Consequences of Not Meeting School Rules

Self-Sufficiency Specialists (SSSs) will work closely with parents subject to school rules and providers to support enrollment and ongoing participation in educational activities with the goal of obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent. If a parent under 20 needs to meet the Parents Under 20 School Rules while receiving TAFDC benefits, they must have an active Pathways to Work Plan and confirm their participation each month unless they have good cause or meet one of the exceptions to compliance. If a parent is not meeting the school rules, SSSs will determine whether there will be a negative consequence on their TAFDC benefits.

Important: SSSs are expected to work with families in their caseload proactively; including those who are subject to work or school rules. For clients who are found to not be meeting these rules, SSSs must review and attempt reengagement prior to any sanction being authorized. See FEW and SSS Reengagement Responsibilities.

Each month, for a client who needs to meet the school rules, BEACON will determine whether a client has a Pathways to Work Plan and if DTA has authorized a client’s monthly participation hours.

A SSS is responsible for determining if a parent under 20 is meeting compliance with the school rules due to one of the following reasons listed below:

Meets Compliance Reason End Date Not to Exceed… (*) Verified by (including but not limited to):
No Child Care Available 30 days from date entered Verified by Child Care Resource & Referral agency, childcare provider statement or client statement
No Component Available 30 days from date entered DTA does not have an appropriate Pathways to Work educational activity for client to participate in  
No Transportation Available 30 days from date entered Client statement regarding lack of transportation options
Temporary Health Problem 90 days from date entered Client statement regarding disability or health issue
Child < 3 Months 90 days from date entered Child's known date of birth

Important: The appropriate reason must be entered on the Work Requirements TAFDC page in the Pathways section to prevent BEACON from creating a pending sanction. Parents who are School Required may be temporarily excused for each month, BEACON will determine whether a client who is subject to school rules is meeting the requirements following the process below: 

Not Meeting School Rules – Client Sanction

  1. BEACON will review any client subject to school rules on the Monday before the last Saturday of the month:
    1. If the client does not have an active Pathways to Work Plan, BEACON will create a pending Client Sanction for Need to Meet School Rules
    2. If the client has an active Pathways to Work Plan, BEACON will generate a TAFDC School Participation form
  2. SSSs must review pending Client Sanctions on the Clients with Work/School Rule Sanctions view and determine next steps for clients who do not have a Pathways to Work Plan. (See FEW and SSS Reengagement Responsibilities)
  3. A client who has an active Pathways to Work Plan must verify their monthly participation by the client reporting due date (the 10th day of the month following the month they participated)
  4. If DTA has not confirmed the client’s participation hours by the staff reporting due date (the 18th of the month following the month they participated), BEACON will create a pending Client Sanction for Need to Meet School Rules.
  5. SSSs must review pending Client Sanctions on the Clients with Work/School Rule Sanctions view and determine next steps for a client who has no engagement or participation. (See FEW and SSS Reengagement Responsibilities)
  6. If it is determined that a pending Client Sanction will be authorized by the SSS, it will require both the staff member and their supervisor’s signature. Supervisors must ensure that all reengagement activities have been completed prior to a school rule sanction being authorized. (See Supervisor Responsibilities for Reengagement and Sanction Authorization)
  7. Upon authorization of a client level school rule sanction, the client’s TAFDC amount will be reduced for that member’s portion of the benefit. The client will receive a Reengagement Notice, as well as a separate notice advising them of the benefit reduction.

Not Meeting School Rules – Case Sanction

  1. BEACON will review a client who has been removed from the TAFDC benefit due to Client Sanction again the following month, on the next Monday before the last Saturday.
    1. If the client still does not have an active Pathways to Work Plan, BEACON will create a pending Case Sanction for Need to Meet School Rules
    2. If the client continues to have an active Pathways to Work Plan, BEACON will generate the TAFDC School Participation form
  2. SSSs will review pending Case Sanctions on the Clients with Work/School Rule Sanctions view and determine next steps for clients who do not have a Pathways to Work Plan (See FEW and SSS Reengagement Responsibilities)
  3. A client who has an active Pathways to Work Plan must communicate their monthly engagement by the client reporting due date (the 10th day of the month following the month they participated)
  4. If DTA has not confirmed participation hours by the staff reporting date (the 18th of the month following the month they participated), BEACON will create a pending Case Sanction for Need to Meet School Rules
  5. SSSs must review pending Case Sanctions on the Clients with Work/School Rule Sanctions view and determine next steps for a client who has not met the participation requirement/or has no participation. (See FEW and SSS Reengagement Responsibilities)
  6. If it is determined that a pending Case Sanction will be authorized by the SSS, it will require both the staff member and their supervisor’s signature. Supervisors must ensure that all reengagement activities have been completed prior to a school rule sanction being authorized. (See Supervisor Responsibilities for Reengagement and Sanction Authorization)
  7. Upon authorization of a case level school rule sanction, the TAFDC case will close. The client will receive a Reengagement Notice, as well as a separate notice advising them of the benefit reduction.

Successful Reengagement for Removing a School Rule Sanction

A client may reengage with DTA at any point. A client who has a pending or authorized sanction for not meeting the school rules must have their sanction removed when they:

  • enroll in an activity and agree to a Pathways to Work Plan, including if they change programs;
  • provide proof of their participation; or
  • have good cause.

Important: If a request for good cause will last beyond the month they were sanctioned for, staff must explore Meets Compliance and the appropriate compliance reason on the Work Requirements TAFDC page in the Pathways Participation section.