1 Maternal Welfare and Work Combinations and Adolescents ’ School Progress

Using longitudinal data from a sample of 187 mothers who transitioned from welfare to work under welfare reform in Michigan, we examine the correlations between combinations of maternal work and welfare use and the school progress of these mothers’ teenage children. Results suggest that, relative to remaining on welfare, teenagers whose mothers left welfare completely or combined welfare and work were less likely to have been suspended or expelled from school. Wage-reliant mothers also reported higher levels of monitoring and greater teen participation in extracurricular activities, although levels of monitoring and participation in extracurricular activities do not account for the reduced likelihood of school suspensions and expulsions.