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201.3 TANF Manual 7/22 Page 4a

TANF/VIEW Training. The Guide provides detailed information for the school system in identifying truant children who are TANF recipients and in sharing that information with the local agency.

Note: Local agency staff who encounter technical issues related to the Learnfare program can contact tanflearnfare@dss.virginia.gov for assistance.

2. The local department of social services and local school division may develop an alternate method (local option) for identifying TANF children who are truant, provided the method is mutually acceptable.

Note: If the agency receives notification from a source other than the school, such as the applicant/recipient, the agency must verify truancy through the school.

C. Notifying the Applicant/Recipient of Truancy - The local department of social services must do the following when notified by the school of truancy:

Using the Truancy Notification Letter Template, notify the caretaker, in writing, of the truancy of a member of the assistance unit. The Truancy Notification Letter must be used, and each child in the household identified as truant must be listed in the letter. The Truancy Notification Letter Template is available on FUSION under TANF/VIEW forms page [https://fusion.dss.virginia.gov/bp/BP-Home/TANF-and-VIEW/Forms]. Exception: When the caretaker is a minor parent whose TANF payments are made to a protective payee, the notice must be sent to the protective payee.

The notice must include the following:

1. that the truant recipient is in jeopardy of losing eligibility for TANF benefits;

2. that the caretaker must contact the local department within five working days of the notice to cooperate in developing a plan to achieve compliance with compulsory school attendance laws; and

3. that failure to contact the local department may result in the truant recipient's ineligibility for TANF due to noncooperation.

Note: The "Advance Notice of Proposed Action" form must not be used to meet this notification requirement.

D. Development of and Cooperation with the Plan - If the caretaker contacts the agency, the agency is to work with him to establish a plan to resolve the child's truancy and to bring him into compliance with school attendance laws.

Each local agency and local school division shall mutually develop a model plan which the agency must follow in developing individual case plans. The model plan shall allow the school and local agency flexibility in fitting the plan to the truant child's situation. The model plan must include the following:

1. a determination of the reason for non-attendance;

2. a time frame for achieving compliance; including a 30-day progress review and a 60-day compliance review; TANF Transmittal 74