Title I Part C Migrant Education Program Supporting the Needs of Migrant Children and Youth in Georgia Presented by the Georgia Department of Education: John Wight, MEP Program Manager Israel Cortez, MEP Region 2 Coordinator 4/7/2015 1 What do you know about migrant children and youth? 4/7/2015 2 Homeless and Migrant Connection Individuals whose nighttime residence is NOT: – Fixed—stationary, permanent, and not subject to change – Regular—used on a predictable, routine, or consistent basis – Adequate—sufficient for meeting both the physical and psychological needs typically met in the home Migrant children and youth are at risk… 4/7/2015 3 Homeless and Migrant Connection The Homeless definition includes children and youth who are: • • • • • • • • sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar reason; living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due the lack of alternative accommodations; living in emergency or transitional shelters; abandoned in hospitals; awaiting foster care placement; living in a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus/train stations, or similar settings; migratory – who qualify as homeless living in circumstances described above. 4/7/2015 4 What is the Migrant Education Program? 4/7/2015 5 MEP History 1960 “Harvest of Shame” documentary aired on Thanksgiving Night www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7087479n 1965 President Lyndon Johnson “Great Society Initiative” 1966 Migrant Education Program included in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 4/7/2015 6 Program Purpose The purpose of the MEP in Georgia (and the United States) is to ensure that migrant children fully benefit from the same free public education provided to all children and that the unmet education-related needs resulting from their migrant lifestyle are met. 4/7/2015 7 Supplemental Program The MEP is entirely a supplemental program, meaning that funds can be used only to supplement, but in no case supplant, State, local or other non-federal funds. 4/7/2015 8 4/7/2015 9 Migrant Education Program Unique Feature • Before a migrant child may be served or counted for funding in the program, his or her eligibility must be documented on a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). These COEs are completed through face-to-face interviews performed by trained and qualified LEA and state staff, and they are certified by the state. 4/7/2015 10 Federal Definition of “migratory child” 1. Age: The child is younger than 22; AND 2. Educational level: The child has not graduated from high school or does not hold a high school equivalency certificate (GED). If the child is too young to attend school–sponsored educational programs, is old enough to benefit from an organized instructional program; AND 3. Move: The child and worker move for economic necessity across School District lines to seek or obtain, or accompany a parent or guardian, to seek or obtain qualifying work; AND 4. The time of the move: The move occurred in the preceding 36 months; AND 5. The purpose of the move: was to seek or obtain qualifying work or any kind of work and obtain qualifying work soon after the move. Qualifying work is work in agriculture, agricultural related, fishing, or fishing related, that is either seasonal or temporary work. The work must be performed only for wages or personal subsistence. 4/7/2015 11 Areas of Concern as identified by the U.S. Department of Education • • • • • • • Health Educational Continuity Instructional Time English Language Development School Engagement Educational Support in the Home Access to Services 4/7/2015 12 Access to Services • • • • • • Isolation Transportation Language “Newness” Immigration issues Need to work…. 4/7/2015 13 Special Educational Needs of Migrant Children and Youth • Gaps in learning resulting from repeated moves • Credit accrual • Continuity of education from state-to-state and district-to-district. • Language barriers • Emergency health and medical issues impacting academic performance 4/7/2015 14 Types of MEP Supplemental Services • Classroom support – inclusion and pull-out • After school, intersession, and summer programs • Tutoring, including home tutoring • English language acquisition assistance • College and career preparation • Health Services (when they impact academic achievement) 4/7/2015 15 Priority for Service • Program requirement – Identify student needs – Identify those failing or risk of failing – Identify those with repeated moves as well as failing – Create supplemental support based on the needs of the individuals • Provide services to those migrant students first, and then to other migrant students 4/7/2015 16 Preschool Migrant Children • Training for parents to focus on educational components in the home – EXITO and parental engagement • Access to preschool and pre-K programs in the community – Support within the school building – Support at home – Telemon, Headstart, GA PreK , other PreK Program • Faith Based, Migrant Headstart and others 4/7/2015 17 Out-of-School Youth (OSY) • • • • • • Identify needs English Language classes School enrollment GED Classes Health Education and Fairs iPods and MP3 Players 4/7/2015 18 A Modern Approach for a Modern World: Educational Technology in Migrant Education • Portable Learning Project (iPods, MP3s, etc.) • Taking advantage of modern solutions that offer new instructional opportunities for OSY • Appealing, convenient, self-paced instruction Characteristics of OSY • • • • • • • • Highly Mobile Limited English Proficient (LEP) Not interested in traditional schooling Adults not youth No interest in, & no time for, long-term programs Undocumented: few are able to rely on public assistance Unmet health/social needs Disengaged /alienated from schools/learning because of bad experiences & lack of success • Family responsibilities: their families depend on them for income or they have children 4/7/2015 20 Needs of Homeless Migrant Youth • Support Services • Health Information and Education – Poor nutrition, housing, & sanitary conditions – Limited health screenings • • • • Education – credit recovery English Classes Access to Social Services Child Care and Transportation 4/7/2015 21 Coordination of Services • School age children – speak with Homeless liaison at the school • Coordinate for services for the family – Local churches or ministries – Department of Children Services – Migrant Health – GA Dept of Community Health – Telamon 4/7/2015 22 Coordination of Services • Youth not connected to a school – Work with grower, farmer, crew leader to let them know of a youth looking for work and a place to live – Department of Labor – Telamon Corporation – Local Churches and Ministries – Migrant Health – GA Dept of Community health 4/7/2015 23 Resources • • • • • • • • • Public Policy Institute of California: Out of School Immigrant Youth www.ppic.org/content/pubs/report/R_407LHR.pdf Strategies, Opportunities, Solutions for Out-of-School Youth www.osymigrant.org High School Equivalent Program www.hepcamp.com PASS Center www.migrant.net/pass Pew Hispanic Center www.pewhispanic.org National Center for Farmworker Health www.ncfh.org U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Migrant Education http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/ome/index.html GaDOE MEP http://www.gadoe.org/School-Improvement/FederalPrograms/Pages/Migrant-Education-Program.aspx National Migrant Education Hotline 1-800-234-8848 4/7/2015 24 Contact Information John Wight Program Manager Migrant Education and Refugee Programs Georgia Department of Education jwight@doe.k12.ga.us Israel Cortez Region 2 Coordinator Migrant Education Program Georgia Department of Education jcortez@doe.k12.ga.us 4/7/2015 25