Mission Statement:
The Mid-Hudson Migrant Education Outreach Program promotes the success of migrant-eligible youth. We will achieve this in partnership with migrant parents and youth, schools and community members. The long-term goal is for families and youth to independently pursue their academic goals.
Background Information:
Sponsored by the School of Education, State University of New York at New Paltz, the Mid-Hudson Migrant Education Outreach Program (MEOP) supports the educational needs of migrant-eligible farm workers and their children in Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester Counties.
Migrant families in the Mid-Hudson Region of New York State work in a variety of agricultural activities. These include nursery work in Westchester & Rockland Counties; black dirt vegetable crops in Orange County; fruit orchards in Ulster and Dutchess Counties; sweet corn in Ulster and Putnam Counties; and dairy farm work throughout the region.
Although migrant families' backgrounds vary considerably, most are of Mexican, Mexican-American or Central American descent and are native Spanish speakers. While the children are at varying levels of English proficiency, the parents tend to be Spanish -dominant.
Some of the families reside in the Mid-Hudson region on a seasonal basis and move between Texas, Florida and New York. Families who choose to stay in the region may work in packing houses, greenhouses, food processing plants, or dairy farms.
The Mid-Hudson MEOP may provide support to a migrant eligible family for three years following a qualifying move for the purposes of acquiring agricultural work.
Definition of Migrant Eligibility:
A migrant/migratory child is a child whose parent, guardian, spouse or him/herself is a migratory agricultural worker or fisher and who has moved within the past thirty-six months from one school district to another to enable the child, the child's guardian, spouse or a member of the child's immediate family to obtain temporary or seasonal employment in an agricultural or fishing activity.
Related Agricultural Activities:
- Farm activities related to field crops such as alfalfa, broomcorn, flax, hops, peanuts and sugar beets.
- Orchard activities related to fruit and nut trees and vines including sorting and picking
- Farm activities related to the production of vegetables including sorting, freezing, and canning
- Farm activities engaged in the production of milk and other dairy products
- Farm activities related to the production of livestock and livestock products
- Farm activities related to horticultural crops such as bulbs, flowers, plants, shrubbery, trees, herbs, mushrooms, seeds and sod crops
- Fishery activities
- Farm activities related to the harvesting and cultivating of trees
School Year Services:
The Mid-Hudson MEOP provides services to migrant students and their families through advocacy and coordination with schools and community agencies, outreach activities, and academic tutoring as available.
Migrant Education Specialists and Tutor Advocates provide services to families by building partnerships with families, schools and community services. A needs assessment on each child is completed in collaboration with the parents and the school. The needs assessment evaluates the educational and social needs of the family, the services received from the school and the community, and recommended referrals and migrant services. Goals, objectives and activities are developed with the family members and progress is assessed. Services are delivered through a variety of models depending on the needs of the family.
Summer Programs:
During the summer, summer programs are provided for eligible migrant students.
An in-school program is provided in Ulster County. This elementary five-week program provides instruction using a literature-based, thematic, bilingual-bicultural approach. Both transportation and meals are provided to these students aged five through fourteen.
Students not attending the in-school program will receive services through the summer in-home/in-camp model. Tutor Advocates go to the homes on a weekly basis. More frequent visits may be made for a high priority student.
Students who are credit-deficient due to their mobility can earn credits through the use of the Portable Assisted Study Sequence Program (PASS). Out-of-school students can learn English and build literacy in their native language or earn a General Educational Development (GED) diploma through the High School Equivalency Program (HEP).
Interagency Coordination:
During the school year and the summer, staff at the MEOP work closely with other programs and agencies such as Bilingual/ESL Technical Assistance Center (BETAC), Agri-Business Child Development Centers (ABCD) and Migrant Health.
