Migrant Education Program

About this Program

The Migrant Education Program (MEP) is a national program designed to meet the unique needs of children of migratory agricultural workers. The program was established in 1966 by an amendment to Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. It provides both supplemental educational and support services.

Mission
Identify, recruit and support migrant families by providing services that effectively allow them to achieve their educational goals.

What does the program provide?
Services may vary from one school or district to another depending upon the number of students identified and their needs. Direct services include, but are not limited to:

Referrals to food banks, clothing banks, low cost medical services and clinics, GED classes, citizenship classes, adult education, legal services and other community agencies.
Assistance with summer school enrollment and tuition.
Transfer of student records to and from Mexico through the Bi-national Program.
Scholarship assistance for outstanding migrant students.
Youth guidance and education support.
Supplemental instructional services.

Eligibility

Step 1: Find out if the student or family meets the below eligibility requirements

Migrant students are children (from birth through age 21) of parents or guardians who have moved across state or school district lines anytime during the past three years to seek or with the intent to obtain temporary or seasonal employment in agriculture, fishing or related industries.

Children can qualify even if their parents did not find the job they were looking for or if they have since changed jobs. Families may be eligible for free supplemental educational services based upon previous work in the following activities:

Students qualify for three years from the last qualifying move. Every time the family moves across school district boundaries to look for a job in agriculture, the children re-qualify.

Step 2: Identify or recruit a student or family

To identify a family for the MEP at DPS, complete this form at registration or call 303-365-5817 to see if a student is eligible. Once a student has confirmed eligibility, a migrant liaison from DPS will reach out to the family to offer services and student mentorship.

Once a student has confirmed eligibility, a migrant liaison from DPS will reach out to the family to offer services and student mentorship. DPS families are recruited from the Migrant Education Program (MEP) through the State of Colorado. Here is an overview of MEP recruitment.

Resources for our students, parents and families

Migrant education
Parents can be nominated to become a member of a Parent Advisory Council or PAC. Here is an overview of a PAC according to the State of Colorado.

Student events
Opportunities include: MYLI, SMYLI, Close Up and Migrant-Stem Academy, and students can be signed up by their DPS MEP liaison. Check out the State of Colorado’s overview of migrant events.

Clinics

How parents can get involved