18. What are the school requirements for children ("Learnfare")?

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Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
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Unless you are disabled, your school age children under age 16 who are on the TAFDC grant must meet DTA’s school attendance requirements. If a child has too many unexcused absences, you will lose that child’s portion of the grant. This is called “Learnfare.” 106 C.M.R. § 703.170; Appendix E (DTA Online Guide Links); DTA Online Guide Transmittal 2022-93 (Restart of Learnfare) (Nov. 17, 2022).
 
You will be put on TAFDC “probation” if your child had more than eight unexcused absences during the previous school quarter. A quarter is 45 school days.
  •  During probation, you have to submit a monthly report with your child’s school attendance for the previous month.
  •  If you do not submit the report on time, DTA will close your case. This may not be legal. 
  •  If the child has more than three unexcused absences during any month in the probation period, you will lose the child’s share of the grant for that month.
  • Probation continues for six months in a row or until the child has no more than ten unexcused absences in the previous six months, whichever is longer. See Appendix E (DTA Online Guide Links).

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