Migrant Child Education Program

Every year a unique group of children move from place to place and enroll in one or more different school districts. They may stay in a particular community for several months or for as little as a day or two. There are thousands of these children in our nation. Like other children they deserve the opportunity to learn in school, yet the total amount of time they spend in the classroom is often far less than the national average. Who are these children? They are the sons and daughters of migratory agricultural workers or fishers and their mobility is not by choice but by necessity because their parents must continually seek temporary or seasonal employment in agriculture, fishing, or related industries.

Since migrant families must move to find work, their children often miss out on a continuous learning process which is so necessary for their educational and social growth. The special academic needs created by this lack of continuity may be further complicated by health and scoial problems which sometimes result from frequent mobility. All of these factors can have a direct bearing on the children's achievement in school.

Because the particular needs of migrant children are not always met by the regular school system, a migrant education program is federally funded under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The program operates throughout the United States and its territories, providing instructional and supportive services for migrant education are designed to supplement existing school programs.

Every effort is made to ensure program continuity throughout the nation. In this way, no matter where a migrant child moves, his or her learning will be much more than just a patchwork of different classrooms and faces.

The Mesa Public Schools' Migrant Child Education Program is only one of several migrant programs in the State of Arizona that provides services to students Preschool through 12th grade. The Migrant/ELAD program provides instruction and support to students who have a primary home language other than English and are experiencing academic difficulty.

Through the combined dedication of the program, schools, supportive agencies, parents and the community, "Children of the Road" are offered more alternatives and a greater chance for success as they become adults and contributing citizens for our nation.