WorkFirst HandBook
Education & Training
7.1 Overview
The Education & Training Overview section includes:
- 7.1.1 What are the WorkFirst Training Options?
- 7.1.2 When can you add it to an IRP?
- 7.1.3 How to calculate the education and training hours
- 7.1.4 What steps do you take when a parent is absent?
7.1.1 What are the WorkFirst Training Options?
Based on the results of the comprehensive evaluation , the strategy for stacking activities or the continuous activity planning (CAP) meeting, a parent's employment plan may include education and training.
The WorkFirst program offers several training options for parents and young adults to enhance their skills and employability. There are different rules and procedures to follow for the various options.
Education and training includes:
- "Core" educational activities:
- Vocational education:
- Vocational Education ( VE )
- Customized Job Skills Training ( PE )
- Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training - I-BEST ( VE )
- High-Wage, High-Demand Training ( HW )
- ”Non-core” educational activities:
- Basic Education (called Job Skills Training Directly Related to Employment in the federal rules) ( JT)
- Skills Enhancement (called Job Skills Training Directly Related to Employment in the federal rules) ( JT )
- High School Completion or GED (HS or GE)
- Other education:
- Vocational Education Unapproved ( VU )
- Degree Completion ( DC )
- Internships and Practicums ( WE )
7.1.2 When can you add it to an IRP?
Education and training can be added to a person's Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP) while on WorkFirst, some may be supported with child care for up to two years post-WorkFirst, and supported with support services for up to six months post-WorkFirst.
Under the new federal definitions, both basic education and ESL fall under the federal category of job skills training directly related to employment (and coded JT ) when a parent is participating in core activities. The parent's employment plan or education and training plan should document that the basic education or ESL is giving the parent skills needed for employment. Stand-alone ESL is coded ES and does not count towards participation.
DSHS staff can decide whether to code ESL as ES or JT based on whether the parent is participating in a core activity. Community and technical colleges will decide which eJAS code to use for all other WorkFirst education and training activities and add that information to the parent's education and training plan.
The following chapter sections give information about the approval process, monitoring and policy for each training option.
7.1.3 How to calculate the education and training hours
To calculate participation hours, use the actual hours the parent is in the education and training activities, to include classes, labs, and supervised study halls/tutoring sessions.
7.1.4 What steps do you take when a parent is absent?
Excused Absences
After two excused absences in a calendar month, the WorkFirst partner/provider will:
- Send an immediate notification to the case worker after 2 excused absences in a calendar month,
- Keep the activity open, and
- Contact the parent and case manager to discuss next steps, including if it is appropriate to refer the client back to DSHS.
Unexcused Absences
After two unexcused absences in a calendar month, the WorkFirst partner/provider will:
- Send an immediate notification to the case worker after 2 unexcused absences in a calendar month to initiate the sanction/good cause process ,
- Keep the activity open, and
- Contact the parent and case manager to discuss next steps, including if it is appropriate to refer the client back to DSHS.
For more on how to treat excused and unexcused absences, please refer to section 3.9.1.5.
Resources
Related WorkFirst Handbook Sections
- 7.2 Vocational Education
- 7.3 Basic Education, Skills Enhancement, High School/GED
- 7.4 Other Education & Degree Completion
- 7.5 Internships and Practicums
- 7.6 What do I do when a parent is already in school when he or she comes to me?
- 3.3.1 Individual Responsibility Plan
- 2.2 Support Services