Community colleges: CalWORKs Recipients Education Program: services.

Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals using federal, state, and county funds. Existing law establishes the CalWORKs Recipients Education Program (program) in the California Community Colleges under which community college districts are required to provide educational services and special services to recipients of aid under CalWORKs who are attending a community college, to the extent funding is provided in the annual Budget Act. Existing law requires special services for CalWORKs recipients to assist CalWORKs recipient students and those students transitioning off of CalWORKs in achieving long-term self-sufficiency through coordinated student services offered at a community college. Existing law authorizes those special services to include workstudy. Existing law prohibits program payments to an employer for workstudy from exceeding 75% of the wage for the workstudy positions and requires an employer to pay at least 25% of the wage for the workstudy positions. This bill would add direct aid designed to meet ongoing basic needs and services, as described, as a special service for which program funds may be used. The bill would require special services for CalWORKs recipients to instead assist program participants in achieving economic mobility through coordinated students services offered at a community college. The bill would authorize programs to waive the requirement that an employer pay at least 25% of the wage for workstudy positions if the number of workstudy positions will not decrease. By expanding program services, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.