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10.3.2 In-School Youth (ISY) Criteria1

Effective date: August 2, 2018 - October 14, 2018

Individuals are in-school youth (ISY) if, at the time of eligibility determination, they:

  1. are attending secondary or post-secondary school;
  2. are not younger than age 14 or older than 21;2
  3. are low-income (homeless/runaway and foster care youth are automatically considered low-income);3
  4. are registered for Selective Service (if applicable);4
    AND
  5. satisfy the requirements for at least one of the following eight eligibility barriers:
    1. basic skills deficient
    2. English Language Learner
    3. offender or ex-offender
    4. homeless or runaway
    5. foster care
    6. pregnant or parenting
    7. has a disability
    8. requires additional assistance
  6. Note: Almost all male U.S. citizens and immigrants are required to register with Selective Service within 30 days of their 18th birthday.

The local WDBs may not add eligibility criteria, including, but not limited to, criteria related to county or state of residence.

Any costs associated with providing WIOA Title I services to non-eligible individuals may be disallowed.5


  • 120 CFR §§681.220 and 681.230; TEGL 21-16, p. 2. TEGL 21-16 states that because the process of program enrollment can occur over a period time, school status must be based on status at the time the eligibility portion of program enrollment is made (DWD-DET applies this rule to all eligibility criteria). 20 CFR §681.320 states that program enrollment only occurs after eligibility determination, provision of an objective assessment, development of an individual service strategy and participation in any of the 14 youth program elements.
  • 220 CFR §681.220(b) specifies that ISY include individuals with disabilities who are attending secondary school beyond the age of 21, if state law permits them to do so. Wisconsin Statute §115.76(3) does not permit individuals with disabilities to attend secondary school beyond the age of 21.
  • 3TEGL 21-16, p. 5
  • 4WIOA Sec. 189(h); 50 USC App. 453
  • 5TEGL 11-11, Change 2, p. 4