16.2.3 Enrollment Verification

The FEP must verify enrollment and attendance for each child ages 6 to 17 subject to the Learnfare enrollment and attendance requirements (see 16.2.1) and determine if the child is required to participate in mandatory Learnfare case management (see 16.3.1):

· When the FEP receives information or has reason to believe that a child in a W-2 Group whose parent is placed in a CSJ, TMP, or W-2 T has become a:

· Child whose W-2 group includes a participant who has been unable to participate in required assigned activities due to the child’s school-related problems.

School enrollment status and attendance must be verified through a school attendance record.

The format of a school attendance record may vary by school. The verification may be a document provided by or through the school that indicates the number of days a student is absent from school without an acceptable excuse.

The W-2 participant has seven working days from the date of the verification request to provide the verification. The verification due date may be extended up to 30 days from the initial request for W-2 services under extenuating circumstances. (See 4.1.3)

The W-2 participant has the primary responsibility for providing enrollment and attendance verification. However, the FEP may assist in obtaining needed documents to speed up the verification process. If the family does not have the power to produce the verification, or requires assistance to do so, the FEP must proceed immediately to seek the verification. (See 4.1.3)

The School Enrollment and Attendance Information Release (11297) is available for FEPs to use to obtain verification if a participant is unable to provide verification. FEPs must scan completed forms into the W-2’s Electronic Case File (ECF) under code WLCM.

Any instance where a parent refuses to provide verification of a child's school enrollment or school attendance status will make the W-2 Group ineligible for a W-2 employment position.

EXAMPLE 1: Lily’s daughter, Selena, is in 7th grade. Lily can monitor Selena’s academic progress through the school’s parent portal page, which is updated daily with school attendance. At her review, Lily’s FEP helps her log into the parent portal and download a copy of Selena’s school attendance record. Selena has missed nine days of school. Six days were unexcused absences, which meets the definition of a habitual truant. The FEP uses the document to verify Selena’s school enrollment and attendance for Learnfare. Because Selena is a habitual truant, the FEP enrolls her in Learnfare case management and schedules the first appointment for next week. If Selena does not participate in Learnfare case management, Lily’s W-2 payments may be sanctioned.

EXAMPLE 2: Dalya’s son, Ammar, is in 4th grade. His school mails her a quarterly progress report that includes a section on school attendance. Each report details Ammar’s absences and whether they were excused. Ammar has only missed one day of school unexcused this semester. At review, Dalya brings Ammar’s latest progress report. The report verifies Ammar’s enrollment and attendance in school.

A child is considered a habitual truant if their attendance record indicates that they have 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. [Wis. Stat. s. 118.16(1)(a)]

If the FEP cannot determine the status of enrollment or whether the child is a habitual truant from the attendance record, the FEP must use the School Enrollment and Attendance Information Release (11297) and allow the school to make the determination.

To verify enrollment and attendance	The FEP must verify enrollment and attendance
When school is in session	In the current semester only.
When school is not in session	For the immediately preceding semester.
To determine if a child is a returning dropout	From both the current and immediately preceding semesters.
To determine if a child is a habitual truant	In the current semester only, unless no more than four weeks have passed since the current semester starts.

16.2.3 Enrollment and Attendance Verification