“ IN GENERAL.— Except as provided in subsection (b) , an individual shall be eligible to participate in a Youthbuild project receiving assistance under this title if such individual is— `` (1) 16 to 24 years of age, inclusive; `` (2) economically disadvantaged; and `` (3) an individual who has dropped out of high school whose reading and mathematics skills are at or below the 8th grade level. `` (b) EXCEPTIONS.— Not more than 25 percent of the participants in a Youthbuild project receiving assistance under this title may be individuals who do not meet the requirements of subsection (a) . ”

“ LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT.— Opportunities to develop the decisionmaking, speaking, negotiating, and other leadership skills of participants, such as the establishment and operation of a youth council with meaningful decisionmaking authority over aspects of the project. ”

“ Transitional housing includes housing primarily designed to serve deinstitutionalized homeless individuals and other homeless individuals with mental or physical disabilities and homeless families with children. `` (17) YOUTHBUILD PROJECT.— The term ``Youthbuild project ́ ́ means any project that receives assistance under this title and provides disadvantaged youth with opportunities for service, education, and training in the construction or rehabilitation of housing for homeless and other low-income individuals. ”

“ SERVICE OPPORTUNITY.— The term ``service opportunity ́ ́ means the opportunity to perform work in return for wages and benefits in the construction or rehabilitation of real property in accordance with this title. ”

“ PRIORITY.— Section 144 (b) (2) (D) of such Act is amended by inserting before the semicolon the following: ``and, as provided in section 146, will give priority in providing tutoring services to— `` (i) educationally disadvantaged students receiving services under chapter 1 of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965; and `` (ii) illiterate parents of educationally or economically disadvantaged elementary school students, with special emphasis on single-parent households. ”