Section 144-607-10 - EDUCATION AND TRAININGSummary: This Section pertains to ASPIRE-TANF education and training including customized occupation classroom training, general skills training, and post-secondary education with the exception of 2 and 4 year degree programs. Two and four year degree programs are part of the Parents as Scholars program. This program is discussed in Section 16 of the ASPIRE-TANF Program Rules.
I.GENERAL PROVISIONSA. Based on Assessment, the Family Contract Amendment will reflect the participant's education and training needs, will include all necessary and available support services and will lead to sustainable employment.B. ASPIRE-TANF will pay for services necessary to complete the Family Contract Amendment only when those services cannot be funded from other sources and only as long as funding is available for those services. ASPIRE-TANF will purchase the least expensive quality service necessary to meet the participant's needs.C. When approved education and training programs are available at comparable quality and cost, including the cost of support services, and the implementation of the Family Contract Amendment would not be unreasonably delayed, the participant may choose to enroll in the program with the provider of the participant's choice. If the case manager and the participant cannot agree on that choice, then the decision will be made by the ASPIRE-TANF case manager, subject to fair hearing.D. The participant must have completed an ASPIRE-TANF Assessment, and a Family Contract Amendment prior to entering education and training.E. The participant must meet performance requirements as set forward in Section 3 (IV).II.TYPES OF EDUCATIONA.Customized Occupation Classroom Training - Training designed to meet a specific employer need, including classroom training and skills training at the work site.B.Skills Training - Courses or classes in which the participant receives instruction for specific skills. This type of training may be offered by adult education programs, secondary vocational education programs, employers or other agencies.C.Certificate Programs - One to two year programs consisting of technical courses leading to a certificate in a specific vocation.D.5-Year Teaching Certificate - An additional year of education required by an institution in order to receive State teaching certification. This is a non-degree activity.III.PROCEDURESA. Based on the participant's circumstances, ASPIRE-TANF will inform the participant of the requirements and deadlines relating to application for financial aid. ASPIRE-TANF will not provide any financial support for post-secondary education unless the participant has made a good faith effort to apply for available financial aid. In cases where a participant has defaulted on student loans and as a result has lost eligibility for a federal Pell Grant and a federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), ASPIRE-TANF will provide financial support for education and training activities only when the individual makes all reasonable attempts to resolve the outstanding default with the institution.B. ASPIRE-TANF staff and the participant will complete and sign a Family Contract Amendment and a Training Agreement. Individual performance standards may be added to the Training Agreement. The participant will receive a copy of both documents.C. After each training semester, or equivalent, the participant and ASPIRE-TANF will review the performance standards. In order to continue ASPIRE-TANF support for the education or training activity, the terms and conditions set forth in the Family Contract Amendment and the Training Agreement must be met unless Good Cause exists for failure to comply.D. The participant must make satisfactory progress as defined in Section 3 (III).E. ASPIRE-TANF will support a participant's enrollment in a summer session program for which there is limited or no financial aid (Pell Grants, etc.), other than loans, providing the participant has made application for any financial aid and the summer session will reduce the time the participant would otherwise spend to complete the education or training program.F. ASPIRE-TANF will not support graduate level programs, unless the participant is taking a course or courses in order to renew a professional license or certificate necessary to obtain or maintain employment. Completion of the required course or courses must be expected within six months of the course(s) start date. G. ASPIRE-TANF will support a participant's attendance at education or training out-of-state only when comparable training is not available in state or the commuting distance to the out-of-state training, as well as quality and costs (including all support services), of attending the out-of-state training are equal to or less than a comparable in state program. H. ASPIRE-TANF will support online post-secondary course programs only when the quality and cost is equal to comparable training programs.I. In cases where the participant has a post-secondary degree or a marketable skill when beginning participation with ASPIRE-TANF, all possibilities of utilizing the existing degree or marketable skill for employability will be exhausted before consideration is given to authorizing approval for additional education or training. (Note: The Parents as Scholars Program has specific entrance requirements; see Section 16 for details.)J. If the participant requests additional education or training beyond that which was originally approved by ASPIRE-TANF, ASPIRE-TANF will consider the following in making a decision to approve, or disapprove, additional education or training: 1. The participant's past performance in education or training activities;2. The participant's ability to obtain employment leading to self-support, with the degree or certificate obtained from the previously approved program (considering local labor market needs, and the participant's financial needs).10-144 C.M.R. ch. 607, § 10