Cal-Learn Vision

To enrich lives of pregnant teens, teen parents and their children by promoting personal growth and self sufficiency.



Program Overview

Cal-Learn is a mandatory program for CalWORKs participants who receive cash assistance and are under 19 years of age, are pregnant or parenting, and have not yet completed their high school education.  The Program requires participants to enroll in high school or an equivalency equivalent  program,  necessary to earn a high school diploma or its equivalent. The focus of Cal-Learn is to provide teens with the support they need to complete their high school education.

Participants who turn 19 years of age while in the Cal-Learn Program may volunteer to remain in the program until they receive their high school diploma or equivalent, or turn age 20. 

The Cal-Learn Program includes:

  Payments for child care, transportation and school expenses.

  Intensive Case Management to assist teen parents to obtain education, health and social services.

 Bonuses of $100 up to four times a year for each report card showing an average grade of C or better
    (a grade point average of 2.0 on a scale of 4.0).

  Sanctions of $50 or $100 (apportioned equally over two consecutive months) for each report card with an
    average below D (a grade point of 1.0 on a scale of 4.0) or for failure to submit report cards without good cause.

  $500 one-time-only bonus for receiving a high school diploma or its equivalent.

 CalWORKs Minor Parent Eligibility Worker.

 Additional services such as Women, Infant and Children (WIC), Food Stamps,  Medi-Cal and Family Planning
    Services.

Intensive Case Management Services

Case management services are provided by community based Cal-Learn contractors. Services provided to Cal-Learn participants by Cal-Learn contractors include, but are not limited to:

  Enhanced parenting skills.

  Pre- and postnatal care (instructions on proper nutrition, immunizations, etc.).

  Facilitate the ongoing relationship between the teen parent, the non-custodial parent and the child, as
    appropriate.

  Assess the suitability of the teen's living situation.

 

Exemptions

Cal-Learn exemptions are very rare.  To be exempt from Cal-Learn, a participant must be one of the following:

  Expelled from school and no alternative educational arrangement can be made.

  Seriously ill, injured or incapacitated.

  In need of child care or transportation which is not available.

  In foster care.

Teens with a short-term problem can be temporarily deferred from Cal-Learn if they:

  Need supportive services which are temporarily not available.

  Cannot be provided with the required case management services.

  Have a special need that directly affects their ability to attend school or earn a GED, and the special need
    cannot be addressed.

  Are in a period of postpartum recovery prescribed by a doctor.  There is no general postpartum exemption or
    deferral without a doctor's note.

CalWORKs Eligibility for Pregnant/Parenting Teens

Teenagers who are pregnant or already have a child(ren) and have never been married must live with their own parent(s), a guardian, another adult relative, or in an adult-supervised supportive living arrangement such as group homes and foster care in order to qualify for CalWORKs benefits. There are exceptions, if the participant:

  Has no living parent or guardian, or their whereabouts are unknown.

  The parent(s) will not allow the participant to live with them.

  A child protective services worker determines that the participant or child would be in emotional or physical
    danger if they lived with these adults.

  The participant lived apart from her parents for at least 12 months before the child was born or application was
     made for assistance.

  The participant is married.

  The participant is emancipated.

  If you do not qualify for CalWORKs, contact the California School Age Families Education (Cal-SAFE) Program at (562) 940-1873 or call Cal-Learn contract agency listed below for adolescent family life program (AFLP) services.

For more information, see the flowchart and/or contact one of these agencies:

Cal-Learn Flowchart
LAUSD Pregnant/Parenting Teen Resources and Referral Information
Los Angeles Unified School District Pupil Services and Attendance The Teen Parent Program 1430 South San Julian St, Building 7 Los Angeles, Ca 90015 (213)765-2880     Fax (213)765-3867
Cal-Learn Contractors
Alta Med	(323) 307-0161
Project NATEEN	(323) 669-5982
El Nido Family Centers	(818) 830-3646
Foothill Family Services	(626) 564-1613

Contact the Minor Parent Eligibility Worker in your local welfare office for more information.