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Office of Program Administration and
Accountability
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No Child Left Behind
Title I, Part C:
Education of Migratory Children |
Megan Moore
Education Specialist
Virginia Department of Education
P.O. Box 2120
Richmond, Virginia 23218-2120
Voice: (804) 786-9935, fax: (804) 371-7347
Megan.Moore@doe.virginia.gov
Renee Abney
Migrant Data Entry Specialist
Accomack County Public Schools
P.O. Box 330 Accomack, VA 23301
Voice: (757) 854-2824
migrantedu@verizon.net |
| Introduction |
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Purpose
The purpose of the Migrant Education Program (MEP) is to design and support high-quality and comprehensive educational programs that provide migratory children with the same opportunity to meet the challenging state academic content and student achievement standards that are expected of all children. In addition, the MEP works to ensure that all migrant students graduate with a high school diploma (or complete a General Education Diploma) that prepares them for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment. Federal funds are allocated by formula to states based on each state’s per pupil expenditure for education and counts of eligible migratory children, age 3 through 21, residing within the state.
Objectives
(1) Identify, enroll, and serve all eligible migratory students in the Commonwealth;
(2) Support high-quality and comprehensive educational programs for migratory children to help reduce the educational disruptions and other problems that result from repeated moves;
(3) Ensure that migratory children who move among the States are not penalized in any manner by disparities among academic content and student academic achievement standards;
(4) Ensure that migratory children are provided with appropriate educational services (including support services) that address their special needs in a coordinated and efficient manner;
(5) Ensure that migratory children receive full and appropriate opportunities to meet the same challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards that all children are expected to meet;
(6) Design programs to help migratory children overcome educational disruptions, cultural and language barriers, social isolation, various health-related problems, and other factors that inhibit their ability to do well in school, and to prepare them to make a successful transition to postsecondary education or employment; and
(7) Ensure that migratory children benefit from state and local systemic reforms.
Services
Program services are provided to approximately 2,400 migratory students around the state through 10 local and regional programs. Priority for services goes to migratory children who are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL), and whose education has been interrupted during the regular school year. Strategies for providing services to meet the needs of the population vary throughout the state depending upon the availability of other programs and services and upon the fiscal resources of the MEP. Based on the number of migratory students in a school division, programs are either offered year-round and/or during the summer. Supplemental services may include but are not limited to: English as a second language instruction; computer literacy instruction; family literacy; general education diploma (GED) preparation; and outreach/advocacy work to increase the quality of nutritional, health, and dental care. |
| Federal Legislation and Policy Guidance |
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| Definitions |
The U.S. Department of Education has developed criteria to define an eligible migratory child, and must be used when certifying children to be served in the Title I Migrant Education Program.
Migratory Child
As defined in Public Law 107-110, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title I, Part C, Section 1309, a migratory child is a child who is, or whose parent or spouse is, a migratory agricultural worker, including a migratory dairy worker, or a migratory fisher, and who, in the preceding 36 months, in order to obtain, or accompany such parent or spouse, in order to obtain, temporary or seasonal employment in agricultural or fishing work —
(A) has moved from one school district to another;
(B) in a state that is comprised of a single school district, has moved from one administrative area to another within such district; or
(C) resides in a school district of more than 15,000 square miles, and migrates a distance of 20 miles or more to a temporary residence to engage in a fishing activity
Migratory Agricultural Worker
According to section 200.81(c) of the regulations, a migratory agricultural worker is “a person who, in the preceding 36 months, has moved from one school district to another, or from one administrative area to another within a State that is comprised of a single school district, in order to obtain temporary or seasonal employment in agricultural activities (including dairy work) as a principal means of livelihood.”
Migratory Fisher
According to section 200.81(e) of the regulations, a migratory fisher is “a person who, in the preceding 36 months, has moved from one administrative area to another, or from one administrative area to another within a State that is comprised of a single school district, in order to obtain temporary or seasonal employment in fishing activities as a principal means of livelihood.” The definition also includes “a person who, in the preceding 36 months, resided in a school district of more than 15,000 square miles, and moved a distance of 20 miles or more to a temporary residence to engage in a fishing activity as a principal means of livelihood.”
Qualifying Move
A move qualifies if: it is a move across school district boundaries; and it involves a change of residence; and the purpose of the worker’s move is to obtain qualifying work in agriculture or fishing; the purpose of the worker’s move was not to relocate on a permanent basis; and it occurred within the preceding 36 months.
Principle Means of Livelihood (PMOL)
PMOL means that an agricultural or fishing activity plays an important part in providing a living for the worker and his or her family. 34 CFR 200.81(f). This regulation means that a child who meets all other aspects of the definition of a migrant child is not eligible to be counted or served by the MEP unless the temporary or seasonal agricultural or fishing work is in fact an important part of their livelihood. Children whose parents do not rely on this work for their livelihood are not migrant children under the MEP and, therefore, may not be found eligible or receive program services. |
| Identification and Recruitment |
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The Virginia Department of Education is responsible for the identification and recruitment of all eligible migratory children in the state. Local migrant coordinators and recruiters implement recruitment strategies based on program needs as defined through the Virginia Department of Education Recruiter’s Manual. The manual outlines how to prepare for and conduct recruiting, how to identify migrant students, and how to determine eligibility.
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| Evaluation and Monitoring |
The Virginia Department of Education is responsible for evaluating the ten local and/or regional migrant education programs in the state through submission of an application for funding under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The following criteria are used to evaluate the migrant education program applications: (1) effectiveness of program services/activities to increase student achievement, and (2) progress of schools and school divisions serving migrant children toward meeting the adequate yearly progress (AYP) targets as defined in the Virginia Board of Education’s Consolidated State Application Accountability Workbook. (PDF Format)
The performance goals of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 establish the basis for evaluating the effectiveness of the migrant programs in Virginia.
Additionally, the Virginia Department of Education monitors all local and/or regional migrant education projects according to the federal programs monitoring system that has been established by the state. The three-phase program monitoring system model ensures program accountability through a local self-assessment process as well as analysis of program data. Finally, school divisions are required to complete the Title I, Migrant Education Program Evaluation report that documents student achievement data and other relevant program information.
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| Applications for 2008-2009 NCLB Federal Funds |
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| Program Descriptions |
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Accomack County Schools offers a 4-week summer session that is available to all eligible migrant children that reside in Accomack County. The migrant workers start entering the camps just as the regular school year has ended. The majority of the migrant workers originate from Florida or Texas. They come to Accomack County to work in the vegetable fields, primarily tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, and peppers. But a small percentage of the migrants work as laborers in the nursery industry that is prevalent on the Eastern Shore. Most of the migrant workers are Hispanic and speak Spanish as their first language. The number of school-age migrant children that accompany their parents to the Eastern Shore has remained fairly constant over the past several years. But during that same time there has been an increase in the number of unaccompanied males (out-of-school youth) entering the migrant camps. This is due to two factors: (1) the wives and children are staying behind so that the children’s education is not interrupted and (2) camp owners are maximizing the number of able-body workers that will occupy the camps. Approximately 250 school-age children and 241 out-of-school youth are served during the summer migrant program.
In addition to the educational program, all eligible students can receive dental services. This prevents loss of instructional days. Those students that are enrolled in the summer migrant program, including Head Start summer program, regular summer program, and out-of-school youth have access to the dental care clinic. This service is provided at no cost and transportation is provided. Accomack County provides comprehensive free dental services for all students throughout the school year. The clinics are funded through grants, county funding, Medicaid reimbursements and volunteer services.
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The Albemarle County Regional Migrant Education Program is an adaptable system designed to locate all eligible migrant students residing within its districts, evaluate their individual educational needs, and offer services to meet those needs. The regional district includes the counties of Albemarle, Augusta, Greene, Orange, Madison, Culpeper, Louisa, Fluvanna, and Rockbridge, and the cities of Charlottesville, Staunton, and Waynesboro. All students are enrolled in school, or if legal age to drop out or pre-school age are offered alternative educational services. The program is designed to serve the individual educational needs of each migrant student.
The migrant population fluctuates throughout the year in the region with the highest numbers present from June through October during the peach, grape, and apple harvest seasons. Other times of the year there is work planting and pruning in the fruit orchards and seasonal employment in nurseries. Many of the students and their families come to the area after the peach harvest in South Carolina during the summer and return to Florida for work in the orange groves in November. The migrant students in the area are 99% Hispanic and Limited English Speakers.
Approximately 230 unduplicated students and their families are served on an average twice each week with ESOL instruction in the camps, tutoring in the home, parent training, family literacy, “sheltered content area” instruction and bilingual instruction. Services are offered during the regular school year and during the summer and intersession sessions.
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The Halifax County Migrant Education Program serves migrant children and their families. Typically, migrant families locate to the county for employment in some area of agriculture. Some families remain for long periods of time and become employed in long-term jobs, such as those in the lumber industry, manufacturing, or construction. Spanish is the predominate language spoken in the home by most of the migrant families.
All instructional and support services provided focus on increasing student achievement in the Standards of Learning (SOL) based curriculum and improving English proficiency. Services include bilingual tutoring and small group and one-on-one instruction in each student’s base school.
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The Northampton County Public Schools division is situated in a rural area located at the southern most strip of the Eastern Shores of Virginia. The division is made up of two elementary schools, one middle, and one high school. Annually, hundreds of Hispanic farm workers and their families migrate to Northampton County from Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Georgia and Mexico in search of employment opportunities in the agricultural, forestry and fishery industries.
Employment opportunities for the migrant farm worker can begin in Northampton County as early as February and March. The process of laying tomato beds in preparation for the planting of pole tomatoes is begun at this time. During the months of April and May, the planting of cucumbers, squash, zucchini, and bell peppers begins. As the farming season progresses, many migrant farm workers can be found working in warehouses and grader sheds, grading string beans and potatoes. During the month of July, the watermelon picking season begins. From late summer through mid to late October, continued employment opportunities are provided to the migrant farm workers as they begin harvesting late summer tomatoes, late summer bell peppers and late summer cucumbers. The month of November brings the culmination of the farming season with the cleaning up of plastic, poles and other debris and farm equipment used throughout the summer.
While many migrant families are busy working the farmlands in Northampton, an estimated 110 of their children enter our public schools annually. A variety of educational experiences are provided throughout the year to these students. Within the first thirty days of enrollment every migrant student must complete several assessments: the English Language Proficiency test, a vision screen, a hearing screen and a dental screen. Results of these assessments are used to determine which services are required for the students.
Students identified as needing English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, are provided two options of service delivery. Dependent on the individual needs of the child, as determined by their performance on a variety of assessments, students will receive either "push-in" or "pull out" educational services. In most cases, students at the high and middle school level are provided instructional ESL services using the pull out model. Students at the lower grade levels are provided a combination of both push-in and pull out instructional services as necessitated by their day-to-day classroom performance. In addition, elementary students receive intensive language instruction in a Language Acquisition Lab operated by a certified teacher and a bilingual instructional assistant. An additional ESL teacher and bilingual instructor are provided at the middle and high school level.
In addition to the yearlong services provided to the migratory child during the regular school year, extended learning opportunities are provided through after school programs and the Summer Migrant Program. During the summer, a structured educational program supporting the Virginia Standards of Learning and incorporating other related enrichment opportunities is provided for five weeks to the migratory children. Students attend school daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Educational outreach services are provided to the out-of-school youth as well
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The Nelson Migrant Education Program (NMEP) has served migrant workers and their families for over a decade. The program serves the migrant children and youth who work in local orchards harvesting apples and peaches. Many travel from Florida every year while others come directly from rural towns in Mexico.
Therefore, in order to reduce the impact of educational disruptions and other problems that result from repeated moves, NMEP provides tutoring and support services during the school year. The number of students served changes with the seasons but it is usually above forty. All of them speak Spanish at home.
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The Nottoway Regional Migrant Education Program (NRMEP) serves the counties of Nottoway, Amelia, Cumberland, Prince Edward, and Lunenburg. Approximately 150 students are served throughout the school year. Students come from Mexico and generally speak Spanish. “Mixtec” is also spoken.
Throughout the year, migrant families are busy working the farmlands of Nottoway, Lunenburg, Cumberland and Prince Edward. Specifically in Nottoway, migrant workers assist farmers on dairy farms, on tobacco farms, cutting timber, and picking strawberries. In Lunenburg, migrant workers assist on dairy farms, on tobacco farms, planting pine trees, cutting timber, and picking strawberries. In Cumberland, migrant workers assist farmers with various fruit and vegetable crops. In Prince Edward, migrant workers assist farmers on tobacco farms and with cutting timber.
The migrant instructor provides many services to the children of the migrant workers. She works to recruit migrant students who need to be in school and she facilitates with the school enrollment. Once enrolled in school, tutoring services and ESL instruction are offered if needed. Computer assistance is available to students. Health, medical and dental assistance are also provided to the migrant students and their families.
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The Pittsylvania County Migrant Education Program serves families who come into the area looking for work, mainly on tobacco farms. After arriving, many settle out of the migrant stream into long-term jobs, such as those on dairy farms, in the lumber industry, in construction, or manufacturing. Most of the families speak only Spanish in their homes. An attempt is made to identify all migrant students in order to provide them with appropriate instructional services, including tutoring and support services. Informational parent meetings are held in cooperation with the Adult English Language/Civics program. Parents are encouraged to attend these meetings as well as to participate in adult ESL classes. Monthly newsletters are sent in Spanish to Migrant/ESL families. Various preschool programs are available. Families are assisted, whenever possible, with the required paperwork for receiving special services such as eye examinations and glasses and other medical needs. |
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The SVMEP serves the Counties of Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Page, Rappahannock, Rockingham and Shenandoah and the cities of Harrisonburg and Winchester. Within the region described, approximately 780 children are served during the year. Ninety-eight percent of those served are Latino. The large majority are first or second generation immigrants from Mexico, including a large population of indigenous Mixtec and Otomi, and a significant number of persons from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Puerto Rico. Most of the families are termed to be “settling out” as they have acquired year-round employment in the local poultry industry. Many have formerly been seasonal harvesters in Florida and North Carolina and nearly 10% of the total clients served annually are still involved in fall apple harvests locally. The SVMEP offers assistance to new residents with school enrollment and general orientation to the community. A corps of 75 volunteer tutors provide academic and social support to children in school. Extensive educational interpretation services and case management and support are offered to clients and local schools. Summer programs include bilingual preschool readiness classes and a statewide Summer Leadership Institute for promising migrant high school students, which is held in our region. SVMEP staff collaborates extensively with school and community agency personnel toward professional and community development to support our highly mobile, Latino clients. |
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The Southwestern Regional Migrant Program provides services in 21 schools in 8 school divisions (Counties of Carroll, Floyd, Grayson, Patrick, Scott, Smyth, Washington, and Galax City). Approximately 200 students and their families are served throughout the year. The majority of these families are Hispanic, coming from Mexico, Central America, California, Texas, or Florida. Many migrant families come to the area in late summer or early fall. Cabbage and apples are the crops that are harvested at that time. Families that arrive in late fall work with Christmas tree roping. In early spring, pruning of trees in the orchards and planting of early crops are conducted. There are a small number of families that work in the dairy farms and tree nurseries. Over the past few years, many of the families have begun settling out and are finding permanent employment in the area where they are able to continue contributing to the community. |
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The Colonial Beach Regional Migrant Education Program serves approximately 250 migratory students throughout the year in the Counties of Westmoreland, Richmond, King George, Caroline, Northumberland, Essex, and the Town of Colonial Beach. All students are from Mexico and are Hispanic. During the months of January and February, families arrive to plant strawberries, prune grapes, and plant and fertilize ornamental plants; March through May, families plant squash, melons, beans, etc.; June through August, families pick vegetables; August through November, families plant and transplant ornamental plants.
All instructional and support services provided focus on increasing student achievement by reinforcing the Standards of Learning (SOL) and improving second language proficiency. The CBMEP also offers a 4-week summer school session that is available to all eligible migrant children. Services include but are not limited to: supplemental ESL instruction, Bilingual tutoring, regular classroom instruction, one-on-one instruction, small group instruction, after school tutoring, family literacy, translations, home school liaison, networking, computer literacy, drop out prevention, and facilitation of school enrollment.
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| Resources |
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