The Kansas Migrant Education Program (KSMEP) has been working since 1967 to ensure that migratory children in the state fully benefit from the same free public education provided to other students. To achieve this, the MEP supports educational programs for migratory children to help reduce the educational disruptions and other problems that result from repeated moves.

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KSMEP is federally funded under Title I, Part C of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 as part of the Kansas State Department of Education. Students who qualify for the program are identified and recruited by local agencies (or “projects”) throughout the state, and those local projects are responsible for providing services to those enrolled in the program.

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Kansas has instituted a system designed to meet the needs of all migratory students—both out-of-school youth (OSY) and those enrolled in K-12. Students may be unschooled or have limited schooling from their country of origin. Students and their families are often English Language Learners, have limited access to health care, and may lack other important resources.

Eligible students are identified and recruited by Kansas Identification & Recruitment (ID&R) staff and issued a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). Upon receipt of a COE, KS MEP staff immediately contact the student and a Student Profile is started for either an OSY or a K-12 student. OSY students are assessed for educational background, academic goals are defined, and a course work schedule is established. The OSY are served via the OSY/ K-12 Non-Project Services Program based out of the USD 491 Eudora School District in Eudora, KS.

Likewise, K-12 students, who are served via the projects in their school districts, are assessed in terms of their Priority for Services status, areas of needed support, and what interventions they are currently receiving from the school district.

Additionally, KS MEP Advocates meet with district personnel to help define the needs of migratory students and utilize a District Checklist to begin a dialogue between KS MEP Advocates and school personnel. In the case of K-12 students, staff members also meet with school district/school personnel to determine the educational goals for those students and work together to offer supplemental tutoring as needed.

All students are entered into a statewide database and followed up with via their personal Student Goals and Service Plans, which are updated regularly. All students also are assessed for advocacy needs (medical, dental, legal, etc.) and provided with community resources and communication assistance when appropriate.