Resolutions Adopted at the 66th Annual Conference of Mayors | EXPANDING EDUCATION AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE UNDER WELFARE REFORM

JOBS, EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE

EXPANDING EDUCATION AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE UNDER WELFARE REFORM

WHEREAS, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act currently includes 12 activities that may count as meeting the work requirement:

1) Unsubsidized employment;

2) Subsidized private employment;

3) Subsidized public employment;

4) Work experience, if sufficient private sector employment is unavailable;

5) On-the-job training;

6) Job search and job readiness;

7) Community service programs;

8) Vocational education training, not to exceed 12 months;

9) Job skills training directly related to employment;

10) Education directly related to employment, in the case of a recipient who has not received a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency;

11) Satisfactory attendance at secondary school or in a course of study leading to a certificate of general equivalency, in the case of a recipient who has not completed secondary school or received such a certificate; and

12) The provision of child care services to an individual who is participating in a community service program; and

WHEREAS, because post-secondary education does not meet the work requirement, there is evidence that many recipients are dropping out of community colleges; and

WHEREAS, currently states have the option to limit the period of time in which a recipient may engage in education and training activities to 12 months; and

WHEREAS, research shows that educational attainment is directly linked to future earnings, as, for example, in New York State where a study found that 80 percent of welfare recipients who obtained a two-year degree left the welfare roles and earned above-poverty wages,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors urges the federal government to expand the definition of work activities to include post-secondary education and to require states to define education and training in excess of 12 months as meeting the work requirement.

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