Find below important resources and information about the New York State Migrant Education Program (NYS-MEP) which is intended to assist you in ensuring that the needs of migrant-eligible children and their families in your district are met. If there are students whom you believe may meet the eligibility requirements of the MEP program or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Migrant Education Tutorial and Support Services (METS) program center in your region.
Find the METS in Your Region
Use the map to find contact information for program centers and recruiters.
For Your Action
Registration Tools to Identify Students Who May be Eligible for NYS-MEP Programs and Services
Identification and Recruitment (ID&R) Parent Survey
This form is used to identify students who may be eligible for NYS-MEP services. It is also available in Nepali, Haitian Creole, and Spanish. Choose one of the following options to submit the information. The NYS-MEP will follow up with families to determine student eligibility for migrant services.
- Fax the completed ID&R Parent Survey (Attn: Will Messier) to 607-436-3606.
- Mail the completed ID&R Parent Survey to: NYS Migrant Education Program Identification and Recruitment Office | Attn: Will Messier |100 Saratoga Village Blvd, Suite 41 | Ballston Spa, NY 12020.
- Complete the ID&R Referral Form using the button below (currently in English only). Information submitted via this form is securely shared only with ID&R staff for the protection of personal identifiable information (PII).
Issued by the State Department of Education, this letter accompanies the Certificate of Eligibility (CoE) for a new migrant-eligible student who has been formally identified. The letter includes information and instructions for school districts to ensure that the unique needs of migrant students and their families are met. For a sample CoE, please see: Certificate of Eligibility.
Annual Migrant Student Data Verification
Migrant-eligible students must be identified and coded correctly in the Student Information Repository System (SIRS) to ensure that data submission to the U.S. Department of Education is accurate and in compliance with federal laws, regulations, and policies. NYSED requires each school district to verify students coded as migrant-eligible in its student data management system against a list of students that have been issued official Certificates of Eligibility (COE) for migrant education program eligibility and participation.
If your school district enrolls migrant-eligible students during the school year, staff members from NYSED’s regional METS program centers may contact Superintendents, and/or Chief Information Officer/District Data Coordinator by telephone or email, beginning in the spring, with specific instructions. The following memo and sample letters explain more about this data reconciliation process. Districts and schools are encouraged to keep their contact information current via the State Education Data Reference File (SEDREF). Doing so helps METS program centers initiate the data reconciliation process with appropriate district/school personnel.
State Education Department Memo re: Migrant Student Data Verification (March 2026)
This memo was released as part of the P-12 Weekly eBlast to District Superintendents, Superintendents of Public Schools, and Chief Information Officers/District Data Coordinators. The New York State Education Department requires each school district to verify students coded as migrant-eligible in its student data management system against a list of students that have been issued official Certificates of Eligibility (COE) for migrant education program eligibility and participation.
Student Information Repository System (SIRS) Follow-up Letter re: Migrant Student Data Verification (March 2026) (to Districts who HAVE school aged students who are migrant-eligible)
This sample letter is sent by the regional METS Director to Superintendents of Public Schools, Chief Information Officers, and District Data Coordinators. It is intended as follow up to the State Education Department Memo re: Migrant Student Data Verification and provides specific instructions on how to complete the data reconciliation process for districts who have school aged students who are migrant-eligible.
Student Information Repository System (SIRS) Follow-up Letter re: Migrant Student Data Verification (March 2026) (to Districts who do NOT have school aged students who are migrant-eligible)
This sample letter is sent by the regional METS Director to Superintendents of Public Schools, Chief Information Officers, and District Data Coordinators. It is intended as follow up to the State Education Department Memo re: Migrant Student Data Verification and provides specific instructions on how to complete the data reconciliation process for districts who do not have school aged students who are migrant-eligible.
For Your Information
The New York State Migrant Education Program (NYS-MEP) is a federally-funded supplemental program that supports the implementation of educational and support services for migrant-eligible children and their families in the State. Read more About the NYS-MEP and Services provided.
Parents are entitled to certain rights in supporting their children's education. Please see below for those rights that pertains to migrant students and their families.
New York State ESSA-Funded Programs Complaint Procedures
Bill of Rights for Data Privacy and Security (Parents' Bill of Rights)
See the Advocacy page for information about:
- School District responsibilities for interpretation and translation for limited English proficient parents and guardians
- Provision of Educational Services for Recently Arrived Unaccompanied Children and Youth
For Your Attention
Additional programs and services for migrant-eligible students:
Free and Reduced Price Lunch Program ( Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act)
At the beginning of each school year, the regional METS program centers send each school district a list of current migrant-eligible students. These students are categorically eligible for free lunch and breakfast without completing the application.
Students whose three-year migrant eligibility has lapsed, but who continues to receive services are not categorically eligible for free lunch and breakfast. These students may qualify by completing the application from the school district.
New York State Universal Free Meals ( Universal Free Meals Memo)
Beginning in school year 2025-2026, New York State School Food Authorities (SFAs) participating in the above federal school lunch and/or breakfast programs are required to provide reimbursable school meals at no cost to all students.
While Universal Free Meals are in place, schools are still required to follow federal guidelines and claim meals according to federal standards. Ensuring that migrant students are properly categorized remains important to maximize federal reimbursement.
Students in Temporary Housing
Due to mobility and other factors, migrant-eligible students and families may be temporarily housed. The regional METS staff will attempt to collaborate with district personnel, including the McKinney-Vento Liaison, as they support families. Common points of intersection between the METS and school districts involve assisting families to complete registration documents (including the McKinney-Vento Housing Questionnaire) and to request essential services, such as transportation.
LEAs must review and revise laws, regulations, policies, and practices that may act as a barrier to the identification of, or the enrollment, attendance, or success in school of, children and youths experiencing homelessness. These barriers must be addressed in order to ensure that students experiencing homelessness are afforded the same free, appropriate public education as provided to other children and youths [42 U.S.C. § 11431(2)]
LEA Policy on the Education of Students in Temporary Housing - LEAs are required to periodically review and revise policies for all students in temporary housing to ensure that there are no barriers to school attendance and participation. Each LEA is required to designate a McKinney-Vento Liaison to fulfill all the Roles and Responsibilities outlined in the sample policy. To support those requirements, the NYS Department of Education shared a Sample LEA Policy on the Education of Students in Temporary Housing (December 14, 2023).
2025-26 Fillable Residency Questionnaire ( ENGLISH and SPANISH) - The McKinney-Vento Questionnaire supports school districts with the identification of homeless students. Some districts ask about living conditions without using the housing questionnaire, but it is important for districts to ask about it for every student who is enrolling for the first time or moving to a new address.
Strategies for Supporting Immigrant and Migrant Students Experiencing Homelessness - This resource provides an overview of the rights of immigrant, migrant, and undocumented children and youth; strategies and best practices for supporting immigrant and migrant children, youth, and families; and ideas for using funds to serve these populations.