As part of a 3-year, 10-state study on the state and local implementation of the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Program, local implementation of child care services was researched. Areas of investigation focused on the availability of child care services, funding and payment mechanisms, parental choice, and information and referral…

This issue brief examines strategies that states can use to help welfare recipients with learning disabilities move toward self-sufficiency within the context of welfare reform. It defines a learning disability, explains approaches to identifying and assessing undiagnosed learning disabilities, and suggests ways to secure accommodations for…

This policy brief of the Southeastern Regional Vision for Education (SERVE) provides information for policymakers, educators, parents, and citizens on the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. The brief discusses potential effects of welfare reform on children, describes research on welfare recipients and their children,…

Utilizing data collected through a national survey of employers, the impact of federal tax credit programs for employers of Work Incentive Program (WIN) participants and Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) recipients was assessed. Six major questions were addressed: (1) What differences there were in the use of the WIN and welfare tax…

The passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 means that, for the first time, the federal government has shifted substantial responsibility for maintaining a social safety net for the most vulnerable populations to the state governments. This guide summarizes the contents of the new law, identifies…

This guide highlights issues involved in increasing participation in welfare-to-work programs and offers advice and best practices for achieving higher participation levels. Part 1, "Introduction," has three sections that discuss the importance of participation, summarize major points, and introduce the guide. The seven sections of Part…

The impact of recent changes in the welfare and work force development systems on adult basic education programs and their students was examined at a literacy education provider in Somerville, Massachusetts. The study found that the Student Coalition for Action in Literacy Education (SCALE) program had previously had no difficulty in attracting…

This book presents research results relating to historical trends in the AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) caseload, the personal characteristics and patterns of welfare participation in a nationally representative sample of young women followed over a 13-year period, and an evaluative survey of the effectiveness of past education,…

In 1993 the Citizens' Commission on Civil Rights concluded that the election of Bill Clinton as President presented a new opportunity to work toward equal opportunity. In 1995, at the midpoint of his first term, the Commission identified the new and often formidable challenges his administration was facing in dealing with issues of equal…

In the nearly 5 years since the passage of the Family Support Act, a body of research related to the convergence of welfare reform and adult basic and literacy education has begun to emerge. Much of it deals directly with the experience of providing adult basic and literacy education to Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) Program…

In 1997, the National Center for Family Literacy convened four state policymakers for an audioconference to discuss five issues related to family literacy and its role as a welfare reform strategy. First, with regard to the value of family literacy, policymakers saw literacy as the key to employment and job retention. Second, family literacy was a…

This how-to guide, which is designed to assist state and local welfare reform efforts, explains how to design, implement, and manage mandatory stay-in-school (learnfare) programs for teenage parents on welfare. The following topics are discussed in the guide's five chapters: the importance of focusing on teen parents on welfare, Ohio's Learning,…

This report updates the interim Virginia Employment Services Program (ESP) participation patterns and examines program success in mandating job search participation. Following an introductory chapter, chapter 2 discusses research design, sample, and data sources. (The sample contained 1,287 Work Incentive Program applicants and 1,897 recipients.)…

A net impact evaluation was conducted of the Ohio JOBS (Job Opportunities and Basic Skills) Student Retention Program (JSRP) pursued by some JOBS program clients to fulfill their responsibilities and receive federal aid. JSRP was a support program designed to assist entry to and success in programs of study at two-year community or technical…

A crucial key to preventing and ending poverty is the system of education and training for employment. The 104th Congress is considering several proposals to reform vocational education, employment training, and welfare. The most sweeping would consolidate all employment training programs and vocational education into a single block grant to each…