This section explains who is considered a student for the Basic Food program, which students are eligible for Basic Food, and when student status begins and ends.
An applicant or recipient who is enrolled and taking at least six credits (half time) in an institution of higher education is ineligible to receive Basic Food unless they meet one of the exemptions described in this chapter.
An institution of higher education includes:
Business, technical, trade, or vocational school that normally requires a high school diploma or equivalency certificate for enrollment;
A college or university that offers degree programs regardless of whether a high school diploma is required;
Online schools (for example: University of Phoenix); and
Correspondence schools as long as the entry criteria or degree program characteristics are met and the student is considered attending at least half time.
All Washington state public universities, technical, and community colleges consider 6 credits to be half time. If someone is attending a private college or university, half time status must be verified with the school.
A student isn't considered enrolled in an institution of higher education if they attend only for the purpose of participating in one of the following programs:
EXAMPLE:
Kurt attends a technical college that offers both a two-year degree program and a one-year certificate program. The degree program requires a high school diploma or GED for enrollment, while the certificate program has no such requirements. Kurt is enrolled in the one-year certificate program curriculum. Since the certificate-only program that he's enrolled in doesn't require a diploma or GED, Kurt isn't considered to be enrolled in an institution of higher education. Therefore, Kurt doesn't have to meet student eligibility requirements for Basic Food.
Student status ends when the student:
See the Student Eligibility for Basic Food desk aid for help determining whether a student meets a student eligibility exemption.
When a student is in higher education, evaluate eligibility by determining whether they meet one of these exemptions:
Employed students meet the student exemption when they work at least 80 hours each month or average 20 hours per week. It is not necessary that they work 20 hours each week.
Self-employed students meet the student exemption when they:
For the work study exemption the student must be both:
If a work study job isn’t available or hasn’t begun, the student is still eligible for the exemption until they notify us they refused a work study job.
Students receiving TANF/SFA or participating in WorkFirst qualify for the student exemption.
Students attending school through BFET, Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), an approved state or local employment and training program, or Section 236 of the Trade Act of 1974 meet the student exemption.
To be considered an eligible student based on the need to provide care for a dependent member of the AU, the student must be:
One child can’t make more than one student eligible for Basic Food. See the Worker Responsibilities’ Case Documentation section below for allowing student eligibility based on dependent care responsibilities when both parents live in the household.
Students are exempt from student eligibility rules if they have a physical or mental barrier to employment while in school. This doesn’t mean the person is disabled or unable to work in general; it means they aren’t able to both attend school and work 20 or more hours a week or 80 hours a month because of physical or mental barriers. Qualifying students may be engaged with school services to address learning disabilities or chronic homelessness.
NOTE:
If a client is determined to be an ineligible student as they meet no exemption during the Basic Food interview, deny the application. Don't pend the application to allow them time to begin meeting an exemption. If the client wants to qualify for Basic Food through meeting student eligibility, they must reapply after their circumstance changes.
Example: Patrick is a student of higher education and applies for Basic Food. During the interview, he discloses he has a job interview, but hasn’t been hired. Patrick meets no other exemptions. Don't pend his application for the results of the job interview. He can reapply once he meets the 20 hours a week average if he is hired or if he meets another exemption.
Student income must be evaluated and verified for all students, even if the student doesn't have to meet student eligibility criteria.
Mark is a student at Western Washington University, attending half-time. He is 53 years old and doesn't have to meet student eligibility requirements. You must determine if he receives any countable or exempt student income.
Payments for the educational assistance of an AU member enrolled at a recognized institution of post-secondary education, school for the handicapped, vocational program or a program that provides for completion of a secondary school diploma or GED.
Work study program wages are earnings from a program operated by a post-secondary school in which the student works and earns money during the year. Federally funded work study is non-countable income, whereas state-funded work study is countable income.
Income-in-kind isn't considered payment for work and can't be used to establish hours of work week.
Do not count educational assistance that is excluded under WAC 388-450-0035 when determining eligibility or benefit amounts. Some educational assistance (except funding from Title IV HEA and BIA educational assistance) may not use funds for attendance costs. Count these funds as unearned income. See WAC 388-450-0035 Clarifying Information for the list of excluded educational assistance.
To determine how to budget VA educational assistance benefits, see WAC 388-450-0035 Worker Responsibilities #8.
Exclusions apply only to monies from an educational source and not to educational payments made from income available to the AU such as earnings, contributions from parents, TANF, etc. All educational assistance income must be verified.
See WAC 388-450-0035 to determine how a client’s educational income may impact their benefits.
Educational income isn't counted as a resource during the period of time the income is expected to cover (usually the school term).
Jake received a GSL of $5,000 for the school term of September 1 through May 24. He put the money into a savings account to use as needed during the school months. The $5,000 is excluded as a resource until the period of intended use expires at the end of the school term (May 25).
Document in a case record how you determined that a student was eligible for Basic Food along with how you verified that the student is eligible for benefits. The verification may be obtained from the student, source, or school. Examples of verification are:
School status: Statement from the student that he/she is enrolled at least half time is acceptable unless questionable. If questionable, verification is required (examples; awards letter, statement from school regarding number of credit hours student is attending and how many credit hours are needed for at least half-time, etc.). Some schools may indicate the student is attending "part time." This must be clarified, as this does not mean "less than half time."
Income eligibility: Work Study, TRA/TAA, and WIOA may be verified by the student (awards letters, copies of checks, etc.), school (financial aid officer), or source (Job Services). TANF may be verified via ACES.
Anticipating Work Study: A student's statement that they can reasonably expect or foresee being assigned a work study job is acceptable. The client still needs to provide proof they are approved work study as defined by the institution of higher education.
On-the-job Training: Documentation from the employer that the individual is attending school as part of the employee's training.
BFET enrollment: Basic Food applicants accepted for enrollment in an institution of higher education through the BFET program will provide a letter from the school (BFET partner college) indicating the student is enrolled in an approved program of study and will be accepted into the BFET program contingent upon DSHS approval of Basic Food benefits. See WAC 388-444-0015 for more information about BFET.
Responsibility for child: Student's statement he/she is responsible for the child if there is an age appropriate child in the household. His/her explanation about the availability of adequate child care should be written and is acceptable, unless questionable. If questionable, further clarification is needed. For example, if the non-student parent in a two parent household is not employed, but the student claims to provide more than half the care for a child in the home, further inquiry and documentation is warranted to explain why the non-student parent does not provide the majority of care.
Physical or mental impairment: If the impairment is evident to the worker, no further verification is required. If the impairment is not evident, verification may include temporary disability benefits from a from governmental or private source (such as Worker’s Compensation or L&I), or a statement from the individual's physician or licensed or certified psychologist.