Futures for (Foster) Youth

WM Work & Welfare: Aging Out is Not a Plan: Reimagining Futures for Foster Youth, June 12, 2025

As we suggested last year, to better meet the needs of the non-college bound, expand the Job Corps program, especially those centers with residential facilities. The program has been a demonstration project for long enough. It needs to be expanded and devolved to the states, but with sufficient block grant support.  

Students on an academic track should be enrolled at a four-year university or college (including private colleges) for the semester during which they age out. “Aging out” of both foster care and parental care should be an option at age 16 - not on one’s birthday but after grade 10. Students on the academic track should switch to community college courses when ready. Students who seek non-academic careers should be allowed to attend either a technical high school or enter a trade school or apprenticeship program. 

One year ago this month, we provided the subcommittee with a proposal for Long-Term Unemployment Insurance. This included changes to minimum wage, payment of the child tax credit (increased to $750 per year), payment for ongoing training from ESL to trade school or an Associates degree, adoption of no-fault long-term unemployment insurance and the ending of the current suite of social programs that will no longer be necessary due to these changes. Please see the first attachment for these comments.

The semester after 10th Grade, everyone should be included in this program - which requires some form of education for those who are not working. This is especially the case for young adults. The level of support suggested here should be due to anyone until full retirement age.

Funding for this subsidy will be provided by a combination of tariffs or a credit invoice VAT and an employer-paid subtraction VAT at both the federal and state levels. Please see the second attachment for our latest proposal for these consumption taxes.

Attachment: Long-Term Unemployment Insurance

Attachment: Consumption Taxes