AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN (AFDC) JOBS PROGRAM

Estimates of the Congressional Budget Office indicate that a relatively small percent of AFDC families can be expected to leave the AFDC rolls as a result of participation in the JOBS program. To be realistic, should the Administration focus more on the goal of helping AFDC mothers become less dependent on welfare rather than totally free of welfare?

Question. Will the $350 million appropriated for FY 1990 be sufficient to fund the JOBS program (and phase out the Work Incentive (WIN) program)? Does it appear that the full authorization of $1 billion will be needed to fund the JOBS program in FY 1991?

Answer. Based on the data available, the current estimate for JOBS for FY 1990 is $463,038,000. The entitlement by law for this program in FY 1990 is $800,000,000; should funds in excess of $463,038,000 be required, these will also be available up to the $800,000,000 ceiling under the indefinite authority included with the FY 1990 appropriation to meet unanticipated needs.

The $1,000,000,000 request for FY 1991 is based on estimates of caseload projections and program

participation rates. Currently, we estimate that FY 1991 outlays will total $879,662,000.

Question. As of January 1990, over half of the

States had implemented their JOBS program in all or part of their State. Do you expect the rest of the States to start their JOBS program before the required date, October 1, 1990?

Answer. We anticipate that eight more States and the District of Columbia will seek approval to start their JOBS programs either on April 1, 1990, or July 1, 1990. The remainder of the States are expected to begin JOBS on October 1, 1990.

Question. How many Indian tribes or Alaska Native organizations have applied to the Secretary to conduct a JOBS program?

Answer. One hundred twenty five (125) tribes and Alaska Native organizations have applied.

Question. Have all of such applications been approved (if not, why not)?

Answer. The applications of 40 grantees have been approved and are operating JOBS programs. Tribes and Alaska Native organizations were required to submit their applications for JOBS by April 13, 1989 (6 months after the date of enactment of the Family Support Act). order to comply with this statutorily required deadline,

In

we permitted tribes and Alaska Native organizations to submit an initial application, with final documentation to be provided 45 days prior to planned implementation. We are working with these organizations as they develop appropriate JOBS programs. Tribal entities have until August 15, 1990 to provide us with final documentation for their applications.

Question.

Have any of the programs been implemented?

Answer. Yes. Forty tribal entities and Alaska Native organizations have implemented JOBS. attached charts and maps.)

(See

Educational activities are a required component of the jOBS program. All State programs must offer high school or equivalent (combined with training as needed), basic and remedial education to achieve basis literacy, and education for persons with limited English proficiency.

Question. How are the States going to provide AFDC recipients with these [mandatory JOBS program educational] activities?

Answer. States will use existing resources and may directly offer or contract for other mandatory

educational services. (Under regulatory requirements regarding maintenance of effort, State JOBS programs may make contracts and arrangements for services only to the extent that they are not otherwise available on a nonreimbursable basis.)

Question. Will States use high schools, community colleges, or proprietary schools?

Answer. States may use all of these kinds of institutions, as well as other resources, such as those offered by the voluntary adult literacy community, public area vocational-technical schools, and alternative high schools.

Question. Will States rely on the Jobs Training Partnership Act to provide some schooling?

Answer. Since the JOBS program is required to be coordinated with other relevant education and training programs, we expect that States will execute agreements with JTPA programs for their services.

Question. Will States require young parents to go back to the same high schools they dropped out of?

Answer. The program regulations take into account the sense of the conference report (H.R. Rep. No. 998, 100th Congress, 2nd Sess. 142 (1988)), which states that, where enrollment in regular high school programs is deemed inappropriate, the State agency that is

responsible for JOBS is expected to identify or develop alternative educational activities to meet the needs of

JOBS participants.

Through the process of assessment and employability planning, the State will determine what activities should appropriately fulfill the needs of each participant. Thus a non-traditional alternative high school or General Education Diploma (GED) program may be selected for the participant. However, the State could place the participant in his/her former school if there are JOBS program resources that address the problems which led to the drop out and that provide child care and other JOBS supportive services.

Further, under the JOBS program, a participant who is under age 18 but beyond the compulsory school attendance rules of the State may be excused from high school or high school equivalency activities. The excuse may be made if the approved state JOBS plan contains criteria that provide for placement in other educational activities or skills training combined with education. Provisions relating to the educational participation requirements for older teen participants and those 20 and above who do not have high school or equivalent credentials similarly allow for alternative educational or work activities when the State determines those activities to be appropriate for fulfilling the participant's employability plan.