C5. How does a schoolwide program school identify the special educational needs of migrant children if it intends to combine MEP funds? The SEA identifies the special educational needs of migrant children on a statewide basis through its comprehensive needs assessment. The SEA then communicates these needs to local operating agencies, and the school must determine whether these needs exist. If they do, the school must use MEP funds in consultation with migrant parents to meet these needs and document having done so. After the school meets these needs, it may combine MEP funds with other funds in a schoolwide program. C6. Who determines whether MEP funds may be combined in a schoolwide program the school or the SEA? – The SEA provides guidance to schools regarding when it is appropriate to combine in a schoolwide program. The school, in consultation with migrant parents, determines whether it may combine MEP funds in a schoolwide program, subject to guidance from the SEA. Summer and Intersession Programs D1. Does the statute allow the Department to provide additional MEP funding to SEAs that operate MEP summer/intersession programs? Yes. Section 1303(e)(3) of the statute allows the Department to provide additional funds to SEAs that operate summer or intersession programs to take into account the special educational needs of the migrant children served and the additional costs of operating these programs. D2. What is a summer term? A summer term occurs only in a school that operates under a traditional-calendar school year. (Year-round schools, for purposes of the MEP, are not considered to have summer terms.) The summer term is the period of time when the regular term of the school year is not in session. D3. What is an “intersession”? For schools on a year-round calendar, an intersession term is one of the periods throughout the year when the school (or part of the school) is not in session or does not provide the annual instruction analogous to the traditional school-year regular term. Any break in the regular term of a year-round school is considered an intersession term, regardless of the season of the year in which it occurs.
C5. How does a schoolwide program school identify the special educational needs of migrant children if it intends to combine MEP funds? The SEA identifies the special educational needs of migrant children on a statewide basis through its comprehensive needs assessment. The SEA then communicates these needs to local operating agencies, and the school must determine whether these needs exist. If they do, the school must use MEP funds in consultation with migrant parents to meet these needs and document having done so. After the school meets these needs, it may combine MEP funds with other funds in a schoolwide program. C6. Who determines whether MEP funds may be combined in a schoolwide program – the school or the SEA? The SEA provides guidance to schools regarding when it is appropriate to combine in a schoolwide program. The school, in consultation with migrant parents, determines whether it may combine MEP funds in a schoolwide program, subject to guidance from the SEA. Summer and Intersession Programs D1. Does the statute allow the Department to provide additional MEP funding to SEAs that operate MEP summer/intersession programs? Yes. Section 1303(e)(3) of the statute allows the Department to provide additional funds to SEAs that operate summer or intersession programs to take into account the special educational needs of the migrant children served and the additional costs of operating these programs. D2. What is a summer term? A summer term occurs only in a school that operates under a traditional-calendar school year. (Year-round schools, for purposes of the MEP, are not considered to have summer terms.) The summer term is the period of time when the regular term of the school year is not in session. D3. What is an “intersession”? For schools on a year-round calendar, an intersession term is one of the periods throughout the year when the school (or part of the school) is not in session or does not provide the annual instruction analogous to the traditional school-year regular term. Any break in the regular term of a year-round school is considered an intersession term, regardless of the season of the year in which it occurs.
mepnonregulatoryguidance317.docx