The California Department of Social Services has issued Questions and Answers about the CalWORKs Student Training and Education (STEP) Program. STEP provides advance standard payments for necessary books and supplies for postsecondary education.
CalWORKs recipients in private not-for-profit educational institutions are eligible for STEP. Students in adult education and adult schools administered by a community college and/or funded by the Adult Education Block Grant are eligible for STEP because they are publicly funded postsecondary institutions. STEP-eligible educational institutions include institutions located outside of California.
Massive open online courses qualify for STEP if the student is considered enrolled at a qualifying institution as part of the course.
For students in open enrollment classes that are varied hours, the hours of participation first by determining if the school considers the student to be enrolled full-time or part-time. If there is no way to confirm full-time or part-time enrollment, the estimated weekly participation hours are used to determine whether the student is attending full-time or part-time. The estimated weekly participation hours are entered on the WTW plan. If the county does not get a signed WTW plan at least 10 days prior to the start of the course, the county will issue the part-time advance standard payment unless and until it receives the signed WTW plan.
Education activities are effective when the county receives proof of enrollment in a STEP-eligible institution. New STEP participants can voluntarily participate in Welfare-to-Work until the academic term begins.
A student is considered enrolled when they provide proof of enrollment in the qualifying education institution. STEP participants must not be required to participate in additional Welfare-to-Work activities during school breaks immediately following the most recent term of enrollment. Part-time STEP participants who were assigned non-STEP activities to fulfill their hourly participation requirement must continue in the non-STEP activities during school breaks.
When hourly participation requirements change during an academic term, the county must engage the individual and adjust their Welfare-to-Work plan accordingly.
For students who are transferring, the school break falls between adjacent academic terms.
A sanction is considered cured when the county receives proof of enrollment in a STEP-eligible institution.
The county defers to the education institution in determining whether a summer session is considered condensed, and whether the participant is enrolled full-time or part-time.
STEP participants are entitled to the full advance standard payment even if they will reach their 60-month time on aid limit during the term because eligibility for the payment is determined at the beginning of the term.
Counties can require verification of attendance for processing transportation requests if that is consistent with the county’s written policy for transportation reimbursement.
There are no special child care rules for STEP participants. They remain eligible for child care during school breaks.
Students can be required to complete an updated orientation and/or appraisal if they have had a one-year break in either receipt of aid or supportive services. For intercounty transfers, the county can only require orientation and/or appraisal if more than one year has passed since receipt of aid or supportive services.
School attendance can be verified by a CalWORKs coordinator at the institution, or by county staff. Attendance verification cannot be used to justify initiating noncompliance or sanction. (ACL 25-76, October 20, 2025.)
