Identifying Out-of-School Youth (OSY) Identifying and Recruiting Out-of-School Youth Identifying Out-of-School Youth (OSY) 2008 Texas Migrant Education Conference

Who Qualifies as OSY? Students not currently enrolled in high school who have not yet received a diploma or GED Deficient in credits Lacking one or more state exit-level exams Recovery Youth Performed poorly academically Poor attendance Decision made to drop out Here-to-work Youth Primarily from Mexico and Central America Are unschooled in the United States Limited English Proficiency

Why Target OSY? OSY have unique needs resulting from their migrant lifestyle. They face all the obstacles to education encountered by other migrant students, and then more. With the current focus on high-stakes accountability, these youth may often be the first to be pushed out and the first to be forgotten. OSY need advocates, people who can both motivate them and help them access needed services. Young people not in school have little or no access to federal or state resources.

Why Target OSY? (cont.) Demographic patterns in the MEP are shifting away from migration of families toward the migration of single males and females. OSY is fastest growing population in MEP. Students not currently enrolled, Recovery Youth, and Here-to-Work Youth

Typical Characteristics of Migrant OSY Most highly mobile eligible subgroup. Most likely to be English Language Learner (ELL). Many not interested in obtaining traditional schooling. Often consider themselves adults, not youth. Often need immediate income. Often have no interest in, and no time for, long-term programs. Often are disengaged and alienated from schools and learning because of bad experiences and lack of success.

Why are OSY Difficult to Identify and Recruit? Many are H2A workers. May not have younger brothers and sisters in the school system. May never have attended school in the U.S. Many do not speak English. Often cynical and suspicious about adults, work, and government programs. May resent what they see as unwarranted intrusion in their lives.

How to find OSY? Move away from school-based into community-based recruitment. Conduct ID&R in fields, labor camps, day labor pickup spots. Recruit in areas where services are located, such as stores, flea markets, Laundromats, churches, unemployment offices and food banks. Reinvestigate areas for the development of new agricultural industries that may employ OSY. Make repeated visits to areas where OSY reside.

How to find OSY? (cont.) Establish contacts with labor contractors (H2A), food processors and crew chiefs. Collaborate with other entities who serve migrant farmworker youth, i.e., Community Health Centers. Use the 1-800-234-8848 National Migrant Education Hotline. Sponsor recreational events, such as soccer games, to attract the interest of OSY.

How to find OSY? (cont.) Hire people who have characteristics that make good recruiters, e.g. flexible, risk-takers, independent, believers in the MEP. Employ OSY as recruiters. Allow recruiters to work odd schedules, evenings and weekends, with flexible work hours depending on the season. Use educational bags, “Goodie Bags,” as incentives to recruit OSY to assist them with basic needs and to motivate them to engage in other program services.

Non-Traditional Structure OSY don’t fit the Migrant Education Program (MEP) mold of service delivery: Traditional MEP service delivery model addresses grades K-12, MEP resists offering services outside of the public school setting, School staff have limited experience dealing with OSY, and/or School staff are not familiar with service delivery models for OSY.

Assessing Needs of OSY Using OSY Profile (developed by multi-state consortium) as a needs assessment. Collect key information: Last Grade Attended When Where Identify needs Educational, social, health KY OSY Assessment Online

Materials from osymigrant.org Instructional Materials Reading Math Writing Life Skills OSY Language Screener Educational Resource Rubric Recruitment Tips - http://osymigrant.org/IDR_Tips%208.15.pdf