A school participating in the FWS Program is required to expend at least seven percent (7%) of its FWS federal allocation to pay the federal share of wages to students employed in community service jobs in an award year. In addition, one or more of the school's FWS students must be employed as a reading tutor for children in a reading tutoring project or performing family literacy activities in a family literacy project, unless the Secretary waives one or both provisions. The deadline to request a waiver of one (or both) of the above requirements for the 2026–27 award year is April 20, 2026.