Migrant Education Program FAQs

The MEP funding application due dates are updated on the Request for Applications web page. The MEP Online Systems web page provides information on the eMEP online application system and processes.

Yes. However, services and activities should be designed based upon the needs of local migratory students and families for greatest impact. In-person instruction should be prioritized, unless needs have been identified that can be better met in a virtual environment. Subgrantees may wish to offer a combination of virtual and in-person offerings in order to reach the largest audience and most benefit migratory students.

Yes. To avoid supplanting, follow the recommended steps below:

• Communicate with the district to determine how the core program will be deployed.
• Determine when core instruction is taking place.
• Work with the local teacher to determine student academic needs.
• Plan to offer supplemental MEP services that support student academic needs during a time when core instruction is not being offered.

For your grant application, summer services in the application align with the fiscal year July 1 through June 30.

For your funding, summer services are used to determine the Category II count (number of unique students served during the summer) which is part of the MEP grant funding formula. For the Category II count, summer services are counted by performance period, September 1 through August 31, just like the Category I count (the number of unique students).

For summer minutes required by the Education Code Section 54444.3, minutes are determined for your summer period, per your school calendar. For example, if summer if June through August, CDE looks at your programs in June, July, and August. This may cover two of your applications such as June from one fiscal year, and July and August from the next fiscal year.

Yes. Due to the increased difficulty of recruiting certificated staff, classified staff may provide instruction for English language arts and math during the regular school year only. California Education Code Section 54444 states that staff providing instructional services in the summer must be properly credentialed, so only credentialed staff may teach English language arts (ELA) and/or math during summer services.

Local education agencies (LEAs) must prioritize credentialed staff for instruction in ELA and math services during the regular school year prior to hiring classified staff. LEAs should be able to demonstrate a critical need to hire classified staff over certificated staff.

Yes, the CDE has revised the current SSDP twice during years four and five based on prior years’ data and OME’s guidance allowing for these modifications. All updated strategies and MPOs have a notation in the SSDP to identify these revisions.

On April 8, 2020, the federal government issued guidance that allows the use of federal funds to pay for cancellation fees. See the federal guidance fact sheet (PDF). However, in item two of the guidance, it requires that you make an effort to recover the non-refundable costs and that you maintain records and documentation to justify the payment of cancellation fees. If you incur cancellation fees, the MEP recommends you discuss the costs with your supervisor. If you have additional concerns, please contact your assigned CDE staff person.

Prior guidance from the White House can be found here: Office of Management and Budget Guidance, # 6 (PDF).

If Regions are only purchasing the Chromebooks for Migratory students in order to continue/resume Migrant programming during the extended period of school closure or extended learning, generally this will be allowable. Grantees should consider what internal controls will be implemented—such as tagging the Chromebooks. Also, grantees should consider the capacity to implement programming—will Informational Technology staff need to load software or otherwise configure the Chromebooks; are there accessibility issues (particularly for English learners), etc.

If Chromebooks are being purchased for all students in the district, and the district simply wants to use Migrant funds for the Migratory students—this is where a potential supplanting issue may arise.

If food is not immediately available from other programs, the MEP may provide food to meet the identified needs of migratory children for a limited period of time, until other resources become available.

Food should generally be provided by other Federal and non-Federal programs (e.g., school meals programs administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service, community food banks).

We recommend that MEP staff document any efforts to obtain food from other sources prior to using MEP funds. As with any use of MEP funds, the costs must comport with the principles outlined in the Uniform Guidance in 2 Code of Federal Regulations Part 200 (e.g., the costs are necessary, reasonable, and allocable to the MEP). The provision of food must also be consistent with the program purposes in Elementary and Secondary Education Act Section 1301 (e.g., to help migratory children overcome educational disruption, cultural and language barriers, social isolation, various health-related problems, and other factors that inhibit the ability of such children to succeed in school).

On April 29, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education issued a Fact Sheet for Transferring State-and-Local Level Funds (PDF). Per this guidance, a local educational agency (LEA) may transfer all or a portion of funds allocated under Title II, Part A and Title IV, Part A. An LEA may transfer funds at any point during the 27-month period of availability of the grant into a grant award for the same fiscal year. An LEA may only transfer funds into an Every Student Succeeds Act program for which that LEA is receiving an allocation including the Migrant program as long as the purpose of both programs is maintained. The guidance does not provide any new authority to transfer funds out of the MEP.

Yes, subgrantees are required to track their school readiness funds under resource code 3110.

Yes. If your region provides services to a migratory student via distance learning that address the student’s needs, you may continue providing services until the student connects with the MEP subgrantee in their new location. Sending a Migrant Student Information Exchange move notice and following up with the MEP staff where the student has relocated will ensure a successful transition.

The date the students physically left the region; or
The last day of school the students attended virtually.
The last day of school the students attended virtually would be the correct date (option b).

Yes. The answers given by the interviewee are the responses that should be documented in Section IV of the COE. Note, however, recruiters or state education agency reviewers can ask for additional information to clarify any discrepancies with the interviewee if they doubt the validity of a move.

No. Withdrawal dates have never been a prerequisite to verify a move. Some regions use them as a reference to ensure quality control, but a qualifying move can occur without a student withdrawing from school if all other eligibility criteria are met.

For attending students enrolled in California, go to the MSIN enrollment data entry screen and check the box “Child lives in a different school district,” when applicable. For non-attending students and students attending in another state, add details in the “Enrollment comments” box. For example: “Child lives in Santa Maria but is virtually enrolled in Yuma Elementary School District in Yuma, AZ.” Open the following link and refer to pages 5–7 for step-by-step instructions on the MSIN enrollments web page .

School-aged children who have non-attending enrollments because of distance learning in another region or state, will fall into the same category as preschool or out-of-school youth students. They will not show up unless they have a Communication Event entered in the MSIN during the performance period with the “yes” option marked to verify that “the child was living in this region/district on the Communication Date."

In the event a parent member is unable to complete their term for any reason, the operating agency that elected the member shall hold a special election within 60 days of the vacancy. The operating agency shall nominate, verify eligibility, and elect an eligible parent member to fill the vacancy pursuant to California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 12012, except the specific dates set forth in section 12012 shall not apply. The newly elected member shall assume office immediately.

No, essentially, they are taking over for the original member and completing that member’s term on the PAC. Consequently, the newly elected member’s term will end when the original member’s term was scheduled to conclude.

In the event a community member is unable to complete their term for any reason, the vacating member's seat shall be filled at the next regularly scheduled election for community members in accordance with California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 12013 except as otherwise provided by local bylaws.

No, the term of office for eligible parent members shall not exceed two years. An eligible parent member may not be elected to more than two terms. Such term limit shall also apply in those cases in which an eligible parent has served less than two years in a given term. These partial terms arise usually when the member has been elected to fill a vacancy. Parent members may not serve on the parent advisory council for more than four years, consecutive or otherwise.

If during their term, a parent member ceases to be a parent of a current migratory child as defined by Education Code Section 54441(a) and a parent of a migratory child as defined by 20 United States Code Section 6399(3), such parent may complete the school year on the PAC. However, such a parent may not seek a subsequent term unless they again meet all the requirements set forth in California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 12010(a).

No, roundtable member terms are one year, and there are no exceptions that allow them to serve longer.

Yes, you are required to transition to the roundtable leadership model. The California Code of Regulations for Regional Parent Advisory Councils was filed on December 24, 2019, and went into effect on April 1, 2020. This regulation changed the leadership structure from traditional roles to a roundtable format. All MEP PACs must now operate using this roundtable model to align with the updated governance requirements.

If there are not sufficient PAC members to fill the five roundtable seats, you can reduce the number of seats by combining roles and responsibilities among the members. However, it's important to note that previous roundtable members are not eligible to serve again. This approach allows for effective governance while accommodating the available membership.

While regulations do not require roundtable members to sign the bylaws, it is good practice to include their signatures at the end of the document. This helps confirm that the bylaws have been approved by the PAC.

There are currently no regulations that specifically pertain to district PACs. However, while the California Code of Regulations (CCR) explicitly references regional parent advisory councils (RPACs), it is generally understood that district PACs should align their governance with these regulations to ensure consistency and effective operation.

Although the CCR does not mandate that local (district) PACs have bylaws, it is highly recommended that all parent advisory councils establish them. Bylaws serve as a foundational framework for governance, outlining roles, responsibilities, and procedures, which can enhance transparency and accountability within the council.

According to CCR 5, Section 12022 on Governing Rules and Bylaws, while RPACs, Direct Funded Districts, and operating agencies are allowed to supplement the rules in Article 1 of the RPAC guidelines, they cannot create bylaws, rules, or procedures that conflict with the provisions outlined in this article. Therefore, local PACs should consider modeling their bylaws after those of the RPACs to ensure alignment with established governance practices and to promote effective operation within their own councils. Having well-defined bylaws can significantly improve the functionality and credibility of a district PAC, fostering a more organized and productive environment for parent involvement.

According to California Code of Regulations Section 12014, former parent members are not permitted to serve as community members at any time in the future. Similarly, former community members cannot later serve as parent members. This regulation ensures clear boundaries between roles and helps maintain the integrity and purpose of both positions within the council. Therefore, a former parent advisory council member working for a community-based organization would not be eligible to serve as a community member.

Yes, PAC meetings may be conducted virtually. This includes meetings held via landline phone or any online platform accessible on participants' mobile phones, tablets, or computers. Additionally, social networking platforms can be utilized, as they may be more accessible for some parents than traditional virtual meeting technologies. Virtual meetings provide flexibility and can encourage greater participation from parents. Information and assistance on obtaining internet access for parents can be found on the CDE Getting Internet Access: Available Plans web page.

California Education Code Section 35147, known as the Greene Act, stipulates that any meeting held by a parent advisory council must be open to the public, allowing members of the public to address the council on any item within its jurisdiction. Notice of the meeting must be posted at the school site or another accessible location at least 72 hours before the meeting, clearly stating the date, time, location, and agenda items.

The council may not take any action on any item of business unless that item appeared on the posted agenda or unless the council members present, by unanimous vote, find that there is a need to take immediate action and that the need for action came to the attention of the council or committee subsequent to the posting of the agenda.