Eligibility Requirements to Participate
In-School Eligibility
- Must be attending school, including secondary or postsecondary school and be between the ages of 14 and 21 at time of enrollment
- Low Income
- Based on Poverty Level or 70% of the Lower Living Standard Income Level
- Eligible to receive a free or reduced price lunch (if entire school is free or reduced lunch, cannot use free or reduced lunch for ISY low income)
- Possess one of the following barriers:
- Basic Skills Deficient
- English Language Learner
- Foster Child, Aged out of Foster Care, or Out-of-Home Placement
- Homeless, Runaway
- Individual with a Disability
- Offender
- Pregnant or a Parenting
- Is an individual who requires additional assistance to complete an educational program or secure and hold employment
- Academic progress is lagging, indicated by lacking enough school credits to graduate in 4 years and credits being lost due to poor attendance
- Has not passed ECA and therefore may not graduate
- Individuals whose educational attainment that is one or more grade levels below that appropriate to the age of the individuals
- Identified substance abuse
- Unexplained absenteeism or documented expulsions
- Registered with selective service if male and 18 or older
Out of School Eligibility
- Must not attend any school and be between the ages of 16 and 24 at time of enrollment
- Must also meet one of the following criteria:
- Homeless Individual, Runaway
- In Foster Care, Aged out of Foster Care, or Out-of- Home Placement, Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (Section 477 of the Social Security Act), includes youth who were formerly in foster care but may have returned to their families before turning 18
- Individual subject to Juvenile/Adult Justice System (is or has been subject to any stage of criminal justice system and services would be beneficial or requires assistance in overcoming barriers from arrest or conviction)
- Individual with a Disability
- Pregnant or Parenting (custodial or non-custodial)
- School Dropout
- Is within compulsory school age (16-17) but has not attended school in most recent complete school year calendar quarter.
- Recipient of secondary school diploma or recognized equivalent who is “low-income” and either basic skills deficient or an English language learner
- Low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter/complete educational program or to secure/hold Requires Additional Assistance is defined as:
- Identified substance abuse
- Poor work history such as never worked, held 2 or more jobs within last year, or employment retention generally 3 months or less.
- Frequently moves from one place to another, has had 2 or more addresses in the past 6-months
- Has one or more legal issues such as arrests or complaints without convictions.
- Has ongoing physical or mental health issues that have not been determined a disability
- Registered with selective service if male and 18 or older