1347 School Attendance

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
TANF Policy Manual

Policy Title:

School Attendance

Effective Date:

May 2023

Chapter:

1300

Policy Number:

1347

Previous Policy Number(s):

MT 50

Updated or Reviewed in MT:

MT-72

Requirements

A school age child must attend school and have satisfactory attendance to meet the personal responsibility requirements of the parent or grantee relative.

Basic Considerations

All children ages 6 through 17 who have not graduated from high school or who have not received a certificate of high school equivalency must attend school and have satisfactory attendance.

Children age 18 that are included in the AU because they are in school full-time must have satisfactory school attendance. Refer to Section 1305, Age.

A school is defined as one of the following:

  • a public or private school

  • vocational, technical or adult education school

  • college

  • a valid home study program registered with the local public school system

  • a course of study granting a GED.

Satisfactory Attendance

Each school system defines a child’s attendance as satisfactory or unsatisfactory based on its own criteria. A school system’s criteria may differ from one school to another, but all fall within the general guidelines established by the Board of Education.

Absences are either excused or unexcused. School systems base satisfactory attendance on the number of unexcused absences.

The worker acts based on the school system’s assessment of the attendance record.

Children meet the school attendance requirement during vacation or break if they had satisfactory attendance prior to the vacation or break and intend to return to school.

A child has dropped out of school if the child does not attend a school as defined above or is not in an approved training or educational program that facilitates employment.

A child who has dropped out of school must re-enroll to meet the school attendance requirement.

Personal Responsibility

School attendance is included on the TANF Family Service Plan - Form 196. Parents and/or other grantee relatives must ensure that minor children attend school and that they have satisfactory attendance. This requirement must be checked on the service plan if there are any children ages 6 through 17 included in the AU.

School attendance for an 18-year-old child is an eligibility requirement rather than a service plan agreement. If an 18-year-old child fails to meet school attendance requirements, s/he must be removed from the AU.

If the only child in the AU is 18, this item is not checked on the TANF Family Service Plan - Form 196.

School attendance is addressed as part of the personal responsibility requirements at initial application, at the annual eligibility review, at service plan reviews, or as often as necessary.

Failure to Meet the Requirement

Failure or refusal to cooperate without good cause with the personal responsibility to ensure that children attend school may result in a sanction to the entire AU.

A minor custodial parent or pregnant minor who does not meet the school attendance requirement is penalized, rather than causing a sanction. Refer to Minor Parents and Pregnant Minors in this section.

Refer to Section 1345, Personal Responsibility Requirements, and to Section 1351, Sanctions, for information on good cause, the conciliation process, and the sanctions associated with failure to meet personal responsibilities.

Good Cause

Good cause for failure to have satisfactory school attendance includes, but is not limited, to the following:

  • lack of childcare or transportation,

  • expulsion from school when there are no alternative programs or schools, or no availability in alternative programs or schools,

  • court appearance or temporary incarceration,

  • death of a relative or friend,

  • observance of a religious holiday,

  • family emergency,

  • failure or refusal of the child to attend school despite the best efforts of the parent or grantee relative to meet the requirement,

  • other circumstances beyond the control of the AU.

Minor Parents and Pregnant Minors

A minor parent or pregnant minor, whether designated as a dependent child or a caretaker, has unique requirements regarding school attendance. These requirements apply to a minor who meets all the following criteria:

  • under 18 years of age

  • not married

  • pregnant or the parent of a minor child at least 12 weeks of age in his/her care

  • not finished with high school or its equivalent.

The minor who meets all these criteria must participate in and obtain passing grades in one of the following:

  • an educational activity directed toward the attainment of a high school diploma or its equivalent

  • an alternative educational or training program that has been approved by DFCS.

A minor custodial parent or pregnant minor who lives with his/her parent or grantee relative and receives TANF benefits as a dependent child does not have a work requirement. However, she/he is subject to the school attendance requirement described above. School attendance for a minor parent or pregnant minor is monitored as part of the minor’s parent’s TSPS - Form 196.

Refer to Section 1345 - Personal Responsibility Requirements- for procedures to monitor the TFSP.

Failure of a Minor Parent or Pregnant Minor to Meet School Attendance Requirement

A minor parent or pregnant minor who fails to meet the school attendance requirement is penalized.

Verification

The AU’s statement of school attendance for children under 18 can be accepted, unless questionable.

The school attendance of an 18-year-old dependent child must be verified.

The following sources of verification are acceptable for 18-year-old dependent children, when a child who has dropped out re-enrolls, and when the AU’s statement is questionable:

  • attendance records

  • computer print outs

  • contact with school personnel

  • report cards

  • a completed attendance record form

  • a county-developed verification form

  • other methods established by the agency and the school system.

Procedures

The county department must work with the local school system to develop methods of obtaining verification directly from the school when third party verification is necessary, including obtaining the names of contact persons and/or attendance officers who are able to provide verification.

Screen each AU for children ages 6 through 17.

Explain the satisfactory school attendance policy to the AU, and the consequences for failure to ensure that minor children attend school.

Indicate on Form 196 of the TANF Family Service Plan that the grantee relative and/or parent must ensure that the minor children in the AU attend school.

Accept the AU’s statement that children ages 6 through 17 are attending school, unless questionable.

Require third party verification if questionable.

Require third party verification when a minor child who has dropped out of school re-enrolls.

Refer to Section 1305, Age, for verification requirements for 18-year-old students.