations, which may face budget debates.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
Cosponsors (14)
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]
Recent Actions
- 2025-01-28: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
- 2025-01-28: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2025 — issued 2025-01-28 — PDF (23 pages)