Ops Memo 2014-48: TAFDC– Automating the Learnfare Process: Changes

Overview: The TAFDC Learnfare requirement mandates that any child of a nondisabled grantee who is age six (or in first grade, whichever occurs later) through age 15 must attend school regularly. Verification of attendance must be obtained for any child who is subject to the Learnfare requirement. To comply with Learnfare rules, a child may not have more than eight unexcused absences in each quarter.

DTA had previously tracked school enrollment and attendance to meet the Learnfare requirement, that relied on Mainframe, PC systems and manual tracking (including mailing reports to schools and letters to grantees) to collect absentee information to then be processed by Central Office. In the fall of 2013, the Learnfare tracking process was automated in BEACON by working with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to enhance the transfer of enrollment and attendance data more accurately.

Purpose of Memo: The purpose of this Operations Memo is to advise DTA staff about:

• a mailing to grantees whose children do not have current school information entered in BEACON, requesting the updated information;
• new reports regarding the mailing, Learnfare Probation and other Learnfare reports;
• how to process the returned school information; 
• how to treat cases when the school information is not returned;
• BEACON changes;
• the automated Learnfare tracking process;
• case manager responsibilities in conjunction with the automation; and
• the Learnfare intervention project.

This Operations Memo is being reissued due to changes from welfare reform that increases the maximum age a child is subject to Learnfare from age 13 to age 15. This Operations Memo also introduces the addition of an Alternative School indicator on the Education page and emphasizes the importance of entering a Start Date that reflects the upcoming school year.

Obsoletes Ops Memo 2013-49 (9/12/2013).