In this piece, José Madrid discusses the Migrant Education Program (MEP), a program that stems as far back as the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson and his Great Society initiative. This program was created to affect meaningful change in the edu-cational development of students whose parents engaged in migratory work. The MEP provides funds to state education agencies (SEAs) to distribute to specific areas to increase the chances of successful development of these young individuals. Specifically, the practice areas focused on are School Readiness, English Language Arts, Math, Parental Inclusiveness, Health Education, High School Completion and Out-of-School Youth, while also addressing transportation needs, vocational studies, career readiness and counseling. I agree with Madrid’s advocacy for the continuation of the program and that some aspects could benefit from modification to ensure sustained success. Unfortunately, Madrid introduces a variety of reasons that the program may fail. In pointing out these stumbling blocks, his attempt to elevate one proposed solution over another as more attainable is not very convincing.

Continue reading Reaction to: Title I’s Migrant Education Program: The Challenges of Addressing Migrant Students’ Educational Needs in the 21st Century