Division of Family and Economic Security, Bureau of Working Families

Wisconsin Works (W-2) Manual


16.1.1 Learnfare Goal and Requirements

The purpose of Learnfare is to address barriers, maintain school enrollment, and improve attendance and achievement for children in a W-2 GroupAn adult custodial parent, all dependent children with respect to whom the individual is a legal custodial parent and all minor children with respect to whom the adult individual’s dependent child is a custodial parent. W-2 Group includes any non-marital co-parent or any spouse of the individual who resides in the same household as the individual and any minor children with respect to whom the spouse or non-marital co-parent is a custodial parent. W-2 Group does not include any person who is receiving cash benefits under a county relief block grant program. This is also referred to as the W-2 Assistance Group (W-2 AG) in need of support.

Learnfare has three program requirements:

  1. School enrollment;
  2. School attendance; and
  3. Mandatory case management for children required to participate in case management (See 16.3.1)

"Attendance” means that a child in the W-2 group has not been absent from school without an acceptable excuse for all or part of five or more days on which school is held during a school semester.