FAMILIES FIRST
Adult Education
A beginning………
Welcome to Adult Education!
Research shows that children do
better when their parents
earn better wages.
Families First was designed to help
participants develop working skills.
Skills that will help participants join
the workforce and improve their
lives.
The Families First Program, which
has a lifetime limit of 60 months,
offers participants many
opportunities to invest in themselves
and their futures by making
agreements and setting personal
goals and expectations.
These goals, expectations and
agreements are recorded on a
Personal Responsibility Plan.
A Personal Responsibility Plan is an
agreement between a Families First
participant and the Department of
Human Services.
Most Families First participants will
choose some type of work activity or
training that will help them meet
their goals.
The activity they choose will be
included in their Personal
Responsibility Plan.
Congratulations for choosing
Adult Education as a Personal
Responsibility Plan activity!
Adult Education is an excellent
career path to a good job, or a
better job, for those already
working.
Participants who choose Adult
Education, first take the Test for
Adult Basic Education (TABE) to
identify their grade level in
Reading and Math.
Knowing the results of each
individual’s TABE will help the
Adult Education teacher know the
best way to help every class
member be successful.
A TABE score of 9th grade or above
in both Reading and Math requires
20 hours a week in school on a
Personal Responsibility Plan.
It also requires 20 hours a week in
another work-related activity.
Work-related activities
include:
Employment
Employment Career Services (ECS)
Community Service
Work Experience
A TABE score below the 9th
grade requires a participant to
attend Adult Education 20 hours
per week.
There are no other work activity
requirements, but participants
may do more if they want to. For
example, they may get a
part-time job.
In Adult Education, the TABE will
be offered every 90 days to
determine how students have
progressed.
Students having difficulties in
class should not just drop out.
Instead, they should talk to their
teacher or caseworker about their
concerns. This will alert the
teacher to give them individual
attention on problem areas.
Families First expects students to
show progress within 6 or 9 months,
depending on their original TABE
score.
If a student does not show progress
within that time frame, one of the
following three options will be
offered:
• A referral back to Adult Education
for an additional 3 months of study
• A referral to Family Services
Counseling
• An opportunity to change
work activities
Participants who choose to return to
Adult education and do not make
progress within three months, will
be considered non-compliant.
To correct the non-compliance,
participants will be given a final
opportunity to show progress by
taking the TABE.
Participants who do not show
progress will be able to renegotiate
their Personal Responsibility Plan
and enter another work activity.
Adult education will no longer be an
option.
Participants may receive the
following support services while
attending Adult Education:
• Child Care Assistance
• Transportation Assistance
• Limited Vehicle Repairs
• Vehicle Related Expenses such
as vehicle registration, county
taxes and driver’s license fees
• Dental Assistance
• Optical Assistance
Participants, if qualified, may
receive assistance in buying a
vehicle with an interest-free loan.
This program is called First
Wheels.
When Families First participants go
off the Families First Program, they
may receive some or all of the
following Transitional help:
• 18 months of Medicaid for
themselves and any eligible
children
• 18 months of Child Care based
on income
• 12 months of Family Services
Counseling
• 12 months of Employment Career
Services for individuals leaving
Families First with earnings
• An interest-free loan for a First
Wheels car
• 5 months of Transitional Food
Stamps for individuals leaving
Families First because of earnings
Failure to comply with any agreement
on the Personal Responsibility Plan may
result in a sanction.
The Rule
Participants must attend Adult
Education at least 90% of the
time or they may considered
non-compliant.
Participants who miss a class
should contact their teacher as
soon as possible and explain the
reason for the miss. The teacher
may grant up to three misses per
month. If there are more than
three misses, the teacher will
inform the caseworker of the
non-compliance.
The caseworker may grant good
cause for non-compliance when
the individual presents a reason
for his/her inability to comply
and the caseworker determines
that the reason is appropriate.
Two examples of good cause are:
• There is proof that an individual
is/was sick or hospitalized;
• There is proof that an individual
is caring for a sick child or other
relative in the home.
At the first sanction, the whole family
will lose Families First cash benefits
until the participant complies for 2
weeks in an activity.
At the second and following sanctions,
the whole family will lose Families
First cash benefits for
3 months.
After 3 months, the sanctioned
participant must attend a work activity
for 2 weeks before Families First cash
benefits can be restarted.
To succeed in Adult Education,
remember to:
• Attend class regularly;
• Make an effort to do well; and
• Report any problems early.
Many of our participants go on to
find good jobs and lead
successful lives! Adult Education
is a good choice!
Good luck in your studies!
Enjoy Adult Education!
You are taking the first step
to a better future.