Minetre Martin
Advocacy & Communications Manager
Education Reform Now Advocacy
Chairperson Anita Bonds and Committee Members,
My name is Minetre Martin. I am a ward four resident and the Advocacy and Communications Manager for the D.C. Chapter of Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA), a non-partisan, non-profit organization advocating for a just and equitable public education system for all D.C. students. With D.C. natives earning significantly less than transplants,[1] I am testifying today about a critical issue affecting D.C.’s economic future: the Department of Employment Services’ (DOES) oversight of youth employment programs, particularly the Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP).
Many D.C. students face challenges completing high school and college. Only 18 percent of ninth graders earn a degree within six years after high school.[2]Around 20 percent of Black youth are neither in school nor working, a higher rate compared to other groups.[3] However, many positions require postsecondary education.[4]As a result, the average income for native Washingtonians falls below a living wage. [5] In addition, in 2023, over a third of D.C. residents faced long-term unemployment (27 weeks or more), with Black residents comprising 80% of this group.[6] More focus is needed on improving employment opportunities, especially for youth.
The MBSYEP serves as an important resource for ensuring our youth 14 to 24 years of age gain meaningful work experience. It is the largest summer youth employment program per capita in the country, with a budget of $28.16 million for FY25.[7] Despite a 2019 law requiring annual evaluations, DOES has not conducted one since 2020.[8] This lack of evaluation makes it challenging to assess whether this significant investment is effectively preparing D.C. youth for careers.
The data we do have raises concerns. In FY23, 3,555 of 13,520 placements were in D.C. government positions rather than in competitive industries offering long-term growth.[9] The MBSYEP website, as of today, lacks clear content about employers and benefits, making high-wage, high-demand employer recruitment even more challenging for students.[10] Additionally, application materials are only available in English and Spanish, potentially excluding many immigrant youth from participating.
We offer ideas on pilots MBSYEP could conduct to test new ways of delivering the program that provide more meaningful career opportunities and job skills for students and ensure the program is beneficial for more employers. Specifically, we recommend:
- Commission a return-on-investment analysis (ROIA) of MBSYEP, as part of the 2019 Evaluation of the summer youth employment program law, to evaluate program effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. This would be a useful practice for many DOES programs.
- Require DOES to increase career placements in high-demand industries by setting specific targets, requiring employers to identify skills participants will develop, and creating an effective system to match youth with career-aligned opportunities.
- Expand MBSYEP’s language access beyond English and Spanish by following Virginia’s model of addressing barriers for English learners through targeted working groups and community partnerships.[11]
- Provide additional support for specific populations. Subsidized employment programs have the greatest benefit for youth from underserved communities with the greatest barriers to employment,such as transportation or childcare.[12]
- Collaborate with CTE programs to expand internships. MBSYEP could leverage a portion of its funds to expand ongoing local education agencies (LEAs’) internship programs. Such investment could be targeted to CTE programs in high-demand industries. This pilot would target youth enrolled in high school.
- Create financial incentives for employers in high-demand industries that participate in the program. This might include tax credits and cost reimbursements, with additional support for small-, minority-, and local-owned businesses to increase their participation.
The MBSYEP’s $28.16M budget demands a more robust and comprehensive oversight. The failure to conduct required evaluations since 2020 and low placement and retention rates in the program and in high-wage, high-demand industries show serious program gaps. MBSYEP has immense potential to transform the lives of D.C. youth, particularly those from underserved communities, but it requires strategic improvements to truly serve as a pathway to sustainable careers. Our youth deserve a program that creates lasting pathways to economic mobility.
Thank you for your time. I welcome any questions.
[1]https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Early-career-outcomes-1-pager-1.pdf
[2] State of D.C. Schools 2022-23 Challenges to pandemic recovery in a new normal. Source: https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/State-of-D.C.-Schools.pdf
[3] https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/long-term-unemployment-in-the-district-of-columbia/
[4] https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/student-transition-college-career/
[5] Ibid
[6] https://www.dcpolicycenter.org/publications/long-term-unemployment-in-the-district-of-columbia/
[7]https://mayor.dc.gov/release/mayor-bowser-highlights-pathways-health-careers-during-mayor-marion-s-barry-summer-youth
[8]https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/32-245#:~:text=%C2%A7%2032%E2%80%93245.,the%20summer%20youth%20employment%20program
[9] https://dccouncil.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/DOESPOHATT.pdf
[10] https://summerjobs.dc.gov/page/employers
[11]https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?231+sum+SB1430
[12] https://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/sted_final_synthesis_report_feb_2020.pdf and https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/opre/sted_final_synthesis_report_feb_2020.pdf