March 13, 2023
The Honorable Al Muratsuchi
Chair Assembly Education Committee
1020 N Street, Room 159
Sacramento, CA 95814
Re: ACR 16 (Mike Fong) Opportunity Youth in California – SUPPORT
Dear Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi,
On behalf of a diverse coalition of advocates, we are writing to express our strong support of ACR 16 Opportunity Youth in California.
Opportunity Youth (OY) are individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 that are not in school or working, including youth and young adults involved with the foster care, juvenile justice, and homelessness systems of care. They face unique employment, education, and training barriers that often do not align with efforts that center adults. Opportunity Youth facing socio-economic and systemic barriers are oftentimes disconnected from education and workforce training opportunities, preventing young people of color from accessing our state’s prosperity.
Data collected from the 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) of the U.S. Census shows that in California there were 572,756 youth ages 16-24 who were neither in school nor at work (12.5% disconnection rate). Data also indicated the disconnection rate of Black teens and young adults (ages 16-24) was more than twice that of their White peers (22.3% and 10.9%, respectively). Black and Latinx adolescents not only are disproportionately more likely to come from low-income households and have experienced past trauma but are also faced with discrimination that can derail their physical and mental well-being. Additionally, despite declines in youth incarceration, significant gaps remain as youth of color are overrepresented in our criminal justice system. Prioritizing OY will not only expand their education and workforce opportunities but also expand the pool of talent that employers can access to meet their workforce needs.
ACR 16 encourages the State of California to create pathways to success for OY and the need to develop a statewide comprehensive plan that will reduce persistent economic inequities, and prioritize: (1) investments in education and workforce training programs that create pathways to good jobs; (2) expand innovative “earn and learn” opportunities such as apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, and work-based learning opportunities; (3) advance dual enrollment implementation to allow OY to earn college credit while earning their high school equivalency; (4) ensure inclusivity of OY in the Cradle-to-Career Data System; (5) remove barriers to access student financial aid programs; and (6) protect social safety net investments that support basic needs such as food, housing, internet access, transportation, childcare, health, and mental health care – enabling OY to complete their education and training goals.
For these reasons, we strongly support ACR 16 and we look forward to our state leader’s support for this important resolution.
If there are any questions, please contact Anna Alvarado at aalvarado@caedge.org.
Sincerely,
Alliance for Children’s Rights
Erica Hickey
Policy Fellow
Bill Wilson Center
Josh Selo
CEO
California Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs
Sarah Bedy
Director
California Children’s Trust
Alex Briscoe
Principal
California EDGE Coalition
Zima Creason
Executive Director
California Forward Action Fund
David Nelson
Executive Director
California Hospital Association
Peggy Wheeler
Vice President of Rural Health & Governance
California Opportunity Youth Network (COYN)
Sean Hughes
Policy Director
California Workforce Association
Bob Lanter
Executive Director
California Youth Empowerment Network (CAYEN)
Heidi L. Strunk
President & CEO
Center for Employment Training
Pascal Do
COO
Children Now
Danielle Wondra
Senior Policy & Outreach Associate, Child Welfare
City of San Jose
Sarah Zárate
Director, Office of Administration, Policy, and Intergovernmental Relations, City of San Jose
Civicorps
Tessa Nicholas
Executive Director
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
Rita Medina
Deputy Director, State Policy & Advocacy
Coalition for Responsible Community Development
Mark Wilson
President & CEO
EntreNous Youth Empowerment Services
Sara Silva
Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director
Envision Your Pathway
Kendra Fujino
O’Donoghue Executive Director
Excite Credit Union
John Hogan
Vice President Community Relations
Foster Care Counts
Jeanne Pritzker
President
Foster Greatness
Colette Smith
Executive Director
GO Public Schools
Darcel Sanders
CEO
Goodwill Southern California
Dr. Luis B. Castañón
Strategic Impact Officer
Groundwork Social Sector Consulting
Joe Herrity
Principal
Growing Big Ideas
Shawna N Weir-Wright
Chief Possibilities Officer
iFoster
Serita Cox
CEO
John Burton Advocates for Youth
Amy Lemley
Executive Director
Juma Ventures
Adriane Armstrong
CEO
Kids in Common
Dana Bunnett
Executive Director
Lighthouse Silicon Valley
Quency Phillips
Executive Director
Linked Learning Alliance
Anne Stanton
President & CEO
Mental Health America of California
Heidi L. Strunk
President & CEO
New Door Ventures
Kevin Hickey
Chief Program Officer
New Ways to Work
Robert Sainz
President & Executive Director
Pivotal
Matt Bell
CEO
Regional Economic Association Leaders (REAL) Coalition
Cynthia Murray
REAL Coalition Education & Workforce Development Chair
San Diego Workforce Partnership
Nick DeVico
Director of Strategic Youth Initiatives
San Jose Conservation Corps and Charter School
Mayra Mejia
Director, CFET Youth Programs & Support Services
Santa Clara County Youth Action Board
Jocelyn Arenas
Board Member
Seen&Heard
Regan Williams
CEO
Small Business Majority
Bianca Blomquist
Political Director
Soledad Enrichment Action
Nathan Arias
President & CEO
The RightWay Foundation
Franco Vega
Founder & CEO
Alliance for Boys & Men of Color
Eric Morrison-Smith
Executive Director
UNITE-LA
Alysia Bell
President & CEO
Urban Strategies Council
David A. Harris
President & CEO
VOICES
Amber Twitchell
Director
Youth Will
Safia Haidari
Director of Policy Advocacy & Organizing
The Unity Council
Chris Iglesias
CEO