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Frequently used terms
Parent(s): the person legally caring for a migratory student; could be a guardian
Child/children: youth aged 0-21 who have not graduated from high school or earned a HSE certificate
Student: youth enrolled in a public school in Texas
If you see the words “English Only” next to a website, this means the resource does not have a translation option and is only available in English
If you see this icon, 
it means that the service or resource described is provided by
the MEP and only available to migratory students.
Elementary education begins in kindergarten and continues through grade 5. Students will build on the fundamentals they learned in early childhood. There are some things you can do as a parent to help your child succeed in elementary school.
Attendance - Attending school every day is important. Each day is an opportunity for your child to learn something new. When children are absent from school, they miss learning opportunities that could impact future understanding. In Texas, the parent has the responsibility to make sure children ages 6 to 18 attend school.5
- Visit the Texas Schools website to locate a school in your area or to learn more about local schools.
- As soon as your family arrives in a new city, register your children at the school in your community, even if you only plan to stay in that school district for a short time.
Resources - There are several website resources that can help you learn about the elementary education process so you can support your child.
- Title I, Part A Parent and Family Engagement Statewide Initiative: Early Childhood Education helps parents understand what children will learn in kindergarten through grade 2.
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Education Resources for Parents of K–12 Migratory Children offers resources and additional activities for
parents to use at home with their child to support learning.
- Supporting Emergent Bilinguals in Texas web portal provides information and resources that are relevant, accessible, and impactful to support parents and families to ensure the academic success of emergent bilinguals.
State Assessments - Starting in grade 3, students will take state assessments, STAAR tests, in reading and math. Students who do not pass these tests in grades 3 and 5 may be placed in accelerated learning in order to ensure the educational gaps are closed.
- Parents can find information, resources, and a checklist to help prepare their child for the STAAR tests on the STAAR website.
- The STAAR Report Card Recommended Book List (English only) provides recommended book titles for each grade level.
Parent-teacher Conferences - Parent-teacher conferences provide an opportunity for you to work with your child’s teacher to understand what your child is learning, how they are progressing, and ways you can support their learning at home. These meetings are scheduled by the school throughout the school year. However, you can contact your child’s teacher to request a conference any time you have questions or would like to talk about how your child is doing in school. Parent conferences can be stressful, but remember, you and your child’s teacher are working together to ensure your child is on the right track.6 Several websites can help you prepare for a parent-teacher conference.
- Questions for Teachers (English only) helps you plan your questions before the parent-teacher conference.
- Back to School Parent Conferencing (English only) provides parents with a conferencing tool that explains what to do before and during a parent-teacher conference in order to best connect with their child’s teacher.
- Support to Help Ensure Your Child is on Track This School Year offers support and resources to help parents improve academic outcomes for your child.
Instructional Services - The MEP can help parents learn about any instructional services offered by the district throughout the year.
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Regular school year services support learning that occurs in courses that students are currently enrolled in.
Such services could include the following:
- Supplemental instruction
- District-funded tutoring
- MEP-funded tutoring
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Summer services can provide students the opportunity to make up course credits, get ahead in their credit
accrual, and spend extra time on concepts that may have been difficult for them during the regular school
year. Such services could include the following:
- District-funded summer school
- MEP-funded supplemental Project SMART program
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Intersession services address concepts identified as areas a student may have struggled with previously. Such
services could include the following:
- District-funded STAAR remediation
The MEP staff can provide information on specific instructional and/or support services available in the district to support the needs of migratory children.
Show references
6 Constantino, Steven M. 2021. Engage Every Family: Five Simple Principles. 2nd ed. (Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press, 2021), 154-158.
Show references
5 Texas Education Code, Education Code. Chapter 25. Subchapter A. Admission and Enrollment. (Austin, Texas: Texas Education Code) EDUCATION CODE CHAPTER 25. ADMISSION, TRANSFER, AND ATTENDANCE (texas.gov) .