Cal-Learn Program Requirements

[EAS 42-763]

The major requirements and services of the Cal-Learn program are:

• Each teen parent is required to attend a full-time school program that leads to a high school diploma or its equivalent. The teen parent must remain in the Cal-Learn program until the high school diploma or its equivalent is earned or the age of 19 is reached.
• An Assistance Unit (AU) with a teen parent may receive up to four $100 bonuses in a 12-month period when the teen parent makes satisfactory progress in their school program.
• The teen parent who receives a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to or within the month they turn 19 years old, or turns 20 years old for a “voluntary 19-year-old participant,” will receive a $500 bonus.
• Child care, transportation and ancillary expenses are provided to enable the teen parent to enroll in or continue school.
• Intensive case management services provided by the Cal-Learn Case Manager.

Referrals

The Cal-Learn teen parent is registered in CalSAWS by the Eligibility Worker (EW). The Cal-Learn CWES Worker provides a list of eligible teen parents to be scheduled for an orientation by PPMM. PPMM will schedule the Cal-Learn teen parent for the orientation within 30 calendar days of receiving the list from CWES. If a CWES Worker discovers a teen parent under 19 years of age who does not have a high school diploma or its equivalent and was erroneously referred to CWES, then the EW must be notified to register the client for Cal-Learn. The CWES Intake Unit contacts the Cal-Learn CWES Worker, who notifies the EW. Refer to Time Limits TANF/CalWORKs.

Notification

The PPMM sends the same Cal-Learn program information to the Cal-Learn teen parent as well as the caretaker relative payee. This occurs when the Cal-Learn teen parent is included in an AU with other children. The purpose is to ensure that all persons potentially affected by the issuance of bonuses are aware of the Cal-Learn program and requirements.

Deferrals

A deferral may be determined by the Cal-Learn Case Manager. It is the responsibility of the Cal-Learn Case Manager to track the length of the deferral and to determine when participation in Cal-Learn is to be resumed. A deferral may be granted if the teen parent:

• Needs supportive services, which are temporarily unavailable.
• Cannot be provided case management services.
• Has a special need that substantially limits the teen parent's ability to meet the program requirements, and the special need cannot be addressed.
• Has been prescribed by a physician a period of time for postpartum recovery after the birth of a child.

Deferred teen parents are not eligible for Cal-Learn supportive services. However, these teens will continue to receive case management services. Deferred individuals who meet satisfactory progress standards in school are eligible for the $100 Cal-Learn bonuses.

Exemptions

Since Cal-Learn teens are excluded from Welfare-to-Work (WTW) participation, they are not eligible for any WTW exemptions, including any of the young child exemptions. A Cal-Learn teen may be exempt from Cal-Learn  if that individual:

• Has a serious illness, injury, or incapacity that prevents the teen parent from meeting the Cal-Learn program requirements of enrolling in school and attending school full-time for a period of more than three months.
• Is expelled from school, and enrollment in any alternative school cannot be arranged.
• Needs Cal-Learn paid child care and/or transportation in order to meet the Cal-Learn requirements, and the service is not available for a period of three months or more.
• Cannot receive payment for child care or transportation expenses due to a lack of program funds.
• Is eligible for Foster Care, and payment is being made on behalf of the individual.

Additionally, a Cal-Learn participant may request an exemption from the program if the participant is in a situation or is experiencing a crisis that destabilizes their family, including but not limited to:

• Homelessness or imminent risk of homelessness
• A lack of safety due to domestic violence
• Untreated or undertreated behavioral and mental health needs, or
• The misuse of controlled substances or alcohol.

A sworn statement must be accepted as a suitable verification for any of these four exemptions listed above.

Cal-Learn exemptions are subject to annual redetermination, or earlier only if requested by the participant. 

Exception: Exemptions with a set end date would end at the appropriate date.

ExampleExample A physician submits a written statement indicating that the Cal-Learn participant has a medical condition that prevents the participant from meeting program requirements for the next 6 months.  The exemption would end at the end date listed on the physician’s written statement.

The Cal-Learn Case Manager is responsible for determining that a teen parent is exempt from the Cal-Learn registration requirements. If this occurs, the Cal-Learn Case Manager is responsible for:

• Notifying the teen parent,
• Notifying the Cal-Learn CWES Worker, who will notify the EW to enter the exemption online,
• Tracking the exemption and the continued exemption status.

Note: An exempt Cal-Learn teen is not eligible to receive supportive services and case management services. Exempt Cal-Learn individuals who meet satisfactory progress standards in school are eligible for the $100 Cal-Learn bonuses.

Enrollment and Attendance Requirement

Each Cal-Learn teen parent must enroll in and attend a full-time (as defined by the school) educational program that leads to a high school diploma or its equivalent.

For purposes of the Cal-Learn program:

• High school equivalency programs include, but are not limited to, preparation classes for the General Educational Development (GED) examination and the California High School Certificate of Proficiency Examination (CHSPE).
• Participation in Job Corps may fulfill the Cal-Learn requirements if the Job Corps activity is a full-time program that leads to a high school diploma or its equivalent.
• Vocational programs must include a high school diploma or GED as a component of the training.
• Teen parents who are enrolled in a program that has no full-time definition must participate in a minimum of 10 hours of school activity per week during each week that participation is required. If the program cannot provide a minimum of 10 hours per week of school activity, the AU must provide to the case manager, written verification from the school confirming this limitation.

The above enrollment and attendance determinations are determined and verified by the Cal-Learn Case Manager.

Vocational Training

If a Cal-Learn teen is enrolled in a vocational training program and making satisfactory progress at the time of the Cal-Learn orientation, the teen may be allowed to continue in the program even though there is no high school diploma or GED component. The Cal-Learn Case Manager MUST encourage concurrent high school deploma or GED enrollment.

The usage of vocational training only is to be used as little as possible and must be approved by the Cal-Learn Case Manager on a case-by-case basis. The Cal-Learn Case Manager must contact the Cal-Learn CWES Worker in the event that a Welfare-to-Work Activity Referral Form (SCD 1723) needs to be completed to refer the teen to a vocational program.

When a Cal-Learn participant attends vocational training that does not have a high school diploma or GED component, the Cal-Learn teen is:

• Eligible to receive the necessary supportive services to attend the training
• Not entitled to a bonus when satisfactory progress is met
• Not eligible to volunteer for Cal-Learn after the age of 19.

Note: If a Cal-Learn teen is enrolled in vocational training with a high school diploma or GED component, they must show progress in that component. If the vocational training has no high school diploma or equivalent component, the Cal-Learn teen must meet attendance and progress requirements in the vocational training program or no supportive services will be authorized.

Participation Requirements

The Cal-Learn pregnant or parenting teen must:

• Participate in the Cal-Learn program until the end of the month in which they turn age 19 (or 20 if the teen parent is a volunteer), or until either a high school diploma or its equivalent is earned.
• Assist in the development of a case plan, including a report card submittal schedule.
• Submit current quarter progress report cards/progress reports to their Cal-Learn Case Manager within 10 working days from the Cal-Learn Notice of Report Card Submittal Schedule (CL 8) due date or from the date it is issued.

Combination Cases

For two-parent cases where one is a Cal-learn participant and the other parent is WTW, refer to Companion Case Procedures - Other Requirements for the policy.

Break in Participation

When a teen parent has a break in aid of 90 calendar days or more or is exempted from the Cal-Learn program for 90 calendar days or more, the following conditions must be met:

• The teen parent must be re-referred to Cal-Learn. That individual is then rescheduled for orientation and provided with the program requirements.
• The teen parent must again participate in the Cal-Learn program for 90 calendar days before being eligible for bonuses.

Example Example A teen parent is discontinued on February 28th. He reapplies for CalWORKs and is determined eligible on June 2nd. He has remained in school during the period of discontinuance. His report card for the school term ending June 30th indicates satisfactory progress. He is not eligible for a bonus as his break in aid was for more than 90 calendar days and he has not participated in Cal-Learn for 90 calendar days after his CalWORKs was reestablished. If the break in aid is less than 90 calendar days, the EW registers the teen for Cal-Learn services. The Cal-Learn PPMM Case Manager takes action based upon this information. 

School Attendance

Even though a teen parent is determined to be exempt or deferred from the Cal-Learn program, that individual still must attend school. The California Education Code (CEC) Section 48200 provides that each person between the ages of 6 and 18 years of age, is subject to compulsory full-time education, unless excused (exempt) from school attendance.