Subdivision 1.Approval of adult basic education.

A participant who lacks a high school diploma, commissioner of education-selected high school equivalency certification, or an adult high school diploma must be allowed to pursue these credentials as an approved work activity, provided that the participant is making satisfactory progress. Participants eligible to pursue a commissioner of education-selected high school equivalency certification or adult high school diploma under this subdivision must be informed of the opportunity to participate while in the Minnesota family investment program.

Subd. 2.Approval of English as a second language.

Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 256J.531

  • Adult: means an individual 18 years of age or older. See Minnesota Statutes 645.451
  • Commissioner: means the commissioner of human services or the commissioner's designated representative. See Minnesota Statutes 256J.08
  • Commissioner of education-selected high school equivalency: means the high school equivalency certification issued by the commissioner of education as an equivalent to a secondary school diploma under section 124D. See Minnesota Statutes 256J.08
  • Family: includes :

    (1) the following individuals who live together: a minor child or a group of minor children related to each other as siblings, half siblings, stepsiblings, or adoptive siblings, together with their natural, adoptive parents, stepparents, or caregiver as defined in subdivision 11; and

    (2) a pregnant woman with no other children. See Minnesota Statutes 256J.08

  • Participant: includes any of the following:

    (1) a person who is currently receiving cash assistance or the food portion available through MFIP;

    (2) a person who withdraws a cash or food assistance payment by electronic transfer or receives and cashes an MFIP assistance check or food coupons and is subsequently determined to be ineligible for assistance for that period of time is a participant, regardless whether that assistance is repaid;

    (3) the caregiver relative and the minor child whose needs are included in the assistance payment;

    (4) a person in an assistance unit who does not receive a cash and food assistance payment because the case has been suspended from MFIP; and

    (5) a person who receives cash payments under family stabilization services under section 256J. See Minnesota Statutes 256J.08

In order for English as a second language (ESL) classes to be an approved work activity in an employment plan, a participant must be below a spoken language proficiency level of SPL6 or its equivalent, as measured by a nationally recognized test. In approving ESL as a work activity, the job counselor must give preference to enrollment in a functional work literacy program, if one is available, over a regular ESL program.