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education and training to help workers find and keep jobs, and the individualized services needed to help workers meet long-term needs, including positive career trajectory, resilience when confronted with barriers, and reduced participation in income support services. This is achieved through career pathway identification, degree or certificate attainment, improved wages, increased awareness of program eligibility outside of E&T, and expanded support services to help individuals enrolled in E&T. Is the State’s E&T program administered at the State or county level? State County Describe how counties share information with the State agency. Counties administering E&T services submit an E&T Plan detailing the components and services offered, cost allocation, and E&T partners. Counties submit quarterly Progress Reports to CDSS. The quarterly progress reports shows a snapshot of a point-in-time data regarding 50% funds and 100% funds expenditures. The Quarterly Progress Report includes participant data, expenditure data, and narrative information on program growth and challenges throughout the quarter. This report is intended for entities administering the CalFresh E&T program to effectively communicate areas of continuous improvement and convey technical assistance opportunities. During CDSS' review, additional technical assistance can be provided. Additionally, CDSS will provide other opportunities for State agency and peer-to-peer contact when the County Administrators Workgroup is launched early FFY 2026. The CDSS shares new policies, procedures, and other regulatory guidance for CalFresh E&T with counties and state partners, including CDSS intermediary (Fresh Success), through All County Letters, All County Information Notices, All County Welfare Directors Letters, and County Fiscal Letters on CDSS’ public website. In addition, CDSS supports compliance practices for state partners through ongoing technical assistance, partnership forums, Management Evaluations, webinars, and Annual Training. The CDSS communicates with the participating counties and state partners to convey important policy updates or interpretations, convey programmatic changes, collect required plan documents and reports, and conduct compliance reviews, referred to as “management evaluations”. The primary modes of communication are via publication of guidance found on CDSS’ website, direct emails to the point of contact staff, and phone calls. The CDSS CalFresh E&T team has at least three analysts assigned to each county and state partner by region to add a localized perspective when providing technical assistance. • Counties and state partners communicate directly with their CDSS regional analysts and program managers by phone or email and the general CalFresh E&T mailbox when they have questions. • The CDSS conducts webinars/trainings that include: Partnership Forums, CalFresh E&T Annual Training, and Data and Reporting. • The CDSS conducts management evaluations for all participating counties and state partners. Counties and state partners communicate policy and programmatic changes with their sub-recipients and include those processes in their E&T Annual Plans. Describe how the State agency monitors county operations. 1/28/26, 11:04 AM State Plan CA FY26 - Original Submission https://dam-fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/microsite/snapet-cafy26stateplan//index.html 4/286