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Revision 15-4; Effective October 1, 2015
TANF
After the caretaker and second parent or teen parent sign Form H1073, Personal Responsibility Agreement, staff must verify whether the child or teen parent met the school attendance requirement.
School attendance must be verified:
- at each complete review;
- when curing a school attendance penalty; and
- at application, if school is in session.
Notes:
- School is considered to be in session during holiday breaks.
- If an individual applies when school is not in session and indicates a child is not meeting school attendance requirements and will not meet the requirement when school begins, a full-family sanction is imposed. See A-2131.1, Initial Application.
At complete or incomplete review, if the child is determined to have 10 or fewer excused or unexcused absences per semester, no further action is required. If the child has more than 10 absences, Form H1086, School Attendance Verification, is used to request verification of school attendance. The school determines whether the child meets school attendance requirements, regardless of the number of absences.
At application, if verification is required, the application is pended for 10 days to allow the household time to cooperate. If the household has proof of the child's attendance or excused absences for a minimum of five consecutive school days during the 10-day pending period, the child is considered to be cooperating and no penalty is imposed.
Note: Accept verification for a different 10-day period if received prior to certification.
During the summer months, the advisor must verify whether a child or teen parent met the school attendance requirement since the last complete review. If the child or teen parent:
- met the school attendance requirement, no further action is required. The child or teen parent meets school attendance requirements by:
- being promoted,
- attending summer school, or
- graduating.
- did not meet the school attendance requirement, a full-family sanction is imposed.
TANF, SNAP, TP 08 and TA 31
The local school system determines the criteria for half- or full-time attendance. A child meets the criteria even if he is out of school because of vacation, temporary illness, or family emergency.
Children with disabilities may attend fewer hours than other students. They may also receive instructions from a visiting teacher at home and still meet the school attendance requirements.
A child enrolled in a vocational adjustment program is in school full time.
A—1621 Exemptions from School Attendance Requirements
Revision 17-1; Effective January 1, 2017
TANF
A child is exempt from the school attendance requirements if the child:
- is eligible to participate in a school district's special education program;
- is at least age 16 and attends a course to prepare for the high school equivalency exam;
- is enrolled in the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science;
- is enrolled in the Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities;
- is specifically exempted under another law;
- has a physical or mental condition of a temporary and remediable nature that makes it unfeasible for the child to attend school. Staff must obtain a statement from the child's physician specifying the:
- child's medical condition; and
- anticipated period of the child's absences from school.