Legislative Purpose [ESEA Section 1301 or 20 U.S.C. § 6391]

Title I.C aids schools that have enrolled migrant students. The program focuses on helping migratory students overcome the educational barriers that result from repeated moves, allowing them the opportunity to succeed in regular school programs, attain grade-level proficiency, and achieve the challenging academic standards established for all students in the state. Title I.C Migrant Education projects must be designed to provide advocacy and outreach activities for migrant students and their families that help them gain access to other education, health, nutrition, and social services available through local, state, and federal programs; overcome cultural and language barriers and social isolation; prepare for successful transition to postsecondary education or employment; and benefit from state and local systemic reforms.

​Definitions

Definition of a “Migratory Child” [ESEA Section 1309 or 20 U.S.C. § 6399]

According to sections 1115(c)(1)(A) (incorporated into the MEP by sections 1304(c)(2), 1115(b), and 1309(3) of the ESEA, and 34 C.F.R. § 200.103(a)), a child is a “migratory child” if the following conditions are met:

1. The child is not older than 21 years of age;

2. The child is entitled to a free public education (through grade 12) under state law or is below the age of compulsory school attendance;

3. The child is a migratory agricultural worker or a migratory fisher or has a parent, spouse, or guardian who is a migratory agricultural worker or a migratory fisher;

4. The child moved within the preceding 36 months in order to seek or obtain qualifying work, or to accompany or join the migratory agricultural worker or migratory fisher identified in number three above, in order to seek or obtain qualifying work; and

5. The child has moved from one LEA to another.

Qualifying Move [ESEA Section 1309(5) or 20 U.S.C. § 6399(5)]

A qualifying move

1. is across LEA boundaries;

2. is a change from one residence to another residence;

3. is made in order to obtain qualifying work; and

4. occurred in the preceding 36 months.

Qualifying Employment

Qualifying work means temporary employment or seasonal employment in agricultural work or fishing work.

1. Agricultural work - The production or initial processing of crops, dairy products, poultry, or livestock, as well as the cultivation or harvesting of trees, which is performed for wages or personal subsistence.

2. Fishing work - The catching or initial processing of fish or shellfish, as well as the raising or harvesting of fish or shellfish at fish farms, which is performed for wages or personal subsistence.

3. Seasonal employment - Employment that 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.

4. Temporary employment - Employment that lasts for a limited period of time, usually a few months, but no longer than 12 months. Some such work, though available on a year-round basis, may still be temporary if the worker is not likely to remain permanently at the job because of working conditions, intermittent periods of slack demand, or if DESE has determined the position to be temporary due to a significant turnover rate.

Priority for Services (PFS) [ESEA Section 1304(d) or 20 U.S.C. § 6394(d)]

Missouri LEAs receiving Migrant funds must target those funds to provide services to migratory students who are failing, or at-risk of failing to meet the state’s challenging academic achievement standards and whose education has been interrupted. Identifying PFS Students DESE has determined the following indicators shall be used to identify the students who should receive PFS. A migratory child who: 1. is failing; or 2. is most at-risk of failing to meet the state’s challenging academic standards; and 3. whose education has been interrupted. Prioritization of Priority for Services Students when LEAs have identified a significant number of PFS students, they have the flexibility to further prioritize PFS students by ranking the indicators either by number or weight to ensure services are provided to the neediest PFS students first.

 Educational Interruption

An “educational interruption” occurs when a child has changed schools or missed a "significant" amount of school time (e.g., ten days or more) due to the student’s or family’s migrant lifestyle. This determination is made on a “rolling” basis, that is, at the time an eligible migratory child is identified and enrolls in school, the preceding 12-month enrollment history should be reviewed for significant absences. An “educational interruption” must be documented as resulting from the student’s or family’s migratory lifestyle upon review of all the following data sources by appropriate staff:1. attendance records that reflect changing schools, late enrollment, or significant absences during the regular school year; and 2.appropriate Qualifying Arrival Date (QAD).Other supporting documentation such as medical records, issues with housing and transportation, truancy records, or any situation resulting from the migratory lifestyle must be maintained by the district.

Continuation of Services [ESEA Section 1304(e) or 20 U.S.C. § 6394(e)]

There are three circumstances in which the LEA may continue to provide services to students whose eligibility has ended 1. A child who ceases to be a migratory child during a school term shall be eligible for services until the end of such term; 2. A child who is no longer a migratory child may continue to receive services for one additional school year, but only if comparable services are not available through other programs; and 3. Secondary school students who were eligible for services in secondary school may continue to be served through credit accrual programs until graduation.

Information

• Guidance for the Education of Migratory Children under Title I, Part C ESSA
• Related Links 

Resources

• Migrant Education Parent Questionnaire Form  (English version)
• Migrant Education Parent Questionnaire Form (Spanish version)
• Migrant Education Parent Questionnaire Form (French version)
• Identification & Recruitment Move Notification