Five states have been chosen for the Building Ecosystems Statewide for Thriving (BEST) Youth Initiative. This exciting three-year initiative aims to improve opportunities and outcomes for youth ages 5-24 through collaborative, cross-system partnerships.

The Federal House Budget Committee's 10-year budget blueprint, aimed at saving $4.6 trillion, is reshaping federal spending priorities. As a result, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which represents the largest investment for out-of-school youth (16-24) and low-income in-school youth facing barriers to employment (14-21), could be eliminated.

With bipartisan support, WIOA reauthorization is on the horizon, and the Forum is at the forefront, advocating for increased investment and innovative reforms in youth workforce development programs. Learn more about these critical developments and their potential impact on young people.

Discover how 40 states are using State Longitudinal Data Systems (SLDS) to shape education policy, track student readiness, and improve workforce outcomes. Explore real-world examples from Connecticut's P20 WIN, Indiana's Performance Management Hub, and Kentucky’s Center for Statistics, and learn why a national longitudinal database is the future of informed policymaking in education and beyond.