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SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND STUDENT STATUS 4.4

Teen Parent School Attendance Requirement 4.4.1

MA N/A TANF To receive TANF benefits as a pregnant teen or parenting teen (male or female) who is younger than 20 years of age, he/she must attend high school or an equivalent educational, training, or other similar program approved by the Department. This requirement does not apply if: • the teen parent is married, whether or not the teen parent is residing with his/her spouse; • the teen parent has already obtained a high school diploma or a GED certificate; or • the teen parent is a dependent child living with a parent or caretaker relative who is applying for or receiving TANF for the teen parent. The teen parent cannot be required to attend school or an equivalent training/educational program if her/his child is less than 12 weeks of age (this differs from the standard TANF work exemption which exempts parents of children under age one from work requirements). The teen parent also cannot be required to attend school or a training/educational program if the reason for the lack of attendance is that appropriate child care within a reasonable distance from school is unavailable, unaffordable, or unsuitable, and the child for whom care is sought is less than six years of age. A teen parent who fails without good cause to comply with the school attendance requirement is ineligible for assistance (the children remain eligible). Good cause reasons for not complying with school attendance requirements shall include circumstances beyond the individual's control such as, but not limited to, the following: • illness of the individual, • illness of another household member requiring the presence of the individual, • a household emergency (including domestic violence), • unavailability of transportation, • lack of adequate or affordable child care for children who are six and under, and • discrimination by a school in violation of District or federal law GC N/A FS N/A

VERIFICATION 4.5

Age 4.5.1

MA AR: No verification of age is required. AX: See AR. SR: If age is an eligibility factor (that is, the applicant is applying based on age not disability), age should be verified if questionable. Sources of verification include: • physician's statement, • insurance policy, • court documents, • Census records, • social service agency records,