Migrant Education: Program Support

Districts that Receive Support

Independent Project Districts

Independent Project Districts are Local Education Agencies (LEAs) that receive funding from the state's Migrant Education Program (MEP) and choose to operate their own independent MEP program. These districts must adhere to the continuous improvement cycle and oversee the implementation of activities outlined in the ESSA Consolidated Application, as well as comply with the Program-Specific Provisions & Assurances and Program Guidelines.

To maintain compliance, Independent Project Districts are responsible for maintaining required documentation, conducting active and year-round identification and recruitment of migratory students, and ensuring that all MEP-funded staff receive the necessary annual training. This includes complying with federal and state regulations, as well as ensuring that all MEP-funded staff are trained in cultural sensitivity and appropriate practices for working with migratory students.

Overall, Independent Project Districts must maintain a high level of accountability and effectiveness in their implementation of the MEP, in order to ensure that migratory students receive the support they need to succeed in their education.

SSA Member District

SSA Member Districts are Local Education Agencies (LEAs) that receive funding from the state's Migrant Education Program (MEP) and choose to join their respective Educational Service Center's (ESC) MEP SSA. The SSA Member District is responsible for assisting in the identification and recruitment of migratory students as well as any other responsibilities outlined in the agreement. However, the fiscal agent for the SSA, which is the regional ESC, also shares these responsibilities.

The programmatic roles and responsibilities of SSA Member Districts are the same as the roles and responsibilities for an Independent Project District. However, in an SSA, these are shared between the SSA Member District and their fiscal agent, which is the regional ESC. When an LEA elects to receive their migrant funds as an SSA Member District and an ESC designates they will be the fiscal agent, both are agreeing to fully and appropriately implement the Title I, Part C Migrant Program. This makes the entities partners. A regional contract between the SSA Member District and the ESC outlines which entity is responsible for each of the various duties. In addition, as the fiscal agent, the ESC is responsible for all fiscal matters directly related to service implementation.

Non-Project Districts

Non-Project Districts are Local Education Agencies (LEAs) that either do not receive or choose not to accept funding from the state's Migrant Education Program (MEP). However, these districts are still responsible for serving the educational needs of all migratory students within their boundaries.

To meet these obligations, Non-Project Districts must work with the Educational Service Center (ESC) MEP staff to fulfill the requirements for identification and recruitment (ID&R) and Texas Migrant Student Information System (TX-MSIS) data entry. The districts must maintain documentation to show that they are actively and continuously identifying and recruiting migratory students throughout the year.

Although Non-Project Districts do not receive MEP funding, they are still required to comply with all state and federal regulations for serving migratory students. By collaborating with the ESC MEP staff, Non-Project Districts can access resources, training, and support to fulfill their obligations and ensure that migratory students in their districts receive the educational services and support they need.