Dear County Superintendents and Local Directors of Social Services:

2023–24 California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids County Joint Application

The 2023–24 California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) County Joint Application for adult schools and Regional Occupational Centers and Programs (ROCPs) is now available from the California Department of Education (CDE). The enclosed application packet includes the application, funding information, and instructions on how to complete the application (Enclosures 1 and 2). For additional copies of the application, you may download the application from the CDE funding web page at http://staging.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r17/documents/cworks23app.pdf.

The CalWORKs funding for fiscal year 2023–24 is approximately $9.7 million. County allocations are based on the number of CalWORKs clients in the county applying for funding. Funding is restricted to adult schools and ROCPs; no other agencies may apply. This funding must be used for its intended purposes: providing educational and training services to CalWORKs clients as outlined in Enclosure 1. The CalWORKs funding is provided by the federal government through the Temporary Assistance for the Needy Families program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 93.558. This funding is not part of the Local Control Funding Formula and therefore must be used for its intended purpose.

The 2023–24 CalWORKs Allocation by County Chart (Enclosure 3), included in the application packet, indicates the amount of funds available for each county. Please prepare the application using the county’s allocation in this chart to indicate the funding request for the adult schools or the ROCP. The CalWORKs County Joint Application should represent a collaborative planning effort among the adult schools and the ROCPs in the county.

The CDE suggests reviewing the following local background information during the grant application discussions within your county:

• Instructional and Job Training Plan
• CalWORKs County Plan
• Current Adult Education and ROCP CalWORKs programs and courses
• Projected changes for Adult Education and ROCP CalWORKs programs and courses
• Program and course effectiveness

The CDE requires programs that receive funding to report the number of CalWORKs clients who enrolled and received services designed for self-sufficiency and employment.

Email the completed application to calworks@cde.ca.gov. The application must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, November 17, 2023.

Completed applications must be submitted by email only. Hardcopies of the application will not be accepted via fax, mail, delivery service, or in-person drop off.

If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact Charlene Cowan, Education Programs Consultant by email at ccowan@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Steve Zimmer, Deputy Superintendent
Student Support Services Branch

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