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201.3 TANF MANUAL 7/22 Page 4

201.3 SCHOOL ATTENDANCE* - To be eligible for assistance, children in the assistance unit under age 18, including minor parents, must comply with the compulsory school attendance requirement. School attendance must be verified by the client during the 30-day application processing period. (Note: A child who is 18 years old meets the school attendance requirement if he is attending a secondary school or vocational/technical school of secondary equivalency and is meeting the enrollment and attendance requirements as determined by the local school board as stated in Section 201.2 above.) If school attendance is not verified, or the child is not meeting the enrollment and attendance requirements as determined by the local school board, he will not be eligible for assistance.

For applications made during the summer months, verify that the child was in attendance at the end of the school year. If attendance cannot be verified, or if the child has moved to a new school system after the end of the school year, approve the case if otherwise eligible. Set a task and reminder in the VaCMS for the month school is scheduled to begin and verify attendance at that time. Allow the client 10 days from the beginning of the school year to provide verification of enrollment or attendance. If the client does not furnish the school enrollment form within the time frame, the child is considered truant. If school attendance is not verified, the child is considered truant and the EW should follow guidance at 201.3 C and D.

A. Definition of Truancy - Truancy is defined as noncompliance with State compulsory school attendance requirements as determined by the local school division.**

Local school boards may set additional rules deemed necessary to carry out the intent of the compulsory attendance laws. Such rules may also be applied by the local school division in identifying children who are truant.

Note: The Virginia Department of Education (DOE) provides the following guidance regarding truancy to local school systems: “At five unexcused absences, the direct contact with the parent should include informing the parent that the LDSS will be notified of the student’s absences when unexcused absences reach seven days. At seven unexcused absences, the school should notify the LDSS that the student is considered ‘truant’ and include LDSS in scheduling the attendance conference. In notifying the LDSS, the VDOE recommends that the school division include the number of excused absences as well as unexcused absences to promote an understanding of the level of support the student and family may need.”*** The determination of truancy is always made by the local school system.

B. Notification of Truancy - The “Learnfare” provisions of the Virginia Code establish responsibilities for both the local agency and local school system in addressing truancy. When the local school division determines that a child receiving TANF is truant, it will notify the local department of social services. When a child attends a private, denomination, or parochial school, the local agency must arrange with the school to receive notification when the child is truant.

School divisions will identify truant TANF recipients using one of the following methods:

1. The Virginia Department of Social Services provides all local school divisions with a list of all individuals ages five through 17. Per Learnfare requirements, this information is e-mailed to a designated contact person in each school division monthly. The Learnfare Coordinator’s Guide for School Systems can be accessed on Fusion under

* Code of Virginia, Section 63.2-606

** Code of Virginia, Section 22.1-254 et seq

*** Virginia Department of Education Superintendent’s Memo #057-22 https://www.doe.virginia.gov/administrators/superintendents_memos/2022/057-22.pdf

TANF Transmittal 74