MODULE 1: Foundations of Recruitment

  • Section 1: MEP Overview and History
  • Section 2: The Process of I&R
  • Section 3: Essential Roles and Responsibilities of an MEP Recruiter




    • Section 1: MEP Overview and History

    Goal

    The recruiter will understand the background and requirements of the Migrant Education Program (MEP).

    Objectives

    After completing this section, the participant will be able to:

    • Describe the characteristics of migratory agricultural workers or fishers and their importance to the economy
    • Describe the purpose of the MEP
    • Recall the basic history of the MEP
    • Identify the basic eligibility criteria and their source
    • Define key MEP terms
    • Describe the MEP’s relationship to Title I, Part A of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and other relevant Federal programs
    • Describe the roles of local, State, and Federal staff in the MEP
    • Articulate the services and benefits that the MEP can provide to migrant children, youth, and families.

    Materials:

    • “History of the MEP” video
    • “Chronology of the MEP” PowerPoint
    • “Services of the MEP” PowerPoint
    •  Eligibility Factors handout; and
    •  Migrant Education Program Definitions poster(s).

     

    “History of MEP” Video

    Video will include the following:

    1. History of MEP;
    2. Purpose of MEP;
    3. Authorizing legislation of MEP;
    4. Difference between Title I, Part A of the ESEA and Title I, Part C;
    5. Basic eligibility factors; and
    6. Role of the State Educational Agency (SEA) in the MEP.

     

     

    Notes from the Video

    • History of the MEP
    1. How did the nation come to know the plight of migrant workers in the 20th Century?  (Answer: Edward R. Murrow’s 1960 documentary, “Harvest of Shame”)
    2. What happened in education in 1965?  (Answer: Under President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society Program, Congress passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). Title I, Part A of the ESEA requires that all children have access to an education regardless of their socioeconomic status.)
    3. Did President Johnson’s Great Society Program and Title I, Part A of the ESEA meet the needs of migrant children? Why or why not?  (Answer: Although Title I, Part A provided funding for an educational program for disadvantaged children,including migrant children, it could not meet the needs of migrant children because of their frequent movement.
    • Purpose of the MEP (U.S. Department of Education 2007, page 3)
    1. What is the purpose of the MEP?  (Answer: To help States address the special educational needs of migrant children due to their migratory lifestyle so that all migrant children succeed in school and receive a high school diploma or pass a high school equivalency test.)
    • What is the authorizing legislation of MEP?  (Answer: Title I, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended.)
    •  What is the difference between Title I, Part A of the ESEA and Title I, Part C of the ESEA?  (Answer: Title I, Part A provides funding to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to create programs for disadvantaged children, including migrant children. Title I, Part C provides funding to State Education Agencies (SEAs) to establish and improve programs that address the special educational needs of migrant children.)
    • What are some key factors that need to be considered to determine whether a migrant child is eligible for the MEP?  (Answer: Age, School completion, Moving across school district boundaries, Date of move,Reason for the move, and Qualifying work.)
    • What is the role of the SEA in the MEP?  (Answer:  The SEA is responsible for administering its State’s MEP.  SEAs can decide which services to provide and how to coordinate these services with schools, agencies, and other federally-funded programs.  SEAs are ultimately responsible for the proper and timely identification and recruitment (ID&R) of eligible migrant children.)

     

    “Chronology of the MEP” PowerPoint

    Review slides (link below)

    CHS Module 1 PPT Chronology of the MEP

     

    Review basic eligibility factors handout

    Basic Migrant Child Eligibility Factors Handout V.1.0

     

    Review Code of Federal Regulations (definitions)

    MEP Definitions Poster-8 x 11 V. 1.0

     

    Points to be noted:

    • Understanding and using federal laws is critical, and they provide useful information as we identify and serve migratory children.
    • The Federal Migrant Education Program regulations provide rules, definitions, and boundaries for serving this population.
    • The Code of Federal Regulations at 34 CFR Part 200 contains the rules and proposed rules and notices of the Federal Government.
    • This poster is based on the § 200.81 of regulations which contains a listing of MEP definitions that are critical to your understanding of the identification and recruitment (I&R) of migratory children.

     

    Key Terms/Acronyms

    Do you know what each acronym means?

    Draw lines from the terms or acronyms to the corresponding correct definition:

    1. OME                       J. Office of Migrant Education

    2. MEP                       H. Migrant Education Program

    3. COE                        G. Certificate of Eligibility

    4. FERPA                  E. Federal law (1974)- gives parents privacy and disclosure rights regarding school records

    5. I&R                         I. Identification and Recruitment

    6. ESEA                     D. Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965, as amended

    7. LEA                       C. Local Educational Agency

    8. LOA                       F. Local Operating Agency

    9. NRG                       B. Non-Regulatory Guidance

    10. SEA                     A. State Educational Agency

     POST: Answer Key

     

    Characteristics of Migrant Workers (U.S. Department of Education 2007; Kuenzi 2002)

    • Suffer extreme poverty, low-income group
    • Are isolated from services
    • Are discriminated against based on race, English language deficiencies, and mobility
    • Live in rural areas
    • Family has high value for education
    • Often have low levels of education
    • Their network is different from most people’s in U.S. society
    • Limited transportation
    • Experience health problems
    • Often move to and from other countries, especially Mexico
    • Older children often act as translators for family
    • Are hard-working and resilient

     

    “Services of the MEP” PowerPoint

    Review slides (link below)

    CHS Module 1 PPT Services of the MEP

    Points to be noted:

    A. Benefits to Recipient (Child or Youth)

    • Increased self-esteem
    • Productive members of society
    • Through education, break the cycle of poverty
    • Educational opportunities
    • Emotional support in school

    B. Benefits to Family

    • Children are not left unsupervised
    • Referral to programs for assistance (i.e., health programs, housing, etc.)
    • As children become more educated, they can aid the rest of the family
    • Educational opportunities to children
    • Liaison with school community
    • Understanding the importance of education

    C. Benefits to Local Community

    • Productive members of society and positive role models in the community
    • Greater tax basis
    • Educationally successful children
    • Labor supply: more, well educated workers

     

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    Section 2: The Process of I&R

    Goal

    The recruiter will understand the identification and recruitment (I&R) process.

    Objectives

    After completing this section, the participant will be able to

    • Define the terms “identification” and “recruitment”
    • Identify the MEP Federal, State, and local levels
    • Explain the roles of staff in ID&R at those levels
    • Explain the importance of identifying and recruiting migrant children

    Materials:

    “Identification and Recruitment” PowerPoint slides

     

    Key purposes of MEP

    1. Support high-quality and comprehensive educational programs for migrant children to help reduce the educational disruption and other problems that result from repeated moves
    2. 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
    3. Ensure that migrant children receive the appropriate educational services (including supportive services)that address their special needs in a coordinated and efficient manner;
    4. 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;
    5. 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 post-secondary education or employment; and
    6. Ensure that migrant children benefit from State and local systemic reforms.

     

    Identification and Recruitment

    Definitions slides (3-4):

    Examples of Identification:

    •  Getting a list of students from schools, including school referrals;
    •  Making phone calls to farmers, schools, churches, and other agencies;
    •  Securing contact information;
    •  Beginning the process of determining eligibility;
    •  Driving through camps and neighborhoods where families live and work; and
    •  Talking with migrant families who might know about other eligible families.

    Examples of recruitment:

    • Calling families and youth,
    •  Interviewing families,
    •  Asking the right questions,
    •  Going to the homes and meeting families face-to-face, and
    •  Going to the work site.

     

    MEP Organization and Staff I&R Roles

    Review slide (5):

    Points to be noted:

    • The I&R process takes place at all levels of the MEP: Federal, State and local.
    • At the Federal level, the Office of Migrant Education (OME) in the U.S. Department of Education administers the MEP nationally.
    • OME provides guidance and support to the State Departments of Education.

    OME (Office of Migrant Education)

    • Provides national leadership and initiatives
    • Calculates State MEP allocations
    • Monitors State programs for compliance
    • Collects and analyzes student performance data
    • Assigns a program officer or contact to oversee the MEP operations of individual States
    • I&R team supports State recruitment efforts
    • Reviews individual State ID&R issues and makes determinations
    • Provides technical assistance and training materials through the Migrant Education Resource Center

    State Migrant Education (CDE: California Department of Education)

    • Provides leadership and direction for the MEP statewide
    • Ensures that all local programs comply with applicable laws and other requirements
    • Develops a service delivery program for all migrant children statewide
    • Answers questions referred from regional or local levels
    • Monitors and audits local programs for quality control
    • Maintains a statewide student database of eligible children
    • Develops State ID&R Plan
    • Ensures all eligible children in the State are identified and recruited
    • Develops a formal process to map all of the areas within the State where all families are likely to reside
    • Develops procedures for effective ID&R of all eligible migrant children in the State
    • Provides guidance and training of all recruiters in the State on how to identify migrant children and make appropriate eligibility determinations

    Local Operating Agencies (LOAs)

    • Emphasize finding and serving individual migrant children
    • Provide other services beyond school
    • Support recruiters
    • Develop local application and service delivery plan to serve most needy children
    • Develop Local ID&R Plan or follow State Plan
    • Monitor programs for quality control.
    • Mintains a student database of all eligible migrant children
    • Carries out State ID&R goals and objectives

    Recruiter

    • Identifies and recruits migrant children by engaging in the activities just discussed
    • Assesses eligibility
    • Networks with agencies and organizations that serve migrant families and youth
    • Conducts research/surveys to assess concentration of migrant families
    • Develops Individual ID&R Plan
    • Reviews and assesses paperwork, process, and responsibilities for accuracy and quality ontrol

     Some States use a regional operating agency structure

    • This structure, like that of the LOAs, supplements the State Educational Agency Migrant Education Program (MEP) office.
    • Specific responsibilities can differ among ROAs.
    • Some States with ROAs are California, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Washington, and Mississippi.
    • If a regional office structure doesn’t exist in a State, its responsibilities would be shared by the State and/or LOAs. Some programs may further sub-grant to local districts.
    • Possible activities done by a ROA are:

    Regional Operating Agencies (ROAs)

    • Support recruiters
    • Provide technical assistance/training to local operating agencies (LOAs)
    • Maintain a region-wide student database of eligible children
    • Help provide comprehensive services
    • Develop Regional ID&R Plan or follow the State Plan
    • Monitor programs for quality control
    • Receive funding through State to carry out ID&R activities

    Note: If a regional office structure does not exist in the State, these responsibilities would be shared by the State and/or the LOA.

     

    Importance of Identifying and Recruiting Migrant children

     

    Here are some of the reasons why it is so important to identify and recruit all eligible migrant children

    • Even migrant children not receiving services need to be identified so their needs can be assessed and future services planned (U.S. Department of Education 2007, page 5).
    • Children cannot receive MEP services without a record of eligibility (U.S. Department of Education 2007, page 5).
    • When migrant families are recruited and become eligible for the MEP, supplemental services can be provided to them in the following ways:
    1. Instructional services, during the regular school year;
    2. Instructional services, during summer school;
    3. Parent participation;
    4. Health and social services; and
    5. Child identification and data collection.
    • When migrant children are not identified and recruited, the MEP can not ensure that they fully benefit from the same free public education provided to other children.

     

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    Section 3: Essential Roles and Responsibilities of an MEP Recruiter

    Goal

    The recruiter will know his or her basic responsibilities.

    Objectives

    After completing this section, the participant will be able to:

    • Describe the recruiter’s role in the MEP,
    • Outline the recruiter’s basic responsibilities, and
    • Identify the characteristics and skills of a successful recruiter.

    Materials

    “Basic Recruiter Responsibilities” PowerPoint Slides

     

    Common characteristics of a recruiter

    …as discribed in U.S. Department of Education 2007, page 10; U.S. Department of Education 2003, page 42.

    • Self-starter
    • Adapts to constantly changing environment
    • Makes correct eligibility decisions
    • Manages time wisely
    • Documents accurately & clearly
    • Works independently
    • Represents program effectively
    • Relates well with others
    • Gains trust
    • Has good interviewing skills
    • Demonstrates personal integrity
    • Exhibits cultural sensitivity
    • Speaks languages spoken by migrant workers
    • Good communication skills
    • Knows when and where seasonal and temporary employment is likely to be available
    • Develops good relationships with schools and businesses employing migrant workers
    • Knows local roads and locations of migrant housing/camps
    • Knows local agricultural & fishing production & processing activities

     

    Common characteristics of migrant workers

    …as discribed in: U.S. Department of Education 2007, Pages 1 and 5.

    • Extreme poverty
    • Low income
    • Isolation
    • English language deficiencies
    • Excessive mobility
    • Marginalization
    • Low levels of schooling
    • Hardworking
    • Resiliency
    • Strong family relationships
    • Self-sufficiency

     

    Roles of a Recruiter

    In addition to the recruiter’s primary job of identifying and recruiting migrant children, the recruiter also plays other important roles in ensuring that migrant children receive other important services. Although “recruiter” is the most common term to describe this staff position, because of the variety of duties involved, other terms can be used such as:

    • Advocate
    • Home visitor
    • Recruitment specialist
    • Interviewer
    • School liaison
    • Community liaison
    • Outreach worker

    Responsibilities of a Recruiter

    The recruiter’s primary job is to find and enroll eligible migrant children. Locating migrant children can be hard work, and the recruiter must become skilled at performing a range of duties and adapting to constantly changing situations to be successful. (U.S. Department of Education, page 9):

    • The recruiter represents the MEP to the family, so he or she should present the best possible image of both the recruiter and the MEP.
    • The recruiter may be the migrant family’s first link to the school and the larger community. The recruiter should take every opportunity to present the school and community in a positive light and provide guidance where possible.
    • The recruiter’s first contact with each family is very important. This is when the recruiter determines whether
    • the child or children are eligible for the MEP. This is also when the recruiter sets the tone for the home school relationship.
    • The recruiter should try to be helpful without letting the family become dependent on him/her.

     

    “Basic Recruiter Responsibilities” Power Point

    Review slides (link below)

    CHS Module 1 PPT Basic Recruiter Responsibilities

     

    Points to be noted:

    • It takes about three years for a recruiter to fully learn the job.
    • Developing the skills required to be a great recruiter takes much longer.
    • Effort, enthusiasm, and a willingness to learn are necessary for developing these skills.
    • Everyone can develop these skills, and the supervisor can help the recruiter do so.

     

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