Can I attend college on CalWORKs or do I have to join their assigned WTW program?

Your education CAN count toward your WTW hours! The county worker should have explained this to you. You need to request a WTW plan that includes your education as your core activity. Nursing is definitely an approved educational program since it leads directly to employment. Here's what you need to do: 1. Request a meeting with your WTW case manager (not your eligibility worker) 2. Bring your enrollment verification, class schedule, and program information showing it leads to employment 3. Ask specifically for a SIP (Self-Initiated Program) designation if you were enrolled before being approved for CalWORKs 4. Complete a WTW 2 form (Activity Agreement) that includes your education They absolutely cannot just take away your Cash Aid if you're meeting your participation hours through an approved educational activity. The law allows education to count!

they WILL take ur aid away if u dont do what they say. my sister tried 2 do some beauty school thing and they cut her off after 2 months cuz she wouldn't go to their stupid job search class. its all about CONTROL with these people. they dont care if ur trying to better urself

Education absolutely counts for Welfare to Work! I'm currently in my last semester of my medical assistant program while on CalWORKs. The trick is making sure you're meeting the required hours - 20 hours per week if you have a child under 6, or 30 hours if your youngest is 6+. What counts toward those hours: - Actual class time - Required lab/clinical hours - Supervised study time (this is KEY - you can get a form signed by your program to count study hours!) You need to specifically ask for an "Education and Training Plan" as part of your WTW requirements. Your caseworker might be pushing their job readiness program because it's easier for them to track, but stand your ground! Nursing is definitely an approved path. Make sure you complete a WTW 8 form.

i had the same issue last year!!!! u need to specifically ask for the CalWORKs program at ur college!! almost every community college has a special CalWORKs office that helps students on cash aid. they help u get the right forms and will even talk to ur case worker sometimes. they saved me so much headace. also they can help u get money for books and supplies and childcare while ur in class.

Call the CalWORKs office ASAP and ask to speak directly with a worker who handles WTW education plans, not just the receptionist. I wasted weeks going back and forth with people who didn't know the rules. When I finally got through to my actual case manager, she fixed everything in one call. I've been trying to reach my worker for days about a similar issue but kept getting the automated system. I finally used this service called Claimyr that got me through to a live person in 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/jzISHxCPLwE and their website is claimyr.com. Seriously saved me so much frustration when trying to sort out my education plan.

I think there's some confusion in the answers here. Two important things to know: 1) If you were enrolled in school BEFORE applying for CalWORKs, you can request SIP (Self-Initiated Program) status. This gives you more flexibility and protection for your educational program. 2) If you started school AFTER getting on CalWORKs, then you need to have your education approved as part of your WTW plan. Either way, nursing is definitely an approved vocational program! The county generally prefers programs that can be completed in 2 years or less, which sounds like what you're doing. Don't let them push you into their program without discussing how your current education can count. Some workers unfortunately try to funnel everyone into the same few programs because it's easier for them administratively.

my cousin had this issue and she got her cash aid cut off for not doing the counties program even tho she was in school. it took her 3 months to get it fixed and get back pay! make sure u get everything in WRITING and keep copies of all ur paperwork. the county always "loses" stuff when it benefits them lol

Update: I went to the college today and found out they DO have a CalWORKs office! The lady there was so helpful and gave me all the forms I need plus a letter explaining how my program counts for WTW. She said I definitely qualify for SIP status since I was enrolled before applying for Cash Aid. She's even going to call my worker directly to explain everything! Thank you all so much for the advice - I was about to drop out of my nursing program because I was so scared of losing the benefits my kids need. Will update again after everything gets sorted out.

That's amazing! So glad you found the CalWORKs office at your college - they really are lifesavers. I wish more people knew about these resources. Your nursing program is exactly the kind of career-focused education that CalWORKs is supposed to support. You're doing everything right by pursuing a field that will lead to good-paying employment and eventual self-sufficiency. Don't let anyone make you feel bad for wanting to get an education instead of just doing basic job search activities. Nursing is in such high demand right now too, so you're making a smart choice for your family's future. Keep us posted on how the meeting with your worker goes!

This thread is so helpful! I'm in a similar situation - just got approved for CalWORKs and my worker keeps pushing me toward their job search workshops when I'm already enrolled in a dental hygienist program. Reading about everyone's experiences gives me confidence to advocate for myself. A few questions based on what I've read here: - Does anyone know if dental hygienist programs qualify the same way nursing does? - For the SIP status, do you need to have been enrolled for a certain amount of time before applying for benefits? - Has anyone had success getting their education plan approved on the first try, or does it usually take multiple meetings? I'm going to contact my college's CalWORKs office tomorrow morning - I had no idea this existed! Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences. It's crazy how much the workers don't tell you about your options.

This entire thread has been so eye-opening! I'm a single mom of two who just started the CalWORKs application process, and I was already worried about how my pre-med classes would fit in. Reading Tasia's experience and everyone's advice has given me so much hope and practical information. I had no idea about SIP status or that colleges have dedicated CalWORKs offices. I've been stressing for weeks thinking I'd have to choose between my education and getting help for my kids. The fact that study time can count toward your required hours is huge - between my chemistry and biology courses plus lab time, I should easily meet the requirements. I'm definitely going to contact my college's CalWORKs office first thing Monday morning before I even meet with my assigned worker. It sounds like having them as an advocate makes all the difference. Thank you everyone for sharing your knowledge and experiences - this community is amazing for helping people navigate such a confusing system! Question for anyone who's been through this: How long did it typically take from getting your education plan approved to actually having it show up correctly in the system so your worker stops bothering you about other programs?

This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone new to CalWORKs, I had no idea that education could count toward WTW requirements. My caseworker made it sound like I had to choose between my certification program and keeping benefits. Reading about SIP status and the college CalWORKs offices is a game-changer. I'm currently enrolled in an IT certification program that I started before applying for benefits, but my worker keeps pushing me toward their basic computer skills class instead. It's so frustrating because my program will actually lead to a real career with good pay! I'm definitely going to call my college tomorrow to see if they have a CalWORKs office. The idea that they can advocate directly with your worker and help with paperwork sounds amazing. I've been struggling to get through to my caseworker on my own. One question - for those who successfully got their education approved, did you face any pushback from workers who seemed to prefer their own programs? I get the feeling my worker thinks their job readiness workshops are more "reliable" than letting people pursue their own education goals. How do you handle that kind of resistance? Thank you all for sharing your experiences and knowledge. This community is such a valuable resource for navigating this complex system!

This is such valuable information for anyone trying to navigate CalWORKs and education! I'm currently in my first semester of a medical coding program and was completely stressed about how to handle the WTW requirements. My intake worker mentioned I might need to do job search activities, but reading all these responses makes me realize I should be advocating for my education to count instead. The information about SIP status is particularly helpful since I was enrolled before applying for benefits. I had no idea this was even an option! It sounds like the key is being proactive and getting the right paperwork submitted rather than just hoping your worker knows about these programs. I'm definitely going to contact my college's financial aid office tomorrow to see if they have a CalWORKs specialist. The fact that they can help with forms and even communicate directly with your caseworker sounds like it could save so much time and frustration. For anyone else reading this thread - it's clear that knowledge really is power when dealing with this system. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and advice. Stories like Tasia's give me confidence that it's possible to pursue meaningful career training while getting the support your family needs.

This thread is incredibly helpful and gives me so much hope! I'm a single mom who just got approved for CalWORKs last week and I'm currently in an EMT training program that I started before applying. My caseworker scheduled me for some kind of "employability assessment" next week and made it sound like I'd have to stop my EMT classes to do their program instead. Reading everyone's experiences here, especially about SIP status, makes me realize I need to be way more assertive about advocating for my education. EMT training is definitely career-focused and leads directly to employment - there's huge demand in our area right now. Plus I'm already halfway through the program! I had absolutely no idea that colleges have CalWORKs offices or that study time can count toward your required hours. I'm going to call my training center tomorrow to see if they have someone who can help me navigate this. The idea that they can actually talk to your caseworker directly sounds amazing. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences - I was honestly about to drop out of my program because I was so scared of losing benefits. Now I feel like I have a real plan for how to handle this meeting next week. Will definitely update on how it goes!

This thread is such a goldmine of information! I'm new to both CalWORKs and this community, and I'm honestly shocked at how much I didn't know about my rights regarding education. I just got approved for benefits last month and I'm in a pharmacy technician program that I started before applying. My worker hasn't been super clear about WTW requirements yet, but reading all these experiences has me feeling so much more prepared for when that conversation happens. The SIP status information is incredible - I had no idea that being enrolled before applying for CalWORKs gave you additional protections for your educational program. And the fact that so many colleges have dedicated CalWORKs offices is mind-blowing! I'm definitely calling mine first thing Monday morning. What really stands out to me from reading everyone's stories is how much self-advocacy matters in this system. It seems like some workers either don't know about these education options or just default to pushing everyone into the same basic programs. But when people stand up for themselves and come prepared with the right information, they're able to continue pursuing meaningful career training. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences, especially Tasia for the detailed updates! Stories like these show that it's possible to get the support you need while still working toward your career goals. This community is such an amazing resource for navigating what can be a really confusing and intimidating system.