Workers need the days and times that a child attends school. Verification of a child’s school schedule is not required.

Information about a child’s school schedule is required for every child who needs child care and attends school. Information is needed at application and redetermination.

Information about a child’s school schedule is also required if a change in the child’s school schedule during the 12-month eligibility period results in a need for more authorized hours.

When authorizing care, consider the amount of time that the child attends preschool, a Head Start program or school while the parent is participating in an authorized activity.

Acceptable ways to get child school schedule information

The information must include the start and end times of the school day. If start and end times differ by day of the week, the information must include the start and end times by day of the week.

Ways to get child school schedule information include, but are not limited to:

· Worker obtained school schedule information, such as information from the school’s website. It is recommended workers case note the school schedule information obtained from the website.

· School schedule information provided by the family on the application, redetermination or change report form.

· Written school schedule information from the family

· Verbal school schedule information from the family documented in a case note.

For children attending a school without a set schedule, such as an online based school or home schooling, the family must provide the days and start and end times when the child is anticipated to be participating in school activities. Care cannot be authorized during the hours that a child is participating in an online school program or during the hours that a child is participating in home school learning.

MFIP/DWP families with an approved Employment Plan

For MFIP or DWP families with an approved Employment Plan, information about the child’s school schedule is NOT required if the job counselor has indicated:

· The child’s school schedule (days and times of school) OR

· The days and times that child care is needed, taking into account the child’s school schedule.

Failure to provide school schedule information

Information about the child’s school schedule is needed to determine the appropriate number of hours of care to authorize at application, redetermination or when a change in school schedule results in a need for increased hours during the 12-month eligibility period. Information of the child’s school schedule is NOT a condition of eligibility. If information of the child’s school schedule is not provided for a child who attends school, care should not be authorized for that child. If care is not authorized for any children, the case should be suspended.

Legal authority

Minnesota Statute 142E.11
Minnesota Rules 3400.0020, subp. 38b
Minnesota Rules 3400.0040, subps. 3 & 18
Minnesota Rules 3400.0110, subp. 3
Minnesota Rules 3400.0180, subp. 3