Migrant and Newcomer Program Information

The Migrant Education Program is designed to provide supplementary educational and support services to identified migratory children and youth.

The main objective of the Migrant Education Program is to ensure that migratory children, and their families receive supplemental support and academic services needed to succeed in school. To qualify for the Migrant Education Program, a child must have moved within the past three years across school district boundaries with a migrant parent, guardian, or self, to obtain temporary or seasonal employment in an agricultural, fishing, dairy or food processing activity.

Academic Services:The Migrant Education Program (MEP) supplements the regular school program by helping migrant students sharpen their academic skills, assists them in becoming proficient in the core content areas, and provides them with an opportunity to participate in enrichment programs that otherwise would be unavailable. Services include: academic assistance, tutoring, after school programs, dropout prevention, parent/teacher consultations, monitoring of student grades and attendance, a library for checking out books and materials for students and parents. Children may qualify for tutoring in reading and/or math if they are working below grade level. For more information please contact your child’s school or the Department of Supplemental Services at 327-9564.

Who are our Migrant Workers?According to Sections 1309 and 1115(b)(1)(A) (which applies by reference) of the statute and 34 CFR 200.40(c) and (e) of the regulations, children who are migrant and have had the basis for their MEP eligibility are properly recorded and may receive services. Migrant workers seek temporary or seasonal work in agriculture, fishing, or related industries, including food processing. They follow the growing seasons across the country and are largely responsible for the cultivation and harvest of fruits, vegetables, and many other food products. Many migrant workers have an average income below the national poverty line. While many migrant families consider California to be their home base, others come from other states and countries.

What Makes a Child Eligible?To qualify for the Migrant Education Program, a migrant child must have moved within the past three years across state or school district boundaries with a migrant parent, guardian, or self, to enable the child, the child's guardian, or a member of the child's immediate family to obtain temporary or seasonal employment in an agricultural, fishing, or food processing activity. The child may be in any grade between preschool and the 12th grade and must not be older than 22 and has not received a diploma or GED.

Fresno County Office of Education notifies CUSD of any new families who qualify for Migrant services. Our Community Liaison then personally makes contact with all new families and offers support to both students and their families.  If you want more information or believe you qualify, please contact our District Community Liaison:  Rebecca Rodriguez at rebeccarodriguez@cusd.com

The Newcomer Program is designed to provide supports to students who have recently moved to the United States. Newcomer is an umbrella term for foreign-born students who have recently arrived in the United States. Newcomer students may include, but are not limited to, asylees, refugees, unaccompanied youth, undocumented youth, migratory students, and other immigrant children and youth identified by the local educational agencies (LEAs).

The newcomer program is intended to help bridge the educational and social-emotional experience of students. We support newcomer students and their families during, at a minimum, their first year of schooling in the United States.