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How can the MEP identify and
LEAs should include an OSY-specific section
in the Identification and Recruitment (ID&R) Action Plan outlining their various recruitment efforts for the upcoming year. For a list of activities that may be included in this section, click on the OSY Recruitment Action Plan.Migrant recruiters should be trained annually by the regional ESC.
Recruiters should increase their awareness of potential OSY by...- Asking parents during the interview whether there are any children residing in the home who are not in school
- Visiting employers who hire migratory workers and letting them know that individuals under age 22 may qualify for the MEP and services
- Actively seeking high school-age students who were enrolled in school last year, but did not re-enroll for the current year
- Following up on students who appear on school withdrawal lists indicating “withdrawn to home country” or “withdrawn to homeschool” to ensure the student is not still residing within the district’s boundaries, thus still qualifying for MEP services
- Reaching out to migratory students who are officially designated “drop out”
- Setting up an informational table regarding services available for migratory children at early childhood registration (e.g., HeadStart, PreK) as these parents might be OSY
- Requesting a current list of OSY migratory children within the district from the regional service center
- Researching H-2A workers and running a current H-2A Visa employer list for your district’s area
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Running prior year and current year NGS reports of migratory students in grades 8-12 and comparing for possible OSY students. Reports could include:
- District Report
- Unique Student Count
- Out-of-School Youth
- Reaching out to agricultural extension offices and local agricultural employers to provide information about the Migrant program and OSY.
- Reaching out to employers of identified OSY. OSY often work and/or live together. If a recruiter locates an OSY, the recruiter should regularly follow up at the work or home site to potentially identify other OSY. Establishing a trusted relationship with identified OSY can allow a recruiter to learn of other OSY as they move in.
Once OSY are identified, MEPs should monitor them regularly
regularly in order to coordinate services, document residency, and build rapport.Districts should develop an OSY monitoring plan
to include the following: Goals and objectives, activities to meet the goals with specific measurable outcomes. At the minimum, monitoring plans should include initial visits with OSY plus regularly scheduled and documented follow up contact/visits and support.This OSY ID&R and monitoring plans will vary by district based
on a number of factors, including but not limited to: number of identified OSY, geographical size of the district, number and location of potential agricultural and fishing work recruitment sites, and number of recruiters.Sample documentation methods are described below.
OSY Initial visit (submitted by La Joya ISD)
Once a potential OSY has been located and the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) completed, the recruiter should complete an OSY Student Profile to determine the needs of the OSY student. This allows the recruiter to know what services the MEP might provide or coordinate for assistance to the OSY. Follow-ups are conducted depending on each OSY's progress and/or needs.
Monthly OSY Follow-up (submitted by Brownsville ISD)
The migrant recruiter responsible for identifying OSY maintains an OSY binder with a separate file for each OSY and an OSY Monthly Contact Log for the school year to document monthly follow-up visits. The log documents current contact information for the OSY, current status of school/work, their needs, and follows-up on any previously referred services. The monthly follow-up visits may be either face-to-face or via phone call, whichever method works best in connecting with the student. The recruiter also meets with the Migrant Counselor to provide any additional information about the student, which the recruiter enters into the OSY Contact Log. The counselor may also reach out to the OSY and coordinate additional services as needed.
The migrant program can determine staff assignments to designate who works with identified OSY within the district. This ensures all OSY are accounted for and all staff know who is supporting which OSY. An annual calendar of scheduled visits also ensures that all OSY ensure the same number of visits each year. Additionally each staff member completes the OSY Student Summary to ensure current and consistent information is maintained on OSY.
OSY will generally fall into one of three categories:
- High school-aged students who have been in school and officially dropped-out
- High school-aged students who did not register to attend school
- High school-aged students who are “here-to-work” only
Children who have dropped out of school may have different needs and require different services than those who are here-to-work. These needs should be accounted for in the Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA). 5 Knowing your OSY and their unique needs will allow a MEP to better serve them.
Show references >
5 U.S. Department of Education Oce of Elementary and Secondary Education. MEP Policy Questions and Answers, Q92, (Washington, D. C., 2017), https://results.ed.gov/legislation/policy_qas.