Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-92
Section 405.1B - Establishment of Keystone Education Yields Success.-(a) There is established in the department a program which shall be known as Keystone Education Yields Success (KEYS). The KEYS program shall be designed to enable and to assist eligible individuals receiving TANF or SNAP benefits to enroll in and pursue a certificate or degree program within one of the Commonwealth's community colleges, a career or technical school registered with the Department of Education or university within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.(b) A KEYS recipient shall be permitted to count vocationaleducation, including class time, clinicals, labs and study time as set by the community college, university or school, toward the recipient's core TANF work requirement for twenty-four months.(c) In accordance with KEYS and notwithstanding section 405.1, the following requirements shall apply: (1) A recipient shall be enrolled in an approved degree or certificate program that will assist the recipient in securing a job that pays a family-sustaining wage.(2) A KEYS recipient may be granted extensions for six-month periods to complete the certificate or degree program, if: (i) the recipient is enrolled in a program that will lead to a high-priority occupation, as defined in section 1301 of the act of December 18, 2001 (P.L.949, No.114), known as the Workforce Development Act, or a program the community college has certified meets the same criteria as a high-priority occupation;(ii) the recipient has maintained a 2.0 grade point average; and(iii) the recipient has made satisfactory progress toward completing the program, including, but not limited to, completing all required developmental course work and successfully completing an average of eight credits per semester.(d) A person who, without good cause, fails or refuses to comply with the terms and conditions of the KEYS program shall be terminated from the program.(e) The department is authorized to promulgate regulations to implement this section.(f) The department shall implement this section inconformity with Federal law.(g) Nothing in this section shall create or provide an individual with an entitlement to services or benefits. Services under this section shall only be available to individuals enrolled in the KEYS program to the extent that funds are available.Added by P.L. TBD 2015 No. 92, § 2, eff. 2/26/2016.