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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) 665-4930
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 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
According to Sections 1115(b)(1)(A) and 1309(2) of NCLB and Section 200.81(d) of the Code of Federal Regulations, a child is eligible for the MEP if:
- the child is younger than 22 and has not graduated from high school or does not hold a high school equivalency certificate (this means that the child is entitled to a free public education or is of an age below compulsory school attendance); and
- who is a migratory agricultural worker or a migratory fisher; or
- who, in the preceding 36 months, in order to accompany or join a parent, spouse, or guardian who is a migratory agricultural worker or migratory fisher -
- has moved from one school division to another; or
- in a state that is comprised of a single school division, has moved from one administrative area to another within such division; or
- as the child of a migratory fisher, resides in a school division of more than 15,000 square miles and migrates a distance of 20 miles or more to a temporary residence.
Migratory Agricultural Worker
A person who, in the preceding 36 months, has moved from one school division to another in order to obtain temporary employment or seasonal employment in agricultural work, including dairy work.
Migratory Fisher
A person who, the preceding 36 months, has moved from one school division to another in order to obtain temporary employment or seasonal employment in fishing work.
Move
Move or moved means a change from one residency to another residency that occurs due to economic necessity.
Priority for Service
Priority-for-service children are defined as school age migrant students whose education has been interrupted during the regular school year and who are failing, or most at risk of failing to meet the state standards.
Virginia defines Educational Interruption as: a student, in the preceding 12 months, changed schools or missed a "significant" amount of school time (e.g., ten days or more) during the regular school year due to the child's or family's migrant lifestyle. *
*Title I, Part C, Education of Migratory Children, Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance, 2003
In order for migrant students to be considered PFS, they must have one or more of the following at-risk indicators:
- Scoring below the proficient level on the Virginia Standards of Learning Assessments
- Scoring below the proficiency level on local academic assessments
- Classified as LEP
- At risk of failing to meet state graduation requirements
- Retained
- Overage for grade level
- Eligible for free or reduced lunch
- Classroom teacher recommendation based on classroom performance
Qualifying Move
A move qualifies if:
- it is a move across school division 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; and
- the purpose of the worker’s move was not to relocate on a permanent basis; and
- it occurred within the preceding 36 months; and
- it was due to economic necessity.
Seasonal Employment
Seasonal employment occurs only during a certain period of the year because of the cycles of nature, and that, by its nature, may not be continuous or carried on throughout the year.
Temporary Employment
Temporary employment lasts for a limited period of time, usually a few months, but no longer than 12 months. It typically includes employment where the employer states that the worker was hired for a limited time frame; the worker states that the worker does not intend to remain in that employment indefinitely; or the state has determined on some other reasonable basis that the employment is temporary.
Temporary employment in Virginia is identified two ways only: the employer or the worker must state the worker will not remain in the employment indefinitely. The worker or employer statement must be recorded verbatim on the Certificate of Eligibility. |
| Identification and Recruitment |
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. This manual has been updated to include the new national Certificate of Eligibility.
Virginia is required to document every migrant child’s eligibility for the Migrant Education Program on the national Certificate of Eligibility (COE) created by the U.S. Department of Education (USED). The COE serves as the official record of the state’s eligibility determination for each individual child.
Virginia Department of Education Migrant Certificate of Eligibility (PDF)
Spanish translation of the National Certificate of Eligibility (PDF) |
| Migrant Student Information Exchange (MSIX) |
The United States Department of Education (USED), Office of Migrant Education (OME), has implemented the Migrant Student Information Exchange Initiative to ensure the appropriate enrollment, placement, and accrual of credits for migrant children. The Migrant Student Information Exchange (MSIX) will allow all states to share educational and health information on migrant children who travel from state-to-state and who as a result, have student records in multiple states' information systems. MSIX will work in concert with the existing migrant student information systems that states use to manage their migrant data. States will continue to use their existing migrant student information system to record migrant data. MSIX will download the migrant data and make it available to other state migrant personnel through a secure log in.
Access MSIX
MSIX training information
E-mail for MSIX account help
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| Comprehensive Needs Assessment |
As required under Sections 1304(b) and 1306(a) of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Virginia is required to conduct a Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) for the Migrant Education Program (MEP). The purpose and scope of the comprehensive needs assessment was to identify the most significant and pressing needs of Virginia’s migrant students. The CNA was conducted during the 2007-2008 school year and provided an opportunity to analyze data, evaluate the MEP, determine program needs, and make recommendations to meet the needs of migrant students in Virginia.
Virginia’s Comprehensive Migrant Education Program Needs Assessment (PDF) |
| State Service Delivery Plan |
Section 1306(a)(1) of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires that states deliver and evaluate the quality of services to migrant children based on a state plan that reflects the results of a Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA). Virginia conducted the most recent CNA during the 2007-2008 school year. Virginia’s Comprehensive State Plan for Service Delivery describes the strategies that Virginia will pursue on a statewide basis to achieve the state’s measureable outcomes and meet the state’s performance targets.
The Service Delivery Plan (SDP) summarizes the findings from the CNA and provides a framework for implementing strategies to address the needs of Virginia’s migratory children. The SDP also outlines measures for monitoring implementation and evaluation outcomes. As required by, NCLB, the Virginia SDP specifically addresses the following: 1) performance targets; 2) measurable program outcomes; 3) needs assessment; 4) service delivery; and 5) evaluation.
Comprehensive State Service Delivery Plan (PDF) |
| Virginia Migrant Program State Self-Evaluation |
Section 1304(c)(5) of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires states to conduct a program evaluation for the Migrant Education Program. The purpose of conducting an evaluation of the Virginia Migrant Education Program is to examine program effectiveness and results of implemented program activities.
Virginia Migrant Program State Self-Evaluation (PDF)
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| Instruction and Assessment of Migrant Students |
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Virginia Standards of Learning and Instructional Resources
English Language Proficiency Standards
The Virginia Department of Education is responsible for ensuring migrant students participate in the Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments as stipulated in the Virginia Board of Education’s Consolidated State Application and Accountability Workbook. (PDF)
Virginia School Report Card
The Virginia School Report Card provides information about student achievement, accountability ratings, attendance, program completion, school safety, teacher quality, and other topics by schools, school divisions, and the commonwealth. Reports may be viewed and downloaded as PDF files or Microsoft Excel files.
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| Literacy Education And Reading Network (LEARN) |
As part of the LEARN Consortium, Virginia has access to the LEARN Web site. The focus of this website is to provide teachers with tools for assessing and providing supplemental research-based literacy lessons to students in grades K-12 to improve their foundational literacy skills. Educators can use this site to identify individual student literacy needs using Student Success Plans, enter students' missing skills into the website criteria, and access instructional lessons designed to improve specific literacy skills. Graduation Plans are also available on the Migrant Literacy NET to help secondary students and out-of-school youth overcome barriers to graduation.
LEARN Web site
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| Evaluation and Federal Program Monitoring |
The Virginia Department of Education is responsible for evaluating 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 Virginia Department of Education is required, as stipulated in the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), to: 1) monitor program compliance for federal requirements; and 2) ensure the correction of deficiencies in program implementation and operations.
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires the state educational agency to ensure that programs and activities are implemented as stipulated in the law. The Virginia Department of Education is responsible for adopting and using proper methods of administering each program included in the No Child Left Behind Act, including: - the enforcement of any obligations imposed by the law on agencies, institutions, organizations, and other recipients responsible for carrying out each program; and
- the correction of deficiencies in program operations that are identified through audits, monitoring, or evaluation. [9304(a)(B)(3)(A)(B)]
To meet the requirements of NCLB, the Virginia Department of Education will monitor Title I, Part C, programs as described above.
Title I, Part C, Federal Program Monitoring Document, 2008-2009 |
| Applications for 2009-2010 NCLB Federal Funds |
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| VDOE Presentations |
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| Migrant Program Parent Advisory Council |
Section 1304(6) of the of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires states and local migrant programs to establish Migrant Parental Advisory Councils (PAC). Additionally, local Migrant Education Program (MEP) must plan and operate the MEP in a manner that provides for the same parental involvement as required in section 1118 of NCLB.
June PAC Meeting Agenda (PDF)
November PAC Meeting Agenda (PDF)
State level Migrant Parent Advisory Council Meetings are held three times a year, once in the fall, spring, and summer. Migrant parents interested in attending a PAC meeting or viewing notes from a meeting may contact Megan Moore, education specialist, via e-mail at megan.moore@doe.virginia.gov or by phone at 804-786-9935.
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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. 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 school districts, evaluate their individual educational needs, and offer services to meet those needs. The regional district includes the counties of Albemarle, Augusta, Nelson, 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. The migrant students in the area are 99% Hispanic and Limited English Speakers. 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, and “sheltered content area” instruction. Services are offered year round, during the regular school year and the summer.
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The Colonial Beach Migrant Education Program serves students throughout the year in the Town of Colonial Beach. All students are from Mexico and are Hispanic. All instructional and support services provided focus on increasing student achievement by reinforcing the Standards of Learning (SOL) and improving second language proficiency. Services include but are not limited to: facilitation of school enrollment, after school tutoring, counseling, medical services, and translation services. |
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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 may include small group, one-on-one instruction and participation in the ELLIS computer program which focuses on language acquisition.
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The Northampton County Public Schools division is situated in a rural area located at the southern most tip of the Eastern Shores of Virginia. The division is made up of two elementary schools, 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, potatoes, 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. In addition, may migrant families work in the aquaculture business, such as growing clams. While many migrant families are busy working the farmlands in Northampton, 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. An additional ELL teacher is provided at the 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 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 four 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 Nottoway Regional Migrant Education Program serves the counties of Amelia, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Nottoway and Prince Edward. The program serves migrant students and their families throughout the school year and summer. The migrant population varies based on seasonal work activity throughout the regional counties. Families typically come to seek work in one of the following: harvesting fruit, vegetables, or tobacco; working on a dairy farm; harvesting timber; picking eggs or processing chickens. Most of the migrant families are Hispanic and students qualify for limited English proficient services as well.
The migrant liaison works to recruit migrant students who qualify for services and also assists with providing various services to the students and their families. The Nottoway MEP offers assistance with the school enrollment process, provides interpretation services for school meetings and notes/policies sent home, and assists with scheduling medical appointments as necessary. Homework assistance and tutoring services are offered to all migrant students after school and during the school day. Migrant students are encouraged to participate in after school programs and migrant families are encouraged to participate in parent/family activities. Migrant students participate in summer school where offered. Reading and math activities are provided to students who do not participate in summer school. The Nottoway MEP provides school supplies to students during summer programs, also at the start of the new school year and as needed when families arrive.
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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. 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 Shenandoah Valley Migrant Education Program (SVMEP) serves the Counties of Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Loudoun, Page, Prince William, Rappahannock, Rockingham, Shenandoah, and Warren and the cities of Harrisonburg and Winchester. 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. Many 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 volunteer tutors from local universities, James Madison University and Eastern Mennonite University, provide academic and social support to children in school and in the home. Extensive educational interpretation services and case management and support are offered to clients and local schools. Summer programs are designed to fit the needs and interests of the migrant student population. 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 17 schools in 8 school divisions (Counties of Carroll, Floyd, Grayson, Patrick, Scott, Smyth, Washington, and Galax City). Migrant students and their families are served throughout the year. The majority of these families are Hispanic, coming from Mexico, Central America, California, Texas, North Carolina, or Florida. Many migrant families come to the area in late summer or early fall. Apples, cabbage, and pumpkins 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 Westmoreland County Migrant Education Program (MEP), established summer 2006, is designed to provide migrant students with instruction and academic services during the school year and summer. During the school year, eligible migrant students receive instructional and academic support through a pull-out program. In the summer, eligible migrant students attend a 5-6 week summer school program.
The migrant families arrive in Westmoreland early spring, February – April, and stay until fall, late October - November. Most of the migrant families originate from Mexico and Texas. They work in several vegetable farms as well as nurseries in our areas. Few families work on oyster farms. The migrant families are Hispanic and speak Spanish as their native language. The number of school age children that accompany their parents to Westmoreland County is slowly decreasing. At one point, all of the English Language Learners (ELL) were also migrant students. Today only 40% of ELL students are also migrant students. This is a result of migrant families settling down and no longer moving in search of work.
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