Resources for Highly Mobile Students

Children who find themselves having to make frequent moves face many challenges staying connected to their school communities and keeping up with their peers academically.  By unifying programs for children in foster care, families experiencing homelessness or housing instability, and migratory families, School and Student Supports works to minimize the potential impact of family mobility on school success. 

State Consultants for Homeless Education and Children in Foster Care assist local schools in developing processes to ensure educational continuity by providing transportation and other needed supports.  The Migrant Education Program communicates with agricultural employers to make sure that children are enrolled in school and that both children and families have access to needed health and other resources.  The program sponsors an annual Blueberry Harvest School every summer to provide a safe, educational experience for the many children who come with their families each August to rake Maine’s famous wild blueberries. 

Homeless, Foster and Migrant students are categorically eligible for free meal benefits. Please review the SY 2023 Eligibility Determination for Free and Reduced-Price Meals Quick Reference Guide for more information. 

Highly Mobile Students, Migrant Education, McKinney Vento and ESOL Programs Collaboration

ESOL Programs staff, McKinney Vento liaisons, and Migrant Education Program staff frequently collaborate to support students that qualify for their programs. Oftentimes, Multilingual Learners, Migratory children, and Students Experiencing Homelessness qualify for one, two, or all three of these programs. Therefore, in order to best identify and serve all children who may qualify for these services, the Maine Department of Education recommends these screener forms to be included as part of enrollment packets for every student, every year:

• Migrant Education Program School Survey
• Maine's Multilingual Learner Identification Policy and Language Use Survey
• Sample McKinney Vento Screener Form

The Maine Department of Education appreciates all of the great work schools are doing to support these students. Please follow each program's policies and guidelines for the implementation of these forms and contact each program's corresponding administration for follow up and questions.