ERIC Digest No. 216. The work-first philosophy has created challenges for adult and vocational educators who provide education and training for welfare recipients. Recommendations for program development based on the literature conclude the Digest.
Assumptions underlying the legislation present another set of issues.
Also, an assumption exists that a lack of literacy and basic skills leads to unemployment. Thus programs rarely encourage participants to engage in analysis of the system that has created the need for welfare. Although the welfare rolls have dropped significantly since the introduction of TANF, this reduction may be attributed in part to the current booming economy. Programs that used a combined approach were more successful in helping participants obtain employment and increase their earnings, while reducing welfare payments. Grubb et al. also found that effective programs collected and used information on program outcomes to improve programs as well as to satisfy funding requirements for outcome measures.