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Migrant Education Harvest of Hope Logo

​The federally funded Migrant Education Program (MEP) provides supplemental education and supportive services to migrant children. Funds are available to support projects in districts with documented migrant student populations. MEP projects operate in support of, and in coordination with, the regular school programs. During the summer, comprehensive summer school programs offer migrant children a full range of academic and supportive services.​​​​​​​

Tydings Waiver: Migrant Education Title I Part C Funds

The Illinois State Board of Education is requesting a waiver pertaining to Section 421(b) of the General Education Provisions Act (also known as the “Tydings Amendment”) to extend the period of availability of fiscal year 2021 Title I, Part C Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds.

The Title I, Part C Migrant Education Program funds local projects and a statewide contract to support local efforts each year. Many activities were limited or reconfigured during the pandemic years of 2020-21 in response to public health restrictions, and entities that were funded did not utilize their full allocations. This resulted in additional carryover to the subsequent years, which has limited our ability to fully expend our FY 2021 funds as we were still spending down FY 2020 funds.

The state is requesting a Tydings Waiver to extend the period for expenditure of the FY 2021 Title I, Part C Migrant Education Program funds so that we can utilize these funds to support summer and regular school year services that are administered by our local programs.

ISBE must post its Tydings Waiver application and solicit public comments. The letter ISBE will submit is linked below. 

Please submit any comments on the Title I Part C waiver application
by June 18, 2023 to multilingual@isbe.net.

 Program Purpose

The Migrant Education Program (MEP) is a federally funded program authorized under Title I, Part C, of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

The purpose of the MEP is to:

  • Support high-quality and comprehensive educational programs for migrant children in order to reduce the educational disruption and other problems that result from repeated moves;
  • Ensure that migrant children who move among the states are not penalized in any manner by disparities among the states in curriculum, graduation requirements, and state academic content and student academic achievement standards;
  • Ensure that migrant children are provided with appropriate educational services (including supportive services) that address their special needs in a coordinated and efficient manner;
  • Ensure that migrant children receive full and appropriate opportunities to meet the same challenging state academic content and student academic achievement standards that all children are expected to meet;
  • Design programs to help migrant children overcome educational disruption, cultural and language barriers, social isolation, various health-related problems, and other factors that inhibit their ability to do well in school, and to prepare them to make a successful transition to postsecondary education or employment; and
  • Ensure that migrant children benefit from state and local systemic reforms

 Eligible Children​

Trained recruiters interview families to determine each child's eligibility for the Migrant Education Program. To qualify for the program a migrant child must have meet the following requirements:

  • Younger than the age of 22;
  • Has not earned a high school diploma or an equivalent degree;
  • Has moved on his/her own as a migratory worker or with/to join/to precede a parent, spouse or guardian who is a migratory worker; and
  • The move was​:
    • within the preceding 36 months
    • due to economic necessity
    • from one school district to another (special conditions apply to Alaska and Hawaii); and
    • from one residence to another

A migratory worker is someone who has moved within the past 36 months and engaged in qualifying seasonal or temporary work in agriculture or fishing soon after the move or, under certain circumstances, unsuccessfully sought qualifying work.

 Funding

 Priority for Services​

Under Title I, Part C of ESSA, eligible migrant children must receive priority for service if they have made a qualifying move within the previous 1-year period and are failing, or most at risk of failing, to meet the challenging State academic standards; or have dropped out of school.

 State Migrant Program Information

Program Links

 Migrant Recruiter Resources

Reference Material

Annual Recruiter Training

Migrant recruiter training is scheduled in the spring. For more information contact Reina Franco.

Questions About Recruiting

Contact Reina Franco, Illinois Migrant Identification and Recruitment Coordinator at 224-605-4743 or rfranco@niu.edu.​

 Migrant Program Contact Information

Assistance Contacts
Program regulations, grants and technical assistance Beth Robinson
Principal Consultant
ISBE
Department of ​Multilingual Services ​
555 West Monroe Street, Suite 900
Chicago, IL 60661​
Phone: (312) 814-3850
Fax: (312) 814-8636
Identification and recruitment, data, professional development and instructional resources Susana DasNeves, M.S., Ed.S
Director, Illinois Migrant Services at NIU
Northern Illinois University
Center for P-20 Engagement​
Division of Outreach, Engagement, and Regional Development
307 Lowden Hall
DeKalb, IL 60115
(815) 753-3341  ​

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