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Wisconsin Department of Children and Families Wisconsin Works (W-2) Manual |
The FEP must verify enrollment and attendance for each child ages 6-17 subject to Learnfare and determine if the child is mandatory for Learnfare case management:
· At the initial W-2 eligibility determination;
· At each review; and
· 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 dropout, habitual truant, minor parent, or 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.
Verification of school enrollment status and attendance must be a school attendance record. If the record indicates that the child has 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, the child is considered a habitual truant. 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.
The format of a school attendance record may vary from school to 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 the verification. The FEP may assist in obtaining needed documents to expedite 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 participants are unable to provide verification. FEPs must scan completed forms into the W-2’s Electronic Case Files (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.
While school is in session, the FEP must verify enrollment and attendance in the current semester only. When school is not in session, the FEP must verify enrollment and attendance for the immediately preceding semester. When making a determination as to whether a child is a returning dropout, the FEP must review information from both the current and immediately preceding semesters. To determine if a child is a habitual truant, the FEP must review school attendance in the current semester only, unless no more than four weeks have passed since the current semester starts.
EXAMPLE 1: Lily’s daughter, Selena is in 7th grade. She can monitor her daughter’s progress through the school’s parent portal page, which is updated daily with school attendance. At Lily’s review, her FEP asks her to provide verification of Selena’s school enrollment and attendance. Lily logs into the parent portal and clicks on the school attendance record. She prints out a copy for her FEP. 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 case management, Lily’s W-2 payments may be sanctioned.
EXAMPLE 2: Joy’s son, Leroy is in 4th grade. His school mails her progress reports. The progress reports also include a section on school attendance. Each report shows how many days Leroy was absent from school with an acceptable excuse, how many days he was absent without an acceptable excuse, and how many days he was tardy to school. Leroy has only missed one day of school. At review, Joy makes a copy of the report and brings it to her FEP. The report verifies Leroy’s enrollment and attendance in school.
History: Release 16-01; Release 13-03.