Migrant Education

California Migrant Education Programs and Services
Migrant education supports two kinds of programs designed to strengthen the school, community, and family experiences of children and their families. Some programs are developed locally by migrant education regional offices in collaboration with the school districts that enroll migratory students. Other programs are administered statewide and are designed to meet specific needs of students, such as those related to the identification and recruitment of migrant families, parent involvement, and student leadership. Both types of programs are described below.

Whatever program is developed with migrant education funds must be supplemental to other state and federal categorical funding. Currently, over 300,000 migrant students are eligible for services in 565 school districts throughout the state. Therefore, the Migrant Education Program (MEP) provides services to migrant students in over half of all school districts in California.

California’s diverse student population comes from many different ethnic groups, speaks a variety of languages and dialects, varies in English proficiency, and comes to school with a variety of experiences, academic and nonacademic. English learners have as their goal developing proficiency in English and in the concepts and skills contained in the English-Language Arts Content Standards. In order to learn English and achieve mastery of the English-language arts content standards, students must participate in instructional programs that combine skill and concept development in both English literacy and the English language.

These programs are designed, implemented, and evaluated through the collaborative efforts of MEP, staff at the migrant education regional offices, and educators at the school and district levels. Every effort is made to base the content and methodology of the programs on the needs of migratory children and their families.

The services focus on five major themes: standards and assessment; teaching and learning; professional development; partnerships among schools, parents, families, and communities; and funding and governance.

The programs listed below are provided throughout California and are available to all eligible migratory children. More information about the programs is available from the source cited with each program.