Child Eligibility

Alaska’s migratory children are identified and recruited by trained migrant education staff in each school district. It is the primary role of the recruiter to determine potential eligibility.

In Alaska the term migratory child means a child or youth who is entitled to free public education or is not yet at grade level at which free public education is offered, made a qualifying move due to economic necessity across school district boundaries (or 20 or more miles to a temporary residence in a school district of more than 15,000 square miles) in the preceding 36 months:

• as a migratory agricultural worker or a migratory fisher; or
• with, or to join, a parent/guardian or spouse who is a migratory agricultural worker or a migratory fisher.

Definitions

Qualifying Move: 

The term "qualifying move" means a move due to economic necessity —

1. from one residence to another residence; and
2. from one school district to another school district, except —
   1. in the case of a State that is comprised of a single school district, wherein a qualifying move is from one administrative area to another within such district; or
   2. in the case of a school district of more than 15,000 square miles, wherein a qualifying move is a distance of 20 miles or more to a temporary residence.

ESEA, Section 1309(5)

Migratory Agricultural Worker: 

The term ‘‘migratory agricultural worker’’ means an individual who made a qualifying move in the preceding 36 months and, after doing so, engaged in new temporary or seasonal employment or personal subsistence in agriculture, which may be dairy work or the initial processing of raw agricultural products. If an individual did not engage in such new employment soon after a qualifying move, such individual may be considered a migratory agricultural worker if the individual actively sought such new employment and has a recent history of moves for temporary or seasonal agricultural employment.

ESEA, Section 1309(2)

Migratory Fisher:

The term ‘‘migratory fisher’’ means an individual who made a qualifying move in the preceding 36 months and, after doing so, engaged in new temporary or seasonal employment or personal subsistence in fishing. If the individual did not engage in such new employment soon after the move, the individual may be considered a migratory fisher if the individual actively sought such new employment and has a recent history of moves for temporary or seasonal fishing employment.

ESEA, Section 1309(4)

State Guiding Documents

Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA)

The primary purpose of a CNA is to guide the overall design of the MEP on a statewide basis. Alaska’s most recent CNA was finalized in December 2018. The CNA committee identified four areas of need for the Alaska MEP: academic support in ELA and math, high school graduation, school readiness, and support services.

Comprehensive Needs Assessment (pdf)

Service Delivery Plan (SDP)

States are required to develop a migrant-specific plan that will assist migratory children in making progress toward achievement of the State’s long-term goals and measurements of interim progress. This plan, known as the Service Delivery Plan (SDP), outlines the delivery and evaluation of the services provided to migratory children through their MEP. The SDP is developed from the results of an up-to-date statewide CNA. Alaska’s most recent Service Delivery Plan was updated as of February 2019.

Service Delivery Plan (pdf)

Evaluation Report

States are required to determine the effectiveness of their Migrant Education Program (MEP) in a written evaluation report that measures the implementation and results of the program. Implementation evaluation focuses on the extent to which programs were delivered as intended. Evaluating program results involves focusing on measuring student performance against the State’s measurable program outcomes (MPOs) and the State’s performance targets. States use the results of the evaluation to improve the services provided to migratory children.

2019-20 Evaluation Report

2019-20 Evaluation Program Results PPT

District Responsibilties

Districts that receive Title I-C funds carry out a variety of activities as a condition of participating in the program including, but not limited to:

• Identifying and recruiting migratory children and youth.
• Establishing and implementing a system of quality controls for the proper identification and recruitment of migratory children and youth.
• Promoting interstate and intrastate coordination of services for migratory children.
• Conducting parent and family engagement in the planning and operation of the local MEP.
• Identifying and addressing the unique educational needs of migratory children and youth.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of the MEP to improve services provided to migratory children.

District Level Written Procedures Template

It is a requirement that districts operating a local migrant education program have written processes for identification & recruitment, quality control, needs assessment, service delivery, and evaluation. Districts may choose to use a template that consolidates these required written procedures into one document.

District Level Guiding Documents Template (docx)

Resources

• Parent Engagement Guidance (pdf)
• Needs Assessment Guidance (pdf)
• Provision of Services Guidance (pdf)
• Program Evaluation Guidance (pdf)
• Parent and Family Engagement Poster (pdf)

Identification & Recruitment

The identification & recruitment (ID&R) of migratory children is essential because the district must create a record of eligibility for each migratory child before he or she can receive any of the Migrant Education Program (MEP) educational or supportive services. The longer it takes a district to find a migratory child, the more time passes before the child receives the extra services he or she may need to succeed.

Recruitment Forms

• Alaska Migrant Web System
• Certificate of Eligibility (05-23-029)
• Annual Re-certification of No New Moves (05-15-031)

Manuals

• Recruiter Handbook (pdf)
• Records Manager Guide (pdf)

Annual Training Materials

• Fall Training Materials

District Agreement Forms

• Designated SEA Reviewer Form (05-07-059)
• Migrant Web System User Access Form (05-22-001)

Other Resources

• Alaska School District Map (pdf)
• Alaska School District Map (xlsx)
• Recruiting Brochure [by PAC] (docx)
• Identification & Recruitment Flyer (pdf)

Fiscal Management

The criteria that all State educational agencies (SEAs) and local operating agencies (LOAs) must consider when determining if they may use MEP funds for a particular activity or (instructional or support) service is:

1. the activity or service comports with the results of the State’s Comprehensive Needs Assessment and the strategies outlined in the State’s Service Delivery Plan;
2. the MEP funds must first be used to meet the identified needs of migratory children that result from their migratory lifestyle, and to permit these children to participate effectively in school;
3. the activity or service meets the needs of migratory children that are not addressed by services available from other Federal or non-Federal programs;
4. the MEP funds are used to supplement, rather than supplant, the use of non-Federal funds; and
5. the costs of the service or activity must comport with the cost principles described in the Uniform Grant Guidance (Subpart E of 2 CFR Part 200). The cost principles require, among other things, that costs of the service or activity be reasonable and necessary, and be allocable (or chargeable) to the MEP relative to the benefit received.

Resources

• Title I-C Spending Handbook (pdf)
• DEED Federal Grants Management Webpage
• Allowable Cost Checklist for Federal Funds (pdf)
• ESEA Supplement, Not Supplant Requirements

State Parent Advisory Council

The Alaska Migrant Education State Parent Advisory Council meets annually and is comprised of members from six (6) regions in Alaska. The council helps the Department develop, implement and review plans for the state migrant education programs. Regional representatives are nominated on a three-year basis.

Mission Statement

We are parents of migrant students whose purpose is to gather and share information on migrant education activities and support migrant families in their endeavors to raise children able to reach personal and academic goals. We make a difference by offering support to migrant parents and encouraging statewide programs that build confidence and skills in our migrant children for their futures.

Regional Representation

Parents and Families

States and school districts are required consult with parents/guardians of migratory children in planning and operating the Migrant Education Program (MEP). As the first teachers of their children, parents/guardians know the needs of their children best and can provide insight into their children’s strengths and weaknesses. As such, migrant parents/guardians play a pivotal role in planning the educational programs and projects in which their children participate. Parent/Guardian engagement in the planning of the MEP enables parents to understand the program and have informed conversations with MEP and school staff regarding their children’s education. The empowerment that results from migrant parents/guardians providing input on policies and procedures of programs and services can lead to better educational outcomes for their children and overall improvements to the migrant family and community.

Contact your local Migrant Education Program to learn more about the program and to share your ideas or comments to improve services for your children, family, and the greater community!

Learn more about the State Parent Advisory Council by navigating to the “State Parent Advisory Council” tab on this webpage.

Resources for Parents and Families

Federal Resources