The goal of the Migrant Education Program is to ensure that all migratory children reach challenging academic standards and graduate with a high school diploma (or complete a HSED) that prepares them for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment. Funds support high-quality education programs for migratory children and help ensure that migratory children who move among the States are not penalized by disparities among States in curriculum, graduation requirements, and challenging State academic standards. Funds also ensure that migratory children not only are provided with appropriate education services that address their unique needs but also that such children receive full and appropriate opportunities to meet the same challenging State academic standards that all children are expected to meet. Federal funds are allocated by formula to State educational agencies (SEAs), based on each state’s per pupil expenditure for education and counts of eligible migratory children, age 3 through 21, residing within the state.
State MEP grantees and local/regional MEP subgrantees carry out a range of activities and services to support the needs of migratory children, including identifying and recruiting migratory children, providing instructional and support services that help bolster and sustain the educational progress of migratory children, and collaborating with other organizations and programs that serve migratory children (e.g., Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, the College Assistance Migrant Program, or the High School Equivalency Program). MEP grantees and subgrantees vary in how they carry out these tasks. For example, MEP grantees and subgrantees may identify and recruit migratory children directly or assign this task to others. They also have the flexibility to provide a range of services, including direct academic instruction, online courses, graduation-planning assistance, health and dental care, clothing, transportation, and other supports that help migratory children progress and succeed in school.
This program is designed to improve the education of English Learner (EL) children and youth by helping them learn English and meet challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards. The program also provides enhanced instructional opportunities for immigrant children and youth. Funds are distributed to states based on a formula that takes into account the number of immigrant and EL students in each state.
States must develop goals for increasing progress in English language proficiency for EL students that measure their success in meeting challenging state academic content and achievement standards. Schools use the funds to implement language instruction educational programs designed to help EL students achieve these standards. Approaches and methodologies used must be rooted in evidence-based research. Local educational agency LEAs may develop and implement new language instruction programs and expand or enhance existing programs. LEAs also may implement schoolwide programs within individual schools or implement systemwide programs to restructure, reform, or upgrade all programs, activities, or operations related to the education of their EL students.