WorkFirst HandBook

Education and Training

7.4 Other Education & Degree Completion

The Other Education & Degree completion section includes:

There are other education and training activities available to WorkFirst parents. Each parent is unique and has strengths and abilities. As we work with parents to develop a plan to reach sustainable self-sufficiency, it is important that we match the best education activity with that individual parent's needs. The education and training activities in this section, however, may not count toward our federal participation rate.

7.4.1 What is Vocational Education Unapproved (VU)?

Parents may pursue educational activities on their own, such as academic transfer programs, and still meet the Washington State WorkFirst program participation requirements as long as they combine it with employment of a minimum of 20 hours per week, 16-19 hous per week work study, or an approved internship/practicum (see Internship/Practicum for details).

When parents let you know that they have signed themselves up for educational or training classes on their own:

The college WorkFirst Coordinator can help determine which eJAS component code to enter into eJAS. If the education is countable, the parent will qualify for child care assistance and support services. If the education is not countable, you will be instructed to use the VU code. If the parent refuses to provide the information you need to determine whether the education is countable, code the education or training as VU.

The VU code in eJAS will let you know that the education portion of the parent's IRP does not count toward federal participation and does not qualify for child care or support services.

7.4.2 Vocational Education Unapproved– Step-by-step guide

The WFPS/WFSW:

  1. Determines if the parent is meeting the minimum work requirement of 20 hours per week employment, 16-19 hours per week work study or is in an approved internship/practicum.
  2. Consults with the college WorkFirst Coordinator or Director or the educational institution to determine whether the educational activity is countable (and, if so, under which eJAS component code).
  3. Updates the parent's IRP to reflect the appropriate eJAS component code
  4. Documents the action in eJAS.
  5. Monitors the parent's progress closely
  6. Updates the IRP as required
7.4.3 What is Degree Completion?

There are two types of High-Wage/High-Demand (HWHD) full-time training options for TANF recipients:

  1. Information Technology, Healthcare or Other Professional-Technical Programs: See section 7.2, Vocational Education for more information about this option.
  2. Certificate/Degree Completion: On a case-by-case, exception to policy basis with approval from the State Board, this option allows individuals to complete the following in a HWHD field as defined in the College Approval Process below:
    1. The last year of any certificate or degree that requires more than one year of college level coursework, or
    2. The last 12 months (or a shorter than 12 month) training program that leads to a certificate or degree at an institution other than a state community or technical college.

Notice: Parents receiving approval prior to June 1, 2007, for education programs classified as Degree Completion under the High Wage, High Demand program leading to a degree beyond a Baccalaureate Degree or a fifth-year credential will be able to complete their training according to their original IRP even if they have been on WorkFirst for more than 60 months.

7.4.4 Who can provide degree completion?

To be approved, training must be provided by training institutions that are registered with the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, or meet the legal requirements for exemption for this requirement. Institutions may include:

A list of the registered training institutions can be found at http://www.sbctc.ctc.edu/docs/education/workforce/hwhd_programs_by_college.pdf.

7.4.5 What are the degree completion requirements?

Degree completion can be approved one-time only, barring an approved exception to policy. There is no work requirement during the training period. An individual must also:

Degree completion must start by the beginning of the next school quarter (and the individual may go into other educational components in the interim). If an individual needs to wait longer for the classes to begin, s/he must go directly to, or remain in, another activity according to their comprehensive evaluation or continuous activity planning (CAP).

7.4.6 What is the DSHS DC referral process?

The WorkFirst Program Specialist (WFPS) or WorkFirst Social Worker (WFSW) may add Degree Completion to a parent's Individual Responsibility Plan (IRP) when the parent and course meet the objective approval criteria. The WFPS/WFSW may refer the parent to the college WorkFirst coordinator for a final decision if it appears the parent meets the criteria using the parent's CE recommendation or CAP.

7.4.7 What is the College DC approval process?

Approval or denial of these requests occurs by the SBCTC. For degree completion at community and technical colleges, WorkFirst college coordinators contact the SBCTC. For programs at other institutions, WorkFirst staff at ESD or DSHS contact the SBCTC.

If that information is not available for the program, but local staff believe the program meets the high wage and high demand criteria, staff should compile demand and wage information for which access is available.

7.4.8 Degree Completion – Step-by-step guide
  1. The WFPS/WFSW:
    1. Determines if the degree completion request appears to be appropriate according to the parent's comprehensive evaluation recommendations or CAP,
    2. Refers appropriate requests to the college using the RA code, creates the person's IRP,
    3. Informs the parent to bring her or his college transcript and a completed HWHD Verification form to the meeting with the College WorkFirst Coordinator, and
    4. If the degree completion request is not appropriate, develops another IRP based on the comprehensive evaluation/CAP.
  2. The college WorkFirst Coordinator:
    1. Follows through on training requests within seven days,
    2. Develops the Education and Training Plan,
    3. Follows the approval process for the degree completion request (using the process is described in the section above), and
    4. Notifies the WFPS/WFSW if the training is approved via an eJAS e-message.
  3. The WFPS/WFSW:
    1. Receives notice that the individual is approved from the college WorkFirst coordinator.
    2. When Degree Completion is approved, the WFPS/WFSW:
      1. Enters the DC training component code into eJAS,
      2. Updates the IRP with the requirement for the individual to get the HWHD Verification form filled out by the instructor and returned to the WFPS/WFSW every three calendar months,
      3. Enters the DC training component code into eJAS for three calendar months,
      4. Uses the DC end date on the Client Accountability Report as a reminder that the HWHD verification form is due, and
      5. Upon receipt of the HWHD Verification form, extends the DC component code for another three calendar months if the individual is making satisfactory progress.
    3. If the individual is not making satisfactory progress, the WFPS/WFSW closes the DC code and creates an updated IRP.
    4. Upon completion of the degree completion program, the WFPS/WFSW refers the individual to employment services activities if not employed.

Resources

Related WorkFirst Handbook Sections

For more information about the WorkFirst HandBook, contact Olga Walker, WorkFirst Program Manager.