Cal-Learn Program Procedures

[EAS 42-766]

Initial Determination

Upon determining that an AU contains a pregnant or parenting teen, the EW must determine if that teen has a high school diploma or its equivalent:

Reminder: If it is discovered at a later date that a pregnant or parenting teen under the age of 19 should have been enrolled in the Cal-Learn program, but was not, the EW must take immediate action to refer the individual to the Cal-Learn program.

Action By Planned Parenthood Mar Monte (PPMM)

After the pregnant or parenting teen is referred to the Cal-Learn program by the Cal-Learn CWES Worker or is discovered by PPMM staff, the Cal-Learn Case Manager must take the following steps:

• Send the Cal-Learn participant and caretaker relative payee (if different) a “Cal-Learn Registration/Program Information/Orientation Appointment Notice” (CL 1) to notify the teen:
• That the teen parent is required to participate in the Cal-Learn program.
• Of the time, date, and location of the Orientation appointment.
• Conduct the Orientation meeting, providing the teen parent and caretaker relative payee with both a written and oral description of the Cal-Learn program.
• Send the caretaker relative payee a notice containing a Cal-Learn program description, the “Cal-Learn Program Requirements” (CL 2) and the “Cal-Learn Notice of Report Card Submittal Schedule” (CL 8):
• No later than 30 calendar days after the teen parent attends the Orientation, or
• No later than five working days after the scheduled Orientation, if the teen parent and the caretaker relative payee fail to attend the scheduled orientation.

Note: Teen parents who do not attend Orientation or otherwise do not cooperate, continue to receive their CalWORKs grant. These teen parents are subject to penalties if their report cards are not submitted in a timely manner as indicated on the CL 8 schedule.

• Develop a case plan with the teen parent, which includes but is not limited to:
• Planned intervals of contacts and visits between the Cal-Learn Case Manager and the teen parent and the caretaker relative payee, as appropriate.
• A description of the teen parent's school program.
• A report card submittal schedule containing no more than four calendar dates per 12-month period when the teen parent must submit a report card to the Cal-Learn case manager.

Note: For purposes of bonuses and penalties, the requirement to submit a report card does not begin until the teen parent has been required to participate in the Cal-Learn program for 90 calendar days. The 90-day period begins the first of the month following the date the teen parent was scheduled for orientation per the CL 1.

• Determine if the report cards are submitted as required.
• Review the report cards to determine if a bonus or penalty is appropriate.
• Provides the Cal-Learn CWES Worker with a completed “Cal-Learn Communication” (SCD 62) notifying them that a bonus must be issued or a penalty applied.
• Provide the Cal-Learn CWES Worker the appropriately completed forms necessary to pay supportive services.

Good Cause

Any determination made by the Cal-Learn Case Manager may be subject to a good cause determination. The Cal-Learn Case Manager is responsible for contacting the teen, gathering the relevant verifications/facts and making a decision about whether good cause exists. If good cause does exist, the information must be provided to the Cal-Learn CWES Worker before the report card submittal due date indicated on the CL 8.

Cal-Learn Progress

Cal-Learn teens must be enrolled in the Cal-Learn program for at least 90 calendar days before they can earn a bonus or be penalized. The 90 calendar days starts the first day of the month after the scheduled orientation meeting date per the CL 1.

Teens who do not show up for orientation, refuse to go to school or do not cooperate are still considered enrolled in the Cal-Learn program. They are subject to penalties at the same intervals as those who are actively participating in the program.

For teens who participate in the Cal-Learn program, the report card (or an equivalent document) is used to determine progress.

Cal-Learn Bonuses

A Cal-Learn teen parent is eligible for up to four (4) $100 bonuses per year based upon whether the school is on a semester or a quarter schedule. If the teen’s grade point average is 2.0 (a “C” average) or better, the Cal-Learn client receives a $100 bonus. For school programs that do not issue grades, progress will be determined by school staff completing the “Cal-Learn Program Progress Report” (SCD 912) or by the teen passing at least one GED test component per quarter. The bonuses for satisfactory progress may not exceed a total of $400 per year. Bonuses are paid directly to the Cal-Learn client.

Exception: If the teen parent was aided in his/her parent’s case but has since begun receiving aid on his/her own case, any retroactive bonuses must be issued in the Cal-Learn teen’s name in their current case.

The CAHSEE is no longer a graduation requirement. When a Cal-Learn teen submits documentation to their case manager showing graduation from high school, receives a GED or CHSPE certificate, a $500 bonus is paid directly to the Cal-Learn client. Bonuses cannot be paid after the month in which the teen parent turns 19 years of age, unless the teen extended the Cal-Learn participation by volunteering for the program. A Cal-Learn teen cannot receive bonuses for both satisfactory school progress and graduation for the same report card period.

Note: A $100 bonus will not be issued in the same report card period when a teen receives a $500 graduation bonus. If the teen would qualify for both bonuses in the same period, he or she would only receive the $500 graduation bonus.

Retroactive Cal-Learn Graduation Bonuses

SB 725 suspended passage of the CAHSEE as a condition for receiving a diploma of graduation or a condition of graduation from high school for a student who has met all other high school graduation requirements in school year 2014-2015. Local educational agencies (LEAs) were instructed to immediately begin issuing diplomas to eligible students.

Effective January 1, 2016, SB 172 extended the suspension of the CAHSEE as a condition of graduation from high school for the 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18 school years. SB 172 also requires LEAs to grant a diploma to any student who completed grade 12 in the 2003-2004 school year, or a subsequent school year, and met all applicable graduation requirements other than passage of the CAHSEE.

If a previous Cal-Learn teen contacts a county office and provides their diploma as documentation showing graduation from high school or its equivalent, other than passing the CAHSEE, they are deemed to have graduated. The CWD must issue a $500 bonus to the teen if otherwise eligible at the time of graduation. The diploma must have been earned during the period in which the student was an active Cal-Learn participant.

Examples of Former Cal-Learn Teens

Example 1

Marie contacts her former CWD and indicates she was in the Cal-Learn program in 2007. She states she did not graduate and receive a $500 bonus at the time because she did not pass the CAHSEE. She provides documentation from her former school showing she now meets all current graduation requirements from high school and requests a retroactive bonus for graduating. The CWD must verify her documentation and if eligible, issue a $500 bonus.

Example 2

Michelle becomes aware of SB legislation that suspended the CAHSEE as part of California’s high school graduation requirements. She visits her old high school and obtains documentation showing that she has met all graduation requirements as of June 2014, other than passing the CAHSEE. Prior to issuing the bonus, the CWD reviews Michelle’s case and finds that Cal-Learn was discontinued in May 2014. Since Michelle was not in the Cal-Learn program during the month she graduated in June 2014, she is not eligible to receive a $500 bonus.

How to Issue a Graduation Bonus on a Closed Case

To issue a graduation bonus on a closed case, the designated Cal-Learn EC completes the following steps:

1. End dates the current Cal-Learn registration status of Closed or Ineligible.
2. Changes the Cal-Learn registration status to Post-Aid Services.
3. Adds activity CL High School with current date.
4. Goes to CalWIN Display Student Summary window, Collect Student Detail window tab, to record the high school graduation information.
5. Authorizes and issues $500 graduation bonus using Supportive Service type Ancillary, with sub type Retro Cal-Learn Grad Bonus via warrant, using current date.
6. Enter case comments, “Cal-Learn Graduation Bonus issued per ACL 16-83”.
7. Scan copy of high school graduation certificate/diploma into IDM.
8. End date Post-Aid Services status, add Closed status and change case back to Cal-Learn closed caseload ID.

Cal-Learn Penalties

If a teen parent does not meet the requirements of the Cal-Learn program or makes unsatisfactory progress (less than a 1.0 grade point average), a penalty may be applied. This is a financial penalty to the AU - the teen is not removed from the AU. The Cal-Learn Case Manager will make the determination of the financial penalty and notify the Cal-Learn CWES Worker.

PPMM mails the “Cal-Learn Informing Notice to Parent/Legal Guardian of Cal-Learn Participant” (CL 4) to inform parent/legal guardian of the Cal-Learn teen’s participation problem and appointment date.

Receipt of “Cal-Learn Communication” (SCD 62)

The Cal-Learn Case Manager determines that the teen parent is due a bonus or penalty and completes an SCD 62 which is sent to the Cal-Learn CWES Worker for action.

Upon receiving the SCD 62, the Cal-Learn CWES Worker must take appropriate action, within the appropriate time frames to issue the bonus or apply the penalty.