(a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), any student who does not meet the requirements of Section 11322.84 at the time the student is required to participate under this article pursuant to Section 11320.3, and who is enrolled in any undergraduate degree or certificate program that leads to employment may continue in that program if the student is making satisfactory progress in that program, the county determines that continuing in the program is likely to lead to self-supporting employment for that recipient, and the welfare-to-work plan reflects that determination.

(2) Any individual who possesses a baccalaureate degree shall not be eligible to participate under this section unless the individual is pursuing a California regular classroom teaching credential in a college or university with an approved teacher credential preparation program.

(3) (A) Subject to the limitation provided in subdivision (f), a program shall be determined to lead to employment if it is on a list of programs that the county welfare department and local education agencies or providers agree lead to employment. The list shall be agreed to annually, with the first list completed no later than January 31, 1998. By January 1, 2000, all educational providers shall report data regarding programs on the list for the purposes of the report card established under former § 15037.1 of the Unemployment Insurance Code for the programs to remain on the list.

(B) For students not in a program on the list prepared under subparagraph (A), the county shall determine if the program leads to employment. The recipient shall be allowed to continue in the program if the recipient demonstrates to the county that the program will lead to self-supporting employment for that recipient and the documentation is included in the welfare-to-work plan.

(C) If participation in educational or vocational training, as determined by the number of hours required for classroom, laboratory, study time provided for by an educational or training institution, or internship activities, is not at least 30 hours, or if subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 11322.8 applies, 20 hours, the county shall require concurrent participation in work activities pursuant to subdivisions (a) to (j), inclusive, of Section 11322.6 and Section 11325.22.

(b) Participation in the self-initiated education or vocational training program shall be reflected in the welfare-to-work plan required by Section 11325.21. The welfare-to-work plan shall provide that whenever an individual ceases to participate in, refuses to attend regularly, or does not maintain satisfactory progress in the self-initiated program, the individual shall participate under this article in accordance with Section 11325.22.

(c) Any person whose previously approved self-initiated education or training program is interrupted for reasons that meet the good cause criteria specified in subdivision (f) of Section 11320.3 may resume participation in the same program if the participant maintained good standing in the program while participating and the self-initiated program continues to meet the approval criteria.

(d) Supportive services reimbursement shall be provided for any participant in a self-initiated training or education program approved under this subdivision. This reimbursement shall be provided if no other source of funding for those costs is available. Any offset to supportive services payments shall be made in accordance with subdivision (e) of Section 11323.4.

(e) Any student who, at the time the student is required to participate under this article pursuant to Section 11320.3, has been enrolled and is making satisfactory progress in a degree or certificate program, but does not meet the criteria set forth in subdivision (a), shall have until the beginning of the next educational semester or quarter break to continue the student’s educational program if the student continues to make satisfactory progress. At the time the educational break occurs, the individual is required to participate pursuant to Section 11320.1. A recipient not expected to complete the program by the next break may continue the student’s education, provided the student transfers at the end of the current quarter or semester to a program that qualifies under that subdivision, the county determines that participation is likely to lead to self-supporting employment of the recipient, and the welfare-to-work plan reflects that determination.

(f) Any degree, certificate, or vocational program offered by a private postsecondary training provider shall not be approved under this section unless the program is either approved or exempted by the appropriate state regulatory agency and the program is in compliance with all other provisions of law.

(g) This section shall not apply to a CalWORKs eligible individual who is participating in an educational activity full time or part time at a publicly funded or nonprofit postsecondary educational institution in accordance with Section 11322.84 and receiving payments pursuant to Section 11323.21.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 447, Sec. 3. (SB 768) Effective January 1, 2023.)