MU’s Migrant Education Program: ‘The Crown Jewel’ of PA

The Migrant Education Program at Millersville University is "the crown jewel" of such programs in Pennsylvania, according to Jose Reyes-Lua, the project manager for region three who works for Millersville. The University is the only grantee in higher education and the largest grantee in Pennsylvania, providing services to more than 2,700 school-age students in Lancaster, Lebanon, Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties.

"MEP is a big support system," says Reyes-Lua. "It was created to help remedy the disruption in the education of students whose parents travel for agricultural work. It helps these kids get caught up to their peers on learning and standardized tests."

MEP By the Books

Created in 1965 by an act of Congress, MEP is a federally funded initiative providing supplemental educational and supportive services to children of migratory agricultural and fishing workers. It aims to help them achieve challenging academic standards and graduate with a high school diploma or equivalent. The program addresses challenges unique to migrant students, such as mobility, language barriers and educational disruptions, by offering services like academic assistance, tutoring, health programs and family support. 

Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Education are assigned to the PA Department of Education, who allocates by formula to local educational agencies, like Millersville, to establish or improve education programs for migrant children. In the top 10 across the nation for its number of clients, Pennsylvania is unique in that it also provides state funding for migrant education, which predates the federal law. "Pennsylvania started its own version," says Reyes-Lua. "Farm owners in Adams County started a fund that went to schools to provide services for migrant students."

Children are eligible for MEP support from birth through age 21 if they are considered migratory - their parent or guardian works in agriculture, dairy, lumber or fishing industries and they have moved within the past three years for temporary or seasonal work. Those entering MEP first go through an assessment, which allows programming to be tailored to their unique needs. That may be after-school help, Saturday programs, summer camps or academic enrichment programs.

For additional information on the history of MEP, visit the website for the National Association of State Directors of Migrant Education.

Reyez-Lua's Experience with MEP

Reyez-Lua's knowledge of MEP extends well beyond his time leading Millersville's program. His father migrated to the United States from Mexico in the 1980s and worked at a nursery and orchards in Biglerville, Pennsylvania. Reyes-Lua and the rest of the family followed him in 1993.

As a child, he received services through Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12 in New Oxford, Pennsylvania, which ran a migrant program locally. He later worked for that organization as a high schooler, offering support to other enrolled children. After graduating, he took a gap year to work in a factory and as a part-time migrant education student support specialist. "I helped with intake, tutoring and getting students signed up for SATs," Reyes-Lua says. "It was a good experience for me."

He earned a bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University and returned to the MEP at Lincoln Intermediate Unit #12, where he served as a student support specialist for five years. During this time, Reyes-Lua provided academic and enrichment support to migrant students in Adams County, many of whom shared a migrant story like his own.

He was then hired as the state recruitment coordinator. Reyes-Lua worked for 12 years at the Center for Schools and Communities in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, earning his Master of Public Administration degree while employed. His position there - statewide education recruitment managing coordinator - involved recruiting students to MEP, providing technical assistance to the four local education agencies that operate across the state and overseeing federal regulatory compliance for eligibility to the program.

"Recruiters identify eligible students and enroll them using a certificate of eligibility for each student," he says. "After a lengthy review, students are assigned to student support specialists who work hand-and-hand with local school districts to determine the support for the student and monitor their progress. During this time, the student support specialist works to provide any supplemental services the student may need to succeed in their education goals. If there are unique needs, they help identify a support service or ensure that the MEP provides accommodations."

In December 2024, Reyes-Lua came to Millersville to lead its program of five team leaders and 35 full-time support staff. Having worked indirectly with the University's program in his previous position, he felt the need to support it. "It was a good fit, and a career move that allowed me to grow in the position," he says.

He quickly established three goals for MEP at Millersville:
1. Create efficient ways of finding eligible families by strengthening recruitment; 2. Improve graduation rates for enrolled students by partnering with school districts; and 3. Grow the program. "We need to be as high in quality as possible, be better known in the community and have more resources," he adds.

What challenges do Reyes-Lua and his staff face in reaching those goals? The number of kids in the program stays about the same from year to year, he says, but populations vary. "We are now seeing families from South Asia, the southern part of Africa and the Caribbean. It varies by county; here in Lancaster County, we are seeing more folks from Nepal. There are challenges with language and culture, and we've had to bring on staff who reflect the population."

Regardless, the MEP's role is the same as when Reyes-Lua was a child: "We educate the children of agricultural workers," he says. "We get children connected to schools and get them caught up with what they need to succeed after graduation. We are giving them the same opportunities as everyone else."