Policy 5.094

Violation of Attendance Requirements for the Learnfare Program

1. Purpose. To provide for the School District's compliance with state laws and rules requiring students of cash assistance recipients and teenage parents to attend school regularly ("Learnfare Program" ).

2. Policy. Students who are dependents of cash assistance recipients and teenage parents who are cash assistance recipients are required to attend school regularly. The School District shall comply with the provisions of Section 414.1251, Florida Statutes, as now or hereafter amended, and any applicable cooperative agreement between the School District and the State of Florida, to provide any required attendance and parent/caretaker conference information on student dependents and teenage parents receiving temporary cash assistance from the state.

   1. The School District shall further notify the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) when a child of a cash assistance recipient,or a teenage parent cash assistance recipient, is identified as a habitual truant, pursuant to Section 1003.01(8), Florida Statutes, or a drop out, pursuant to Section 1003.01(9), Florida Statutes.

   2. At the request of the parent/caretaker, the School District may complete a reinstatement form, or the conference verification form, if the student meets the compliance requirements set forth in Fla. Stat. § 414.1251(1), as now or hereafter amended.

3. Parent/School Conference. Each parent/caretaker of a student who is a recipient of cash assistance is required to have a school conference during each semester.

   1. The conference must address the student's educational progress, focusing upon acceptable attendance, grades and behavior.

   2. The conference must be documented by the School District and reported to DCF.

4. Parental Responsibility. The parent/caretaker shall be responsible for providing a notification of compliance to the appropriate DCF staff when a student who was sanctioned for failure to comply with the Learnfare provisions for truancy or drop-out status later demonstrates compliance with school attendance requirements.

5. Confidentiality of Records. Any list or other documentation containing personally-identifiable student information provided to DCF by the School District shall remain confidential as provided by law. Any list of Temporary Cash Assistance recipients provided to the School District shall also remain confidential as provided by law.