Effective immediately, issue code 165 has been established for coding fair hearing requests concerning the Learnfare Program. The Learnfare Program was established to prevent children from dropping out of school and to improve the attendance of children in school. Children who receive public assistance and who are enrolled in grades one through six must comply with the attendance standards set forth in 18 NYCRR 351.12. The consequences of failing to meet the requirements of the Learnfare Program include counseling, when at least three unexcused absences in an academic quarter occur without establishing good cause, and a reduction of $60 from the household's public assistance grant for three consecutive months upon five or more unexcused absences in an academic quarter without establishing good cause.
The Learnfare Program is scheduled for implementation in districts within New York City, Cortland, Montgomery, and Monroe Counties for the 1997 school year. More districts will be participating in the Learnfare Program for the 1998 school year. All school districts are required to participate in the Learnfare Program by the 1999 school year.
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