135.83 Extended TANF Education Policy

A lack of general education, English proficiency, adult basic education, and post-secondary training/education have been identified as major barriers to recipient employability and ability to obtain jobs with family-sustaining wages. This ETANF education policy exists to improve client access to education and training to improve employability.

An ETANF adult actively participating or interested in pursuing HSE, ABE, ESL, or post-secondary education on or after reaching 1,830 TANF days may continue to or initiate participation in vocational education activities, as well as receive special allowances to support their educational activity, for up to 24 months.

ETANF individuals may also qualify for 6-month extensions if they meet all extension criteria. As with a TANF individual, if the extension criteria are not met at the time a participant exhausts their initial 24 months, or upon continued extension eligibility determination, they must meet required hours in another core activity but can be reviewed for extension eligibility after each semester.

To qualify for six-month extensions, after 24 months of participation in a vocational education activity, students must meet ALL conditions at the time of extension eligibility determination:

Must be engaged in a degree or certificate program that will likely lead to employment in a High Priority Occupation as defined by the Department of Labor and Industry;

Must not be enrolled in any remedial courses;

Must have a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or above*; and

Must have completed an average of at least eight credit hours per semester.

NOTE: Post-graduate (for example, a master’s degree) vocational education activities are not allowable activities for TANF/ETANF or SNAP E&T participants.

*For post-secondary educational programs that do not assign credits or GPAs, the educational institution will be required to confirm that the individual is meeting satisfactory progress toward completion as defined by the institution.

A mandatory ETANF recipient that does not meet all extension criteria can remain in the post-secondary educational activity but would be required to meet the 30 hours in another core activity, other than vocational education, in order to be eligible to receive special allowances to support the educational activity.

An AMR for an ETANF individual must include:

Denote ETANF Status and ETANF hardship track eligibility information explaining how the individual is eligible for ETANF

Individual’s goals and how education will support the ability to achieve those goals

Good cause when it is granted for additional core or noncore hours and activities to remediate educational barriers due to their circumstance to improve employability

Completed Vocational Education AMR Addendum

The same good cause policy and codes for HSE, ESL, ABE, and vocational education past the 12-month lifetime limit shall be utilized for ETANF participants.

135.84 Non-Compliance with ETANF RESET Requirements

Track 1: Supportive Services (TE-38)

ETANF individuals meeting Supportive Services Hardship Criteria who have obtained a good cause waiver of the RESET requirements are not subject to sanction. However, when a participant is non-compliant with their AMR, they are subject to ineligibility.

Individuals meeting Supportive Services Hardship Criteria who do not request a good cause waiver for RESET, are mandatory for RESET and should remain enrolled in Track 1, Supportive Services while following all guidelines listed in Track 4, Mandatory RESET Participants. If the ETANF individual fails to cooperate with and participate in work or work-related activities, the CAO will explore whether the individual has good cause based on domestic violence or other factors. If good cause cannot be established, the family is subject to a RESET sanction.

Track 2: Maximizing Participation Project (MPP) (TE 31)

Individuals eligible in this hardship track are not subject to RESET sanction. An individual who is terminated from MPP due to non-cooperation is ineligible for ETANF. Their family is also ineligible for ETANF. When this occurs, the ETANF case is closed due to failure to cooperate with MPP requirements. The ETANF adult must agree to cooperate with MPP to establish eligibility in the future.

The family may reapply for ETANF at any time. The family is determined eligible if the adult is now willing to cooperate with MPP and the WCA process which includes the following:

Agree to comply with an MPP Service Plan (PA 1726) . The Service Plan is intended to be a strategy that will help eliminate barriers and move the family toward self-sufficiency. This may include, but is not limited to: Seek and apply for any federal benefit for which they may qualify (such as Social Security benefits) Follow medical/behavioral health treatment plans. Ensure all doctors’ appointments are kept for the family.

NOTE: The DHS contracted provider may refer to the MPP Service Plan as the Individualized Employment Plan (IEP) as this is the corresponding field in CWDS

TRACK 3: Deferred Referral (TE-34)

Individuals in Track 3 that are exempt are not subject to RESET Sanction. When the CAO becomes aware of a change of circumstance, or the exemption ends, the adult will be reviewed to determine if they meet other ETANF hardship criteria.

Individuals in Track 3 that have been granted good cause from RESET requirements are not enrolled with an E&T contracted provider and are not subject to RESET Sanctions. However, non-compliance with the AMR may result in cash benefits closing for the entire household.

Good Cause

Individuals in the Deferred Referral track do not have hourly requirements. However, they must comply with their personalized AMR and make reasonable attempts to address the barriers that are within their control to be eligible for ETANF.

Prior to the Good Cause review date, or 90 days, if the CAO becomes aware that the individual the individual did not take the appropriate steps or make reasonable attempts to address their good cause situation, a compliance review should take place.

The review will consist of the CAO:

Assessing their current situation

Progress made towards RESET goals, and

Steps taken to address the barriers as outlined in the AMR.

If this review indicates that circumstances have changed, the CAO will determine if the family is otherwise eligible for Extended TANF under another hardship.

If it is determined that the individual is willfully non-compliant with their AMR, their cash benefits must be closed. The CAO must thoroughly narrate the outcome of the review and mail the individual the appropriate notice if the review results in case closure.

The family has the right to appeal the closure, request a fair hearing, and or may reapply at any time.

TRACK 4: Mandatory RESET Participants (TE 35)

The ETANF individual who without good cause, fails to cooperate with and participate in work or work-related activities, cooperate with assessments, and/or maintain current employment is subject to a RESET sanction.

The RESET sanction imposed is cumulative and durational based on RESET sanction(s) previously imposed. Prior to imposing a new sanction, the IMCW will conduct a compliance review. The review will establish if the adult willfully and without good cause failed to comply with RESET.

The family has the right to appeal the sanction and to request a fair hearing and may reapply at any time.

The CAO must follow the policy outlined in CAH 135.7 Non-Compliance with RESET Requirements .

55 Pa. Code § 141.55(c)

The ETANF recipient who does not comply with the AMR activities related to working with the DHS contractor to resolve their good cause situation will be ineligible until they comply and will have their ETANF case closed for themselves and their family. The family has the right to appeal the closure and to request a fair hearing and may reapply at any time.

Updated January 20, 2026, replacing September 9, 2025