Migrant children often function two or more grade levels behind their peers. They are 20 percent less likely to continue their education past the eighth grade and have a 50 percent chance of graduating high school. Migrant children need special attention to compensate for the changes in their environment.

The Migrant Education Program (MEP) is authorized by Title I, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The MEP provides formula grants to the state education agencies (SEAs) to establish or improve programs of education for children of qualifying migrant workers. These grants assist states in improving educational opportunities for migrant children to help them succeed in the regular school program, attain grade-level proficiency, and meet the challenging content and student performance standards that all children are expected to master.

The Migrant Education Outreach Program (MEOP) was established as a mechanism to reach migrant families who live in rural and urban school districts and typically comprise a small percentage of these districts' enrollments. A variety of educational support services and programs , including family advocacy, individual tutoring, ESL classes for Out of School Youth, educational field trips, Promesa Even Start, and Esperanza Homeless are offered to eligible migrant children free of charge.

Homeless Support Services

Homeless Support Services provides, free of charge, several educational and advocacy programs to support the education of children in temporary living situations. Children who are living in Suffolk County and who do not have a fixed, regular or adequate place to live are entitled to certain protections under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act concerning their education. Advocacy is provided for students, (those accompanied by their parents and those who are unaccompanied) parents or anyone working for homeless children in Suffolk County, providing a case by case evaluation and resolution of their needs. The Teacher Liaison acts as a coordinator between schools and community agencies to advocate for these ends. A network of school district Homeless Liaisons and agency professionals meets 4 times a year for all concerned to learn and to support each other for the rights of children under the law. An early intervention program called Mobile-Outreach Parent-Child Home Program serves families with preschool children through home-visiting with an early literacy, language development and parent support program. Homework help is provided in several shelters in Suffolk County to support children in after-school learning. Professional development training is provided county-wide. This office also serves as a clearinghouse of printed information and resources for the success of homeless children in school.

Parent-Child Home Program

The Parent-Child Home Program is designed to stimulate the development of educationally at-risk Pre-K children. Trained Home Visitors model to parents/caregivers how to talk and read to their two- and three-year-old children, using developmentally appropriate books and toys. This family literacy program is home-based and provides educational services for each child, preparing him/her to enter pre-school at age four. Children who complete the Parent-Child Home Program enter school ready to learn and graduate from high school at the same rate as middle-income students. This program provides services for 40 at-risk families, and funding is through subscription in Suffolk County school districts. The Parent-Child Home Program currently operates in Brentwood and Central Islip School Districts.