ERIC Number: ED333103
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1991-Jan
Pages: 57
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Report on the Learnfare Evaluation.
Quinn, Lois M.; And Others
The Wisconsin "Learnfare" policy requires that teenagers receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) attend school regularly until they have completed high school. The population of teen parents and dependent teens receiving AFDC from September 1988 through December 1989 included 22,241 males and 30,995 females. About half of the teen parents were excused from the Learnfare rules, as were about 2 percent of dependent teens. A survey of public school district administrators on the implementation of Learnfare in the 420 school districts in the state was conducted in April 1990, with follow-up telephone calls, resulting in responses from 351 districts (82 percent). About one-fourth of the districts reported that they have been involved in meetings with county social services agencies to discuss policies or programs related to Learnfare. About one-sixth of the districts reported that they had school staff involved in inservice training regarding Learnfare. Policies varied as to how Learnfare was handled; some districts reported altering attendance policies. A survey of the directors of the 72 county departments of social or human services (100 percent response) in August 1990 showed that most counties do not refer Learnfare teens to county social work staff unless the family requests help. About one-third of the counties thought that the Learnfare policy has contributed to increased parental involvement in teens' schooling. An evaluation project was being designed to determine Learnfare's impact on school attendance, completion rates, and AFDC teens' childbearing. (Appendices contain the public school and county surveys.) (KC)
Descriptors: Adolescents, Attendance, Compliance (Legal), Compulsory Education, Dropout Prevention, Evaluation Criteria, Evaluation Methods, Participant Characteristics, Policy Formation, Program Effectiveness, Program Evaluation, Public Policy, Research Problems, Secondary Education, Secondary School Students, State Legislation, Welfare Recipients
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Wisconsin Univ., Milwaukee, Employment & Training Inst.
Identifiers - Location: Wisconsin
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A