65A-4.2131. Learnfare Requirements

(1) Learnfare Requirements. Temporary cash assistance (TCA) will be reduced when a participant’s dependent school-age child(ren) is determined to be habitually truant or a school dropout or the parent or caretaker relative whose needs are included in the TCA assistance group fails to attend a school conference each semester.

(2) School Conference. A parent or caretaker relative with a child subject to school attendance requirements must have a conference with an appropriate school official during each semester. The parent’s or caretaker relative’s statement of completion of the school conference must be obtained at a regularly scheduled redetermination. If a redetermination is due during the summer when school is not in session, the conference verification from the previous semester will be sufficient documentation of compliance.

(3) Exemption from School Conference. Caretaker relatives whose needs are not included in the TCA assistance group and parents or caretaker relatives that home school their children with the approval of the local school district are exempt from the school conference requirement.

(4) Participants are notified at TCA application of their right to request a fair hearing using Your Rights and Responsibilities, CF-ES 2064, 07/2016, incorporated by reference in Rule 65A-1.204, F.A.C. Upon notification by the local school district that a participant’s dependent child is habitually truant or a dropout or a parent or caretaker relative fails to attend a school conference, the Department must determine if good cause exists in accordance with Section 414.1251(1), F.S. If good cause does not exist, the Department will advise the participant and impose Learnfare penalties in accordance with Sections 414.1251(1) and (2), F.S.

(5) School-Age. Dependent children who are age 6, or who will be age 6 by February 1 of any school year, or who are over age 6 but under age 18 are subject to school attendance unless exempted from education participation requirements by the local school district.

(6) Referral to the Local Workforce Development Board. If a participant’s dependent child is age 16 or 17 and is exempted from education participation by the school district, the child is to be referred to the local workforce development board or its designee to participate in TCA work or alternative requirement plan activities.

(7) Reinstatement of Benefits. Before benefits may be reinstated, the participant must notify the Department and provide verification that the participant’s dependent child identified as a habitual truant or dropout is in compliance with Learnfare attendance requirements in accordance with Section 414.1251(1), F.S., or the parent or caretaker relative has met the school conference requirement.

Rulemaking Authority 414.45 FS. Law Implemented 414.1251 FS. History–New 6-2-02, Amended 9-12-07, 3-13-24.