Neil Ridley
Senior Policy Analyst
Supporting Education and Training for
TANF-Eligible Participants
Working Poor Families Project
June 20, 2013
www.clasp.org
TANF limited to “needy families” with children, but
not just to families receiving cash assistance
 States define income limits for “needy families”
 TANF supports a range of services, including education
and training, support services, case management and
more.
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• Career pathways are highly structured, with
clear connection to workforce goals
 Focus on credentials with economic payoff
 Even participants with low basic skills can start working on
occupational skills quickly
 “Stackable” credentials help to connect short-term and
long-term goals
• Address students’ overburdened lives
 Supportive services, such as transportation, etc.
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Bridge Prep
Intentional focus on
work skills into
beginning basic
adult education
BRIDGE
PREP
Integrated Instruction
Adult Basic Education
skill building within a
Career & Technical
Education course
Bridge I
Low intermediate
reading, writing,
speaking, and math
skills taught in the
context of a variety
of occupational
sectors
INTEGRATED
INSTRUCTION
Industry
recognized
credential in
regional high
demand field
POSTSECONDARY
CREDENTIAL
BRIDGE I
BRIDGE II
Bridge II
High intermediate
basic skills and
focused preparation
for targeted
postsecondary
occupational
courses in the
context of a specific
occupational sector
INTEGRATED
SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Support services for success including
barrier mitigation, career advising,
system navigation provided by
workforce development, community
based organizations, and human
services
www.clasp.org
• Curriculum redesign and incremental costs
• Support services
 Academic supports: tutoring, study groups, academic
and career advising
 Personal supports: counseling, referral services
 Other supports: emergency funds, child care,
transportation
 Student financial aid: when not otherwise available
• Work-study jobs
• Incentive grants (to students or institutions)
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• Launched in 2003 as a workforce strategy for TANFeligible adults
• Available to adult caretakers, parents or relatives of a
child under the age of 21 who are current or former
public assistance recipients or who have incomes below
250 percent of the federal poverty line
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• Academic and support services through two-year
colleges and technical centers associated with four-year
universities.
• Each student receives:
 Up to $1,500 for tuition and support services
 An assigned counselor or tutor
 Access to reliable transportation and
childcare through private vendors
 Links to Dept. of Workforce Services to
ensure delivery of other support services.
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• Launched in 2005 as a pilot workforce program
for non-custodial parents
• Serves unemployed and under-employed
individuals who are behind on their child support
payments and whose children are current or
former public assistance recipients
• Funded by TANF and included in the state TANF
plan
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• Court-ordered requirement for participation, with
consequences for non-participation
• Role of local workforce boards and staff in
providing case management and services
• Services offered:





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Job referrals
Support services
Short-term training, GED and ESL instruction
Subsidized employment/work experience
Retention assistance and career counseling
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• TANF funds used for summer employment
programs for low-income youth as well as
supportive services, transportation for employed
individuals and incentive payments
• Available to youth in families receiving public
assistance or youth in TANF-eligible families
• Option to co-enroll youth in WIA youth programs
to take advantage of occupational skills training
and other youth services
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• TANF offers a rich set
of supportive services
and case management
• TANF can be used for a
wide range of
education and training
services
• TANF is focused on
low-income populations
www.clasp.org
• WIA provides access
to occupational
training
• WIA can offer strong
business connections
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WIA
TANF
SNAP
E&T
Adult
Ed
CSBG
Perkins
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• HPOG awards go to a mix of state agencies,
local workforce boards, colleges, community
organizations and tribal applicants.
• Grants are used to help TANF recipients and
other low-income individuals acquire skills and
earn credentials in healthcare fields.
• Another opportunity to coordinate TANF, WIA,
adult education, colleges and other partners
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• Any state legislation underway?
• New program development?
• Research or other efforts to make the case?
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• Some states are claiming as TANF MOE large
amounts of general state spending on
postsecondary education – scholarships for
families with incomes at 500% of FPL or more.
• The concern—there is a real possibility of
supplanting existing state funding.
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1. Do programs supplant existing funding for
services or student aid?
2. Are programs targeted at families with income
eligibility at 250% of poverty line or below?
3. Do programs incorporate individualized
services or supports that are appropriate for
low-income families, not just financial aid?
4. Do they support systems change or new
models of services?
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• Do these questions/criteria make sense?
• Your input on federal legislative change
 Drawing the line between programs that should be
funded and not funded
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For more information:
Neil Ridley
nridley@clasp.org
202-906-8010
www.clasp.org
1200 18th St, NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
www.clasp.org
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