Eligibility Criteria
In-School Youth
Eligibility: In-school Youth must meet the following eligibility guidelines:
- Attending school; and
- Must be residents of Imperial County; and
- U.S. citizen or otherwise legally entitled to work in the U.S.; and
- Age 14-21; and
- Selective Service Registration (if applicable, unless an exception is justified); and
- Low income; and one or more of the following:
- Basic skills deficient
- An English language learner
- An individual who is subject to the juvenile or adult criminal justice system (offender or ex-offender)
- A homeless individual
- A runaway
- In foster care or has aged out of the foster care system
- Pregnant or parenting
- An individual with a disability
- An individual who requires additional assistance* to complete an educational program or to secure and hold employment and meets one or more of the following categories:
- At-risk of dropping out of school;
- Involved with drug and/or alcohol (personally or live with a family member with this issue);
- Reside in a household with abuse issues;
- Math or Reading below an 8.9 grade level;
- Is a victim of domestic violence or sexual child abuse;
- Is gang affiliated;
- Has significant geographical barriers to accessing youth development services;
- Is a member of a migrant family; or
- Lack significant work maturity and/or lacks a history of work.
*NOTE: In any single program year, no more than 5% of Imperial County's total in-school youth participants can be those who require additional assistance to complete an educational program or to secure or hold employment [WIOA Section 129(a)(3)(B)].
Out-of-School Youth
Eligibility: Out-of-School Youth must meet the following eligibility guidelines:
- Not attending school; and
- Must be residents of Imperial County; and
- U.S. Citizen or otherwise legally entitled to work in the U.S.; and
- Age 16-24; and
- Selective Service Registration (if applicable, unless an exception is justified); and one or more of the following;
- A school dropout (no high school degree, GED, or equivalent)
- A youth who is within the age of compulsory school attendance, but has not attended school for at least the most recent complete school calendar quarter
- A recipient of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent who is a low-income individual and is basic skills deficient or an English language learner
- An individual who is subject to the juvenile or adult criminal justice system (offender or ex-offender)
- A homeless individual
- A runaway
- In foster care or has aged out of the foster care system
- Pregnant or parenting
- A youth who is an individual with a disability
- A low-income individual who requires additional assistance to enter or complete an educational program, or to secure or hold employment and meets one or more of the following categories:
- At-risk of dropping out of school;
- Involved with drug and/or alcohol (personally or live with a family member with this issue);
- Reside in a household with abuse issues;
- Math or Reading below an 8.9 grade level;
- Is a victim of domestic violence or sexual child abuse;
- Is gang affiliated;
- Has significant geographical barriers to accessing youth development services;
- Is a member of a migrant family; or
- Lack significant work maturity and/or lacks a history of work.
