Historically, welfare recipients have been allowed, and even encouraged, to pursue college
degrees while receiving aid. The Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) program, implemented
as part of the Family Support Act of 1988, focused specifically on skills acquisition for welfare
recipients. Under JOBS, all but three states allowed participants to satisfy program requirements
with postsecondary education (U.S. House of Representatives 1994: Table 10-4). Estimates indicate
that in 1992, nearly 15 percent of participants per month nationwide satisfied their JOBS
requirements through postsecondary education (U.S. House of Representatives 1994: Table 10-6).