Basic Education SR 09-22, 07/09 (FAM-A)

Basic Education is any educational program that is considered secondary education and includes, but is not limited to, Basic and Alternative Educational activities listed below:

• general educational development (GED) programs;

• remedial or adult basic education (ABE) programs;

• High school diploma programs;

• approved home education programs;

• alternative educational high schools;

• Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 out-of-school youth programs; and

• special programs for learning disabled individuals.

Basic Education activities are core activities if the head of the household is a teen without a High School diploma. For all other scenarios, Basic Education activities are secondary activities.

Distance learning is a permissible method of instruction when prior approval is authorized by DFA State Office.

Participant Requirements

The following individuals (both 1 and 2 parent families) are required to participate in Basic or Alternative Education activities:

• custodial parents under age 20 without a high school diploma or its equivalent must participate full-time as defined by the institution, when their youngest child turns 12 weeks of age.

• dependent children age 16 through 19 who do not have a high school diploma or equivalent and who are mandatory NHEP participants are required to participate full-time as defined by the institution.

Age 20 and Over

For participants who are age 20 or over, it is the participant’s option to participate in Basic Educational activities. Participants can choose Basic Educational activities as the sole activity in a full-time program or attend part-time while participating in other approved NHEP activities.

Exception: Parents in two-parent families age 21 through age 25 without a high school diploma or equivalent may, but are not required to, participate in Basic Educational activities. However, they still must meet minimum participation requirements.

If a participant age 20 and over does not choose Basic Educational activities and the Employment Counselor Specialist (ECS) determines that the Basic Education activity is the appropriate activity, that participant will not be required to participate in educational activities provided:

• the participant demonstrates a basic literacy level; or

• the long term employment goal, identified on the EP does not require a high school diploma or equivalent.

When participants age 20 and older are participating in Basic Educational activities that are considered full-time by the institution but are not meeting participation requirements, additional NHEP activities will be required as specified on the EP.

Satisfactory Progress

The State has defined making satisfactory progress as the participant meeting a consistent standard of progress based upon a written policy developed by the training provider. Such standards include both a qualitative measure of a participant’s progress, such as a grade point average, and a quantitative measure, such as a reasonable time limit by which a student is expected to complete his or her studies. High School, GED and ABE (which will eventuate in a diploma or its equivalent) are included in this activity.

Documentation and Verification

These activities are supervised no less frequently than daily. The countable hours are verified and documented *no less than once a month. NHEP participants must use Form NHEP266, NHEP Education/Training Activities Verification Form, to verify weekly participation in education or training activities.*

To determine actual hours of weekly participation, count:

• the actual hours spent in the classroom, verified by the instructor;

• one hour of unsupervised homework or study time for each hour of actual classroom time, if required by the school; and

• *any additional hours outside the classroom if:

- required by the school;

- completed in a supervised setting; and

- verified by the school.

Form NHEP275, NHEP Distance Learning Activity Log, may be used to verify time spent in distance learning activities such as web-based classes or trainings. The participant must have a statement on file from the school or instructor documenting the weekly time expectations for the course. That amount indicated by the school or instructor is the maximum that the participant can count towards participation in that activity for a week. Participants must document all the time spent on coursework on the Form NHEP275. There is no allowance for homework time for the distance learning activity. Participants must also verify with their ECS that they are making progress in their course through the submission of corrected quizzes, tests, papers, and emails from the instructor.

Home Education

Home education programs are an acceptable substitution for secondary educational programs for a participant age 16 and older, when any of the following documentation verifying participation and progress in the program is provided:

• curriculum, or lesson plans;

• tests, grades, or progress reports;

• proof of payment for the approved home education curriculum or course of study; or

• any documentation that reasonably establishes the participant’s on-going participation and progress in the home education program.

Parental participation in an approved home education program does not meet the parent’s NHEP work participation requirements and is not an allowable NHEP work activity.

Specific Activity Requirements

Alternative educational activities may be substituted for Basic Education for the following participants:

• dependent children age 16 and older if the high school refuses to accept the individual.

• caseheads age 16 or 17 if:

- the high school refuses to accept the individual;

- school attendance is not in the best interests of the individual;

- the parent requests an alternative to high school; or

- an educational activity is not available, however the training or work activity that is substituted can not be required.

Approved NHEP training or work activities may be substituted for Basic or Alternative Education for caseheads age 18 through 19 if:

• the participant fails to make good progress in an educational activity; or

• an educational activity is inappropriate based on the assessment and employment goal.

Support Services

All of the following support services may be authorized for this activity:

• NH Child Care Scholarship;

• transportation assistance (payment to enrolled public/private carriers, mileage and auto repair reimbursement);

• tuition; and

• fees and supplies.

The following tables illustrate Basic Educational requirements based on the participant’s age and case membership status.

BASIC EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS