Title I Part C

Purpose of the Migrant Education Program

In 1966, the U.S. Congress amended Title I of the ESEA to include a new section: Part C—Education of Migratory Children. Through this amendment Congress authorized, for the first time, a program that provided states with federal financial assistance to help improve the educational opportunities and academic success for the children of migratory agricultural workers. This program was called the Migrant Education Program, or MEP.

The ESEA, as amended by the ESSA, states that the purpose of the MEP is to assist states in supporting high-quality and comprehensive educational programs and services during the school year and, as applicable, during summer or intersession periods, that address the unique educational needs of migratory children; to ensure that migratory children who move among the states are not penalized in any manner by disparities among the states in curriculum, graduation requirements, challenging state academic standards; to ensure that migratory children receive full and appropriate opportunities to meet the same challenging state academic standards that all children are expected to meet; to help migratory children overcome educational disruption, cultural and language barriers, social isolation, various health-related problems, and other factors that inhibit the ability of such children to succeed in school;
to help migratory children benefit from state and local systemic reforms. (Section 1301 of the ESEA, as amended).
The principal operational goal of the MEP is to ensure that all migratory students meet challenging academic standards so that they graduate with a high school diploma or receive a High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) that prepares them for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment.

The Migrant Education Program (MEP) addresses the educational needs of farm worker children who move with their families to harvest the fruits and vegetables that help feed our nation.