Out of School Youth: Who? What? Why? Mike Toole Tracie Kalic

Who is a “Migratory Child”?

Title I, Part C, Migrant Education Designed to meet the special educational needs of students who make, or whose families make, frequent moves in search of temporary or seasonal agricultural or fishing employment.

Imagine Yourself… Scenario 1: You and your spouse follow the crops northward from Texas to Michigan, picking cotton, strawberries, onions, apples and pecans. You move every 2 – 4 weeks. Scenario 2: You or your spouse have a history of working in packing houses or feed yards. Every year or so you change jobs as much of the work is very hard and unpleasant.

What are those special needs?

Needs Educational gaps Credit accrual Drop outs / retention Transfer of records Lack of pre-school services Health Low attachment to schools and community NOT ESOL – that is a local responsibility for K-12 students enrolled in school

Characteristics of Migrant Families Limited English language abilities Often live in poor and isolated locations High value for education Less formal education Might experience discrimination because of race, mobility, language Older children might act as interpreters

Who is a “migratory” child? 1.The child is not older than 21 years of age; and 2.The child is entitled to a free public education (through grade 12) under State law or is below the age of compulsory school attendance; and 3.The child is a migratory agricultural worker or a migratory fisher, or the child has a parent, spouse, or guardian who is a migratory agricultural worker or a migratory fisher; and

Who is a “migratory” child? 4. The child moved within the preceding 36 months in order to seek or obtain qualifying work, or to accompany or join the migratory agricultural worker or migratory fisher identified in paragraph 3, above, in order to seek or obtain qualifying work; and 5. With regard to the move identified in paragraph 4, above, the child: – Has moved from one school district to another

What is a “qualifying” move? It: 1.is across school district boundaries; and 2. is a change from one residence to another residence; and 3. is made due to economic necessity; and 4. is made in order to obtain qualifying work; and 5.occurred in the preceding 36 months.

How do families/students qualify? Certificate of Eligibility (COE) – Families interviewed by trained RECRUITER – COE completed and signed – COE reviewed by committee Families/workers must demonstrate: – That they do, or applied for, qualifying work, and – That they moved for economic necessity across school district boundaries

Migrant Education Program Serves ages 3 – 21 (as long as student has not graduated or obtained GED) Students served up to three years after the qualifying move With any subsequent qualifying move, students qualify for three more years Supplemental to supplemental

General Services Individual and small group tutoring Summer school Youth leadership and other academic and enrichment activities English classes Adult education classes Referrals to other Federal, state or community services (Advocacy)

General Services, cont. Reconnection to high school programs for children who have dropped out Correspondence study courses such as the Portable Assisted Study Sequence (PASS) Secondary credit exchange and accrual Transfer of student educational records of when a child moves Supportive health services

End of Eligibility Continuation of Services – Elementary students may be served until end of term – Secondary students may be served until they graduate, obtain a GED, or turn 22

Emancipated Youth “The Department considers emancipated youth to be children under the age of majority (in accordance with State law) who are no longer under the control of a parent or guardian and who are solely responsible for their own welfare. In order to be eligible for the MEP these youth may not be older than 21 years of age.”

Out-of-School Youth “For the purposes of the MEP, the Department considers the term “out-of-school youth” to mean youth up through age 21 who are entitled to a free public education in the State and who meet the definition of “migratory child,” but who are not currently enrolled in a K-12 school. This could include students who have dropped out of school, youth who are working on a general education development credential (GED) outside of a K-12 school, and youth who are “here-to-work” only. It would not include children in preschool. Out-of-school youth who meet the definition of a “migratory child” as well as all other MEP eligibility criteria are eligible for the MEP.”

What is GOSOSY? Graduation and Outcomes for Success for Out-of- School Youth (GOSOSY) is a Migrant Education multi-state consortium administered by the State of Kansas and funded by the Office of Migrant Education, US Department of Education.

Title I, Part C In 1965, the US Congress passed Title 1, Public Law 89-10, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) authorizing a national program of federally supported education for disadvantaged children. In November 1966, ESEA was amended to incorporate special provisions for children of migratory agricultural workers. In 1974, children of migratory fishers were included as well.

Why the focus on migratory students? The need for the Migrant Education Program (MEP) arose out of the lifestyle of hundreds of thousands of agricultural workers who moved frequently in search of agricultural employment. Given the nature of agricultural work having a short growing season that is often affected by weather and, a need to quickly grow and harvest most fruits and vegetables, families would have to move often from one job site to the next.

The Impact of the Migratory Lifestyle Only 1 in 2 migrant students graduate from high school They often don’t get full credit for classes taken in high school or classes don’t transfer to different schools/districts Migrant students often are isolated and are closed from resources available to other students They are economically disadvantaged. And their parents often have limited educational backgrounds

The Impact of the Migratory Lifestyle Frequent moves/frequent school absences Interruption in formal education (US and Home Country) due to financial, political, violence. Social/Cultural isolation Disenfranchised Language barriers Extreme poverty Poor health

Needs of Out-of-School Youth OSY have many and varied needs, including: –Flexible credit accrual options –Pre GED and GED instruction –English as a Second Language –Health Education –Life Skills –Advocacy

We didn’t have enough money. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about school. I left so that I could earn more money and help take care of my family. Recovered out-of-school youth We didn’t have enough money. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about school. I left so that I could earn more money and help take care of my family. Recovered out-of-school youth

Consortium States Alabama Georgia Florida Illinois Iowa Kansas Kentucky Massachusetts Mississippi Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina Pennsylvania South Carolina Tennessee Vermont

GOSOSY Partners Partner States Alaska Arkansas California Colorado Idaho Maryland Missouri Montana Oregon Washington Wisconsin Partner Organizations World Education, Inc. National PASS Center National HEP/CAMP Association National Center for Farmworker Health Adult Learning Resource Center

GOSOSY Goals Goal 1 Participating OSY will increase their content achievement and other outcomes as specified in the needs-driven learning plan Goal 2 Staff participating in professional development and learning will increase their skills and ability to deliver targeted instruction and services to OSY

GOSOSY Goals Goal 3 State processes, procedures, and materials to better serve OSY will be developed, vetted, and adopted by Consortium states

GOSOSY Works Develops high quality instructional materials and assessments and provides them at no cost to states –Develops online curricula –Provides training for non-certified staff Provides training and technical assistance to states –Training of Trainers –Customized training based on states’ needs

30 I left because I traveled a lot, and it was too much work to get caught up. I liked math, English, science, and history. But the teachers weren’t very good. It seemed like they didn’t really want to help you learn. Recovered out-of-school youth I left because I traveled a lot, and it was too much work to get caught up. I liked math, English, science, and history. But the teachers weren’t very good. It seemed like they didn’t really want to help you learn. Recovered out-of-school youth

Discuss amongst yourselves…. Reflecting upon what you have heard thus far: What does a strong program look like for OSY and what does it take to build a strong system of support for OSY?

Helping States Build a Strong System of Support Defined needs assessment process OSY English Language Screener OSY Educational Outcomes Table Technical assistance and professional development Instructional materials –Life skills –Math, literacy, writing –ESL –Technology supports

Plan Service Deliver Service Evaluate Service How do we know that what we are doing is meeting their needs, working from a place of assets and helping to close the gaps?

OSY Student Profile OSY Profile

Best Practices from Using the Profile Provides an immediate snapshot Delivers consistent information to youth about educational opportunities Informs the types of services are most appropriate for the youth based on data and what are some of the immediate needs that need attention ASAP Documents pertinent information to coordinate and collaborate more effectively OSY Profile

Gender

Age

Last Grade Attended

Has Access to Transportation

English Oral Language Proficiency

Home Language

Health Needs

Advocacy Needs

Housing: Youth Lives:

Reason for Leaving School

Expressed Interest In

Availability of OSY

At Interview, Youth Received

OSY is a Candidate For

Who Are Our Students? ①With a partner, find a profile and a sample student ②Fill in the OSY Profile with your sample student

Creating a Toolkit that Works Successful and effective programs rely on making sound decisions in the selection of curriculum and educational materials. Using solid information and data that are available allows sound decisions to be made.

What are some options? OSY Mini Lessons – For Your Health – Finanza Toolkit – VT Mini Lessons – Your Rights Legal Lessons Right to Be Paid My Basic Rights Housing Rights – Parenting Lessons Taking Care of Yourself during Pregnancy – A Healthy House Refrigeration and Your Health Insect and Rodent Control Reading on the Move Math on the Move Mathematics Write On! Math for Living

55 I left school because my parents left me with my grandparents. My grandparents didn’t really have the money to take care of me, so I left to find work as soon as I was old enough. I didn’t like anything about school because I didn’t really understand. English language learner I left school because my parents left me with my grandparents. My grandparents didn’t really have the money to take care of me, so I left to find work as soon as I was old enough. I didn’t like anything about school because I didn’t really understand. English language learner

Questions Tracie Kalic – Director, GOSOSY – KS OSY/K-12 Non-Project District Program Mike Toole – Migrant Identification and Recruitment Coordinator (620)