The general purpose of the Migrant Education Program (MEP) is to ensure that migratory children fully benefit from the same free public education provided to other children. To achieve this purpose, the MEP helps State Education Agencies (SEAs) and Local Education Agencies (LEAs) address the special educational needs of migratory children to better enable migratory children to succeed academically. More specifically, the purposes of the MEP are to:
- Support high-quality and comprehensive educational programs for migratory children to help reduce the educational disruptions and other problems that result from repeated moves;
- Ensure that migratory children who move among the States are not penalized in any manner by disparities among the States in curriculum, graduation requirements, and State academic content and student academic achievement standards;
- Ensure that migratory children are provided with appropriate educational services (including supportive services) that address their special needs in a coordinated and efficient manner;
- 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;
- Design programs to help migratory children overcome educational disruption, cultural and language barriers, social isolation, various health-related problems, and other factors that inhibit the ability of such children to do well in school, and to prepare them to make a successful transition to postsecondary education or employment; and
- Ensure that migratory children benefit from State and local systemic reforms.
Title I, Part C funds shall be used to meet identified academic and support needs of migratory children that result from the effects of their migratory lifestyle and disruption to their education. These funds permit effective participation in activities not provided under other programs.
Priority for service shall be given to migratory children who are failing or most at risk of failing to meet state and locally established challenging content and performance standards, and for children whose regular school year education has been interrupted. If Title I, Part C funds remain after these students unique needs have been met, they can be used interchangeably with Title I, Part A funds to provide service for other eligible migratory children.
Title I, Part C funds may be used for educational or educationally related activities that:
- Directly benefit a migrant child;
- Address a need of a migrant child consistent with the SEAs comprehensive needs assessment and service delivery plan;
- Are grounded in scientifically based research or are a generally accepted practice; and
- Are designed to enable the program to meet its measurable outcomes and contribute to the achievement of the States performance targets.
SEAs and local operating agencies may use MEP funds to provide the following types of services:
- Instructional services (e.g., educational activities for preschool-age children and instruction in elementary and secondary schools, such as tutoring);
- Support services (e.g., educationally related activities, such as advocacy for migrant children; health, nutrition, and social services for migrant families; transportation);
- Professional development (e.g., training programs for school personnel to enhance their ability to understand and appropriately respond to the needs of migrant children);
- Parental involvement activities;
- Identification and recruitment;
- Coordination activities with other agencies, both within the State and with other States nationwide, including the transfer of student records;
- Comprehensive needs assessment activities; and
- Evaluation of the MEP.
Applicants must submit a budget with a focus on a viable migrant education program, including personnel.