Minnesota Minnesota

MFIP Employment Services Manual

MFIP Employment Services Manual


13.15.3 Post-Secondary Ed: Documenting/Tracking

ISSUE DATE: 09/2020

This includes 4-year bachelor and advanced degree programs at any state-certified college or university.

Workforce One - Post-Secondary Education

Activity Type in Workforce One.

Training/Education 13+ months.

Training/Education up to 12 months.

Workforce One Employment Plan Section.

Education.


TANF Work Participation Rate - Post-Secondary Education

Core or non-core activity.

Core:

  • · For the 1st 12 months in a post-secondary education program.
  • · MFIP participants may be credited for Training/Education up to 12 months once in a lifetime.


    • Non-core:

  • · For any months past 12 months in post-secondary program.


    • Participants who have used 12 months of post-secondary education and are in graduate education, must combine the graduation education with core activities.

    DHS will calculate the 12-month lifetime limit and determine which months to report as core or non-core to the federal government.

    Include education activities in the employment plan even when they do not contribute to the Work Participation Rate.

    How to calculate hours for this activity.

    Use the actual hours of classroom time.

    For study or homework time:

  • · Allow up to 1 hour of unsupervised study time per class time hour.
  • · To count any additional study time hours recommended by the instructor or school, the study sessions must be supervised.


    • In order to count ANY hours of study time:

  • · Obtain from the school or training provider or course instructor a statement which specifies the amount of study time that is required or advised in order to make satisfactory progress or complete the education and training program.
  • · Have the class schedule in the case file as a reference for the required study time.
  • · Have the person supervising the study time sign the DHS activity log.
  • · Confirm that the total unsupervised and supervised study time does not exceed the amount of study time required or advised by the education program or instructor.


    • Documentation and Verification - Post-Secondary Education

    Who collects the documentation?

    Employment Counselor.

    What information needs to be included in the verification?

    Attendance verification should include:

  • · The participant’s name.
  • · The dates covered.
  • · The actual number of hours of class time each day.
  • · The actual number of hours of study time.
  • · The participant’s signature.
  • · The name, signature and phone number of responsible individual providing the daily supervision. Electronic attendance records produced by the school do not need a signature of the person providing daily supervision.

    • Which documents meet the requirements?

    One of the following:

  • · Group attendance sheets.
  • · Participant activity logs.
  • · Ensure that activity log documents the amount of study time.
  • · Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) Education Activity Log (DHS-4209N) (PDF).

    • When is the documentation due?

    Participants should submit attendance records and study time logs monthly.

    Where should documents be kept for this activity?

    In the participant’s case file.

    Follow the county’s or tribe’s Human Services General Records Retention Schedule.

    Who provides daily supervision?

    Option 1: Someone employed at the school, including:

  • · Course instructors.
  • · Student advisors.
  • · Attendance office personnel.


    • Option 2: The participant’s employment counselor.
    In order for an employment counselor to provide the daily supervision, the employment counselor must do all of the following:

  • · Keep in contact monthly by phone, in person, or electronically in order to discuss attendance along with progress (Do not create additional expense or unnecessary travel for the participant to provide updates.)
  • · Confirm the participant’s satisfactory progress by receiving and reviewing the quarterly or semester grades.

    • Who or what standard determines acceptable performance?

    The educational institution.

    Review progress on acceptable performance when grades or other information comes from school.


    Related Links - Post-Secondary Education

    Verification and documentation requirements for Online Programs, see 13.18 (Online Education and Training).

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