About the
Migrant
Education
Program
(MEP)
The purpose of the Migrant Education Program is to help migratory children find success through education. The MEP specifically works to ensure that migratory students are able to meet challenging academic standards, receive a high school diploma or equivalent, and successfully transition to college, a career, or the military.
The Migrant Education Program is a federal program that provides funding to every state to help meet the needs of the migratory students who live, work in, or move to that state. In Texas, this program is managed by the Texas Education Agency.
To learn how your child may qualify for the MEP, watch this video.
What are the eligibility requirements for the MEP?
- The child is between the ages of 3 and 21.
- The child or child’s parent or guardian made a qualifying move in the preceding 36 months as a migratory agricultural worker or a migratory fisher.
- The migratory worker must have moved or traveled across school district boundaries and lived away from their home district while engaging in this work.
- The migratory worker must have done this work and made the move because of economic necessity.
What is the process for qualifying for the MEP?
- At the beginning of each school year or when you first enroll your child in a new public school in Texas, you will receive or complete an enrollment packet.
- One of the forms in the enrollment packet will be a Family Survey form. This form includes questions regarding moves and work-related activities.
- If you answer “Yes” to these questions on the survey, an MEP recruiter may contact you about the program.
OR
- You may contact the MEP recruiter or campus staff after an agricultural or fishing move. If a parent or guardian, or even your child, obtains or was seeking work in agricultural or fishing industries, your child may qualify for the MEP. Contact the MEP recruiter or district staff to find out.
What services will my child receive?
Migrant Education Programs are located across the country and may provide services to migratory children who qualified in a different state. Children who qualify for the MEP may receive additional educational and support services. The availability of these services is determined by several things:
- Funding provided to each district.
- Individual needs of each student.
- Services offered through other funding sources.
Each year, MEPs in Texas districts must decide which services to provide to migratory students in addition to those offered to all students in the district. These supplemental services may include instructional and support services.
Instructional services may include:
- Tutoring.
- Summer programs.
- Early childhood opportunities.
- State assessment preparation.
Support services may include:
- Clothing.
- Health visits.
- School supplies or access to homework tools.
- MEP support, advocacy, and coordination in working with school personnel.
To learn more about MEP funding and services, watch this video.
What if we do not qualify or are no longer eligible?
The eligibility criteria allow services to be provided to many migratory families. There are, however, some situations where a child may not qualify. There are also situations where a child initially qualifies for the MEP but due to some change in circumstances, may no longer be eligible. Some examples of this include:
- A child who was being serviced by the MEP has graduated from high school, received their GED, or turned 22 years of age.
- A family has migrated for agricultural/fishing work in the past but not in the last 36 months.
There are many federal, state, and local organizations that provide support, information, and resources for Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers (MSFW) and their families. Some of these are offered through the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Labor, to name a few. Each program has different eligibility requirements. This means that even though you do not qualify for the MEP, there still may be other programs and services available to support you, your child, and your family.
Our Family Support Resources page provides links to many of these different support options. If you do not qualify for or are no longer eligible for the MEP, visit this page to see if there are other organizations that may help meet your needs!
Not sure how to get started?
- If you are unsure of whether you might qualify for this program, contact the local Migrant Education Program recruiter in your school district.
- If someone you know needs any of these services, contact the local Migrant Education Program recruiter in your school district.
- If you are unsure how to contact your local MEP recruiter, complete this form to request information about a MEP contact in your area.