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Frequently Asked Questions

Do all out-of-school youth have to be determined low-income to be eligible for WIOA Youth services?

No. There are nine categories of out-of-school youth. Only two, “A recipient of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is a low income individual and is either basic skills deficient or an English language learner” and “A low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment” require a determination of income status.  The complete definition of out-of-school youth is provided below:

Not attending any school (as defined under State law);

Not younger than 16 or older than age 24 at time of enrollment; and

One or more of the following:

(1) A school dropout;

(2) A youth who is within the age of compulsory school attendance, but has not attended school for at least the most recent complete school year calendar quarter. School year calendar quarter is based on how a local school district defines its school year quarters;

(3) A recipient of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is a low income individual and is either basic skills deficient or an English language learner;

(4) An individual who is subject to the juvenile or adult justice system;

(5) A homeless individual (as defined in sec. 41403(6) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, a homeless child or youth (as defined in sec. 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, or a runaway

(6) An individual in foster care or has aged out of the foster care system, a child eligible for assistance under sec. 477 of the Social Security Act), or in an out-of-home placement;

(7) An individual who is pregnant or parenting;

(8) An individual with a disability;

(9) A low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment. (WIOA Sec. 3(46) and Sec. 129 (a) (1) (B))

Do all in-school youth have to be determined low-income to be eligible for WIOA Title I Youth services?

Yes. All in-school youth must be determined low-income, regardless of the criterion used to determine eligibility. 

Are there exceptions to the low-income requirements for in-school youth and the two categories of out-of-school youth that have to be low-income?

Yes, but the exception is limited to 5% of the total of all in-school and the two categories of out-school youth that are required to be low-income. WIOA Sec. 129 (a) (3) defines in-school youth and the following two categories of out-of-school youth as “covered individuals:”

  • A recipient of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is a low income          individual and is either basic skills deficient or an English language learner;
  • A low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment.

No more than five percent of youth served in a local area may be “covered individuals” who are not low-income. [WIOA Sec. 129 (a) (3) (A) (ii)] This is calculated based on the percent of all youth served by a program in a given program year. [20 CFR 683.250(c)]

Question: Does receiving a free or reduced price lunch qualify a youth as low-income?

Yes. Under WIOA, the definition of low income include and individual who “receives or is eligible to receive a free or reduced price lunch under the Richard B Russell National School Lunch Act.”

What is the out-of-school youth priority?

Local areas must use 75 percent of their total youth fund allocation on out-of-school youth.

What is the youth work experience priority?

Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-15 states that allowable expenditures for the work experience expenditure requirement beyond wages include staff time spent on the following:

  • Identifying potential work experience opportunities
  • Working with employers to develop the work experience
  • Working with employers to ensure a successful work experience
  • Evaluating the work experience
  • Conducting work experience orientation sessions;
  • Classroom training or the required academic education component directly related to the work experience
  • Orientation for employers.

What is a “High Poverty Area?”

A High Poverty Area is a Census tract, a set of contiguous Census tracts, Indian Reservation, tribal land, or Native Alaskan Village or county that has a poverty rate of at least 25 percent (the Final Rules changed the percentage from 30 to 25)  as set every 5 years using American Community Survey 5-Year data.  (20 CFR 681.260). For the purposes of WIOA Youth program eligibility determination, the term “low-income,” with respect to an individual, includes a youth living in a high poverty area. A list of the relevant census tracts is provided below:

 

Census Tract

County

Census Tract

County

Census Tract 1

Atlantic

Census Tract 203

Cumberland

Census Tract 11

Atlantic

Census Tract 205.03

Cumberland

Census Tract 119

Atlantic

Census Tract 301

Cumberland

Census Tract 12

Atlantic

Census Tract 302

Cumberland

Census Tract 14

Atlantic

Census Tract 305.02

Cumberland

Census Tract 15

Atlantic

Census Tract 406

Cumberland

Census Tract 23

Atlantic

Census Tract 411

Cumberland

Census Tract 24

Atlantic

Census Tract 10

Essex

Census Tract 25

Atlantic

Census Tract 106

Essex

Census Tract 3

Atlantic

Census Tract 109

Essex

Census Tract 4

Atlantic

Census Tract 11

Essex

Census Tract 5

Atlantic

Census Tract 111

Essex

Census Tract 6002

Camden

Census Tract 116

Essex

Census Tract 6004

Camden

Census Tract 119

Essex

Census Tract 6007

Camden

Census Tract 124

Essex

Census Tract 6008

Camden

Census Tract 129

Essex

Census Tract 6009

Camden

Census Tract 13

Essex

Census Tract 6011.01

Camden

Census Tract 131

Essex

Census Tract 6013

Camden

Census Tract 132

Essex

Census Tract 6014

Camden

Census Tract 133

Essex

Census Tract 6015

Camden

Census Tract 14

Essex

Census Tract 6016

Camden

Census Tract 15

Essex

Census Tract 6017

Camden

Census Tract 17

Essex

Census Tract 6018

Camden

Census Tract 18

Essex

Census Tract 6019

Camden

Census Tract 186

Essex

Census Tract 6020

Camden

Census Tract 189

Essex

Census Tract 6041

Camden

Census Tract 19

Essex

Census Tract 6077.01

Camden

Census Tract 2

Essex

Census Tract 6103

Camden

Census Tract 91

Essex

Census Tract 6104

Camden

Census Tract 227

Essex

Census Tract 205

Cape May

Census Tract 228

Essex

Census Tract 214

Cape May

Census Tract 229

Essex

Census Tract 221.01

Cape May

Census Tract 230

Essex

Census Tract 201

Cumberland

Census Tract 231

Essex

Census Tract 202

Cumberland

Census Tract 232

Essex

Census Tract 24

Essex

Census Tract 9802

Essex

Census Tract 25

Essex

Census Tract 99

Essex

Census Tract 26

Essex

Census Tract 5004

Gloucester

Census Tract 28

Essex

Census Tract 5014.02

Gloucester

Census Tract 3

Essex

Census Tract 5014.04

Gloucester

Census Tract 31

Essex

Census Tract 12.02

Hudson

Census Tract 37

Essex

Census Tract 135

Hudson

Census Tract 39

Essex

Census Tract 145.02

Hudson

Census Tract 42

Essex

Census Tract 158.02

Hudson

Census Tract 43

Essex

Census Tract 159

Hudson

Census Tract 44

Essex

Census Tract 161

Hudson

Census Tract 46

Essex

Census Tract 164

Hudson

Census Tract 48.01

Essex

Census Tract 166

Hudson

Census Tract 48.02

Essex

Census Tract 168

Hudson

Census Tract 50

Essex

Census Tract 169

Hudson

Census Tract 53

Essex

Census Tract 17.01

Hudson

Census Tract 54

Essex

Census Tract 170

Hudson

Census Tract 57

Essex

Census Tract 176

Hudson

Census Tract 62

Essex

Census Tract 177

Hudson

Census Tract 67

Essex

Census Tract 18

Hudson

Census Tract 68

Essex

Census Tract 190

Hudson

Census Tract 7

Essex

Census Tract 20

Hudson

Census Tract 75.01

Essex

Census Tract 30

Hudson

Census Tract 75.02

Essex

Census Tract 324

Hudson

Census Tract 77

Essex

Census Tract 41.01

Hudson

Census Tract 8

Essex

Census Tract 41.02

Hudson

Census Tract 80

Essex

Census Tract 42

Hudson

Census Tract 81

Essex

Census Tract 43

Hudson

Census Tract 82

Essex

Census Tract 44

Hudson

Census Tract 87

Essex

Census Tract 52

Hudson

Census Tract 89

Essex

Census Tract 58.01

Hudson

Census Tract 9

Essex

Census Tract 60

Hudson

Census Tract 90

Essex

Census Tract 61

Hudson

Census Tract 91

Essex

Census Tract 62

Hudson

Census Tract 92

Essex

Census Tract 67

Hudson

Census Tract 94

Essex

Census Tract 68

Hudson

Census Tract 96

Essex

Census Tract 7

Hudson

Census Tract 41.01

Hudson

Census Tract 78

Hudson

Census Tract 41.02

Hudson

Census Tract 10

Mercer

Census Tract 10

Mercer

Census Tract 1753.02

Passaic

Census Tract 11.02

Mercer

Census Tract 1754.02

Passaic

Census Tract 14.01

Mercer

Census Tract 1755

Passaic

Census Tract 14.02

Mercer

Census Tract 1756.02

Passaic

Census Tract 15

Mercer

Census Tract 1758.01

Passaic

Census Tract 16

Mercer

Census Tract 1759

Passaic

Census Tract 17

Mercer

Census Tract 1802.02

Passaic

Census Tract 19

Mercer

Census Tract 1803

Passaic

Census Tract 20

Mercer

Census Tract 1806

Passaic

Census Tract 21

Mercer

Census Tract 1807

Passaic

Census Tract 4

Mercer

Census Tract 1808

Passaic

Census Tract 8

Mercer

Census Tract 1809

Passaic

Census Tract 50

Middlesex

Census Tract 1810

Passaic

Census Tract 51

Middlesex

Census Tract 1812

Passaic

Census Tract 52

Middlesex

Census Tract 1813

Passaic

Census Tract 53

Middlesex

Census Tract 1814

Passaic

Census Tract 56.02

Middlesex

Census Tract 1815

Passaic

Census Tract 58

Middlesex

Census Tract 1817.02

Passaic

Census Tract 93

Middlesex

Census Tract 1818

Passaic

Census Tract 8056

Monmouth

Census Tract 1820

Passaic

Census Tract 8070.03

Monmouth

Census Tract 1821

Passaic

Census Tract 8070.04

Monmouth

Census Tract 1822

Passaic

Census Tract 8071

Monmouth

Census Tract 1823.01

Passaic

Census Tract 8072

Monmouth

Census Tract 1823.02

Passaic

Census Tract 8073

Monmouth

Census Tract 1829

Passaic

Census Tract 8076

Monmouth

Census Tract 1832

Passaic

Census Tract 435

Morris

Census Tract 2239

Passaic

Census Tract 7152

Ocean

Census Tract 2642

Passaic

Census Tract 7153.01

Ocean

Census Tract 203

Salem

Census Tract 7153.02

Ocean

Census Tract 220

Salem

Census Tract 7154.02

Ocean

Census Tract 221

Salem

Census Tract 7155

Ocean

Census Tract 304

Union

Census Tract 7156

Ocean

Census Tract 306

Union

Census Tract 7157

Ocean

Census Tract 317

Union

Census Tract 7158

Ocean

Census Tract 319.04

Union

Census Tract 1752

Passaic

Census Tract 389

Union

Census Tract 1753.01

Passaic

Census Tract 393

Union