Identification and Recruitment Manual

Prepared by

Idaho State Department of Education

Idaho Migrant Education Program
650 W. State Street
Boise, Idaho83720
Phone: (208) 332-6958
Fax: (208) 332-6966

This manual was produced with funds from the
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title 1, Part C

Spring 2007

Identification & Recruitment Manual
Table of Contents

Section

INTRODUCTION...... 1

THE RECRUITER...... 2
Recruiter Roles and Responsibilities
Recruiter Qualifications
Recruiter Job Description
Recruiting Tips
Referrals

DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY ...... 3
Importance of Eligibility Determinations
Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance (October 23, 2003)
Investigating Eligibility
Eligibility Definitions
Eligibility Practice
Recruiting Temporary Workers in Processing Plants
What To Do When You Don’t Believe What You Hear, or Why You Don’t
Have To “Just Write What the Family Says”
Eligibility Flow Chart

IDENTIFICATION AND RECRUITMENT TOOLS...... 4
MEP Eligibility Checklist – Eligibility Screening Tool
Certificate of Eligibility (COE)
Purpose
Sections of the COE
Items on the COE
Importance of Comments
Common COE mistakes
Important things to remember
Steps to Ensure the COE is Completed Correctly
Certificate of Eligibility
Supplemental Documentation for the Idaho Migrant Education Program
Certificate of Eligibility
Supplemental Documentation
Weekly MEP Recruiter Log

QUALITY CONTROL...... 5

Idaho Title1 Migrant Education Program Identification and Recruitment (I&R)

Quality Control Plan

1) Recruiter Quality Controls

2) Proper Eligibility Determinations and Documentation Submission

Quality Controls

3) Random COE Checks

APPENDIX ...... 6
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
Idaho MEP Qualifying Activities
MEP Eligibility Checklist
Weekly MEP Recruiter Log
Acronyms
Abbreviations
GLOSSARY OF MIGRANT-RELATED TERMS

PRODUCE CHART

Sample ID&R Plan

INTRODUCTION

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110, Title 1, Part C) requires that State Education Agencies (SEAs) identify all migrant children within their respective states who are eligible for the Migrant Education Program (MEP). The Idaho State Department of Education administers the MEP and sub-grants funds to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to implement the program. The Identification and Recruitment (ID&R) Manual is intended to be one tool in improving processes within the Idaho MEP.

LEAs are obligated to follow the requirements that it establishes for identifying and recruiting eligible children; completing the appropriate documentation (written and electronic); maintaining high standards of quality control; and building relationships within and among communities, their institutions, and migrant workers and their families.

This manual provides basic information regarding the Idaho MEP and the responsibilities that local recruiters have in its functioning. It is a guide designed to help recruiters make proper eligibility decisions; complete necessary documentation; and support each LEA project’s quality control measures. Supplements to this manual will be periodically developed and distributed to reflect current MEP regulations and information regarding Idaho’s agricultural sector and migrant population.

THE RECRUITER and/or FAMILY LIAISON

Recruiter Roles and Responsibilities

The role of the recruiter in the success of the MEP cannot be overstated. A recruiter’s work allows eligible children to access supplemental educational and supportive services provided by local school districts and the State of Idaho. Recruiters’ proper eligibility determinations ensure that eligible children receive needed services and prevents resources from being depleted among ineligible students. In addition, recruiters act as representatives of the local school district and the MEP in their interactions with families. In many cases, this contact with recruiters sets the tone for the home-school relationship and thereby contributes to children’s educational success. Recruiters provide a link between families and the broader community by referring families to local resources and creating opportunities for interaction between the migrant community and permanent residents.

A recruiter’s primary responsibilities are to:

locate potentially MEP-eligible children and self-eligible youth;
gather and analyze information concerning the child(ren)’s eligibility from parents, guardians and self-eligible youth in a personal interview;
clarify such information with additional sources when necessary;
accurately and completely document on a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) information that establishes eligibility; and
collect data that is required to enroll eligible children in the Idaho Migrant Student Information Database - the database that enables students’ health and educational records to be transferred among school districts and participating states; and
Participate in all necessary Idaho MEP quality control efforts.
Maintain auditable records; records should be current, complete and correct

In order to achieve these responsibilities, a recruiter must:

attend annual identification and recruitment certification training as well as other training sessions/opportunities as they occur;
maintain auditable and current records relating to identification and recruitment; and
serve as a link between schools, parents/guardians, growers, and community agencies.
dedicate and document the appropriate amount of time when reporting time and effort records.

Recruiter Qualifications

Each district is responsible for hiring its own recruiter(s) based on its particular needs. Having recruiters who meet such needs will improve Idaho’s ability to more efficiently identify and recruit all MEP-eligible children in the state, increase the level of cooperation among MEP staff, improve the reliability of eligibility decisions, and make documentation more accurate.

Districts should consider the following qualities when making hiring decisions.

Educational

Must, at a minimum, be a high school graduate or possess a GED.
Must be able to read, write and speak fluently in English and the language spoken by migrant parents, spouses, and/or students in their homes (typically Spanish).

Personal

Must be sensitive to the strengths and challenges of the migrant population.
Must be able to work with people by being patient and willing to answer parents’ and students’ questions and by providing them with information about local resources.
Must be willing to work evening and weekend hours when necessary to recruit all MEP-eligible children.
Must be able to travel and work independently.

Professional

Must attend local, regional and state in-service trainings.
Must be able to complete accurate and timely reports.
Must have the ability to develop a role as a liaison between the child’s home, school and community.
Must be willing and able to work collaboratively with “sister” programs (e.g. Migrant and Seasonal Head Start, Migrant Education Even Start).
Permitted and able to have a flexible work schedule

Recruiter Job Description

Local districts are responsible for developing a recruiter job description that best suits their needs. The following recruiter duties should be included orconsidered when writing a recruiter job description.

Identify the presence and location of migrant children.
Recruit those identified MEP-eligible migrant children within the area, and encourage children and their parents/guardians to participate in program services.
Accurately document facts establishing a child’s eligibility on a Certificate of Eligibility (COE).
Become knowledgeable about all Federal and State regulations pertinent to identification and recruitment by studying the ID & R Manual, attending training sessions and participating in other opportunities for professional development.
Participate in Quality Control measures as they relate to training, eligibility determinations, and documentation.
Effectively collaborate with “sister” programs:

Migrant Education Even Start (MEES) See Appendix for local programs
Inform local MEES staff of eligible children between the ages of 0 - 7.
Provide copies of COEs of potential MEES-eligible families to MEES staff.
Interview families that MEES staff indicates are likely to be eligible.

Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) See Appendix for local programs
Inform local MSHS staff of eligible children.
Include local MSHS staff within the network of local recruitment partners.

Possible Additional Duties: may include but are not limited to, the following:

Assist in parents’ involvement in the Migrant Parent Advisory Council (PAC) at local and/or State level or other Parent involvement activities.
Serve as a home/school Coordinator or community liaison
Assist in referring parents to community agencies for needed resources.
Bilingual

Recruiting Tips

Recruiters should consider the following techniques when performing their duties:

Begin recruiting as soon as potentially MEP-eligible families arrive in the area and before the project term begins.

Recruit at School – Work with schools to schedule times to screen children for eligibility when their parents/guardians are present.

Name Tag – The recruiter should always wear a name tag when conducting home visits. The name of the recruiter, program, and school district for which the recruiter works should be easily visible.

Door Knob Messages – Leave these messages to inform a family with potentially MEP-eligible children that a recruiter made an outreach visit and plans to return. Include a phone number where the recruiter can be reached.

*See the “tools for recruiter section” for samples

Conduct Surveys – A survey is a means of collecting information about the presence of migrant students. Conducting a survey can range from the formal (distributing data gathering forms to the appropriate individuals/institutions) to the informal (communicating with local individuals who would be aware of the presence of migrant children). Surveys should be performed in the following areas:

*See the “tools for recruiter section” for samples

Within Schools – These surveys should be conducted on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Recruiters should be active in building relationships with school personnel who are aware of new enrollees and are able to share such information.

In the Field – These surveys include contacts with farmers/growers, plant managers, crew leaders and employment agencies to find out where migrant workers are employed. A comprehensive explanation of the MEP, its goals and services, and an explanation of the recruiter’s role should be provided.

In the Community – These surveys will help recruiters identify eligible out-ofschool (OOS) children/youth. This is especially important because these youths retain eligibility for the MEP, but could be easily overlooked because they do not have a presence in a school system. To locate secondary-aged, out-of-school youth, it is important to consider that they may be living alone or with others of similar age. Driving in the community may yield some leads when observing places where these youths gather.

Conduct Outreach – Build awareness among key school personnel such as migrant teachers, regular program teachers, nurses, counselors, campus registrars, front office secretaries, attendance clerks, bus drivers, and others who can help identify migrant children; send out district-wide information on eligibility and the MEP; display posters about the MEP in appropriate locations throughout the community, such as Laundromats, libraries and other places where people gather.

Communicating with Families after Recruitment – All efforts should be made to build relationships with families that will promote their children’s success in academic pursuits, their health and well being, and their engagement with the wider community. In addition to conducting oneself as a good representative of the community, the school district and the Migrant Education Program, the recruiter can also strengthen this relationship by providing referrals for other needed services to the family.

Referrals

What is a Referral?

A referral is the act of directing someone with a need to the appropriate resource for addressing that need. An example would be providing a family who is experiencing hunger with information about local food banks. Referrals are most effective when they include the act of ensuring that the appropriate actions have been taken based on the referral. This could mean calling the family after the referral to inquire if they successfully used the food bank.

Referrals are discussed in this manual because much of the educational success of the children enrolled in the Migrant Education Program are dependent on the families’ ability to provide for the physical, emotional and social needs of their children. In light of the fact that migrant families face numerous barriers to physical and social health and lack many necessary resources, it is important that they be aware of available resources in their host communities.

The Recruiter and the Referral

Recruiters have unique advantages in providing families with referrals to such resources because of the relationships they build with the families regarding their children’s education. Successful recruiter/family relationships can provide the family with a trusted link to the community and its institutions, including schools, health care and recreational facilities, libraries, and social service agencies.

By referring families to community and state resources that can address their physical, emotional, and social needs, a recruiter:

attempts to remove barriers to a migrant family’s well-being;
builds trust between him/herself and the family;
expands the family’s knowledge of the community’s assets;
builds alliances among migrant workers and other community members.

Making Referrals

In order to make useful referrals, a recruiter must learn about a family’s strengths and needs – such learning begins at the first meeting – and he/she must possess a detailed understanding of the assets of the community. This can best be accomplished by forming positive working relationships directly with agency representatives and indirectly with others in the community who have had working experiences with agencies.

The recruiter should make comprehensive inquires relative to a family’s needs so that he/she can make valuable referrals. Recruiters should ask questions to determine if there are family concerns relating to the following:

Health
Nutrition
Clothing
Financial Aid
Cultural/Religious
Housing
Counselor

Although the referrals made by the recruiter can help the family and build trust between the family and the recruiter, the recruiter should make clear that he/she will not always be able to provide assistance for every concern.

Referring a family to the appropriate resource requires planning. Recruiters should maintain essential information for each agency such as:

Location and operation hours
Program eligibility criteria
Contact person and phone
Services provided number. (One contact is needed for each service area in the case of a multi-service agency.)

Recruiters should use a variety of methods to acquire this information. Such methods range from simple telephone calls and Internet searches to attending networking sessions with service providers in the area or meeting with agency leaders.

Community Resources

In addition to the traditional resources listed below, recruiters should also be prepared to draw upon “informal resources”. Not all aid is housed within a non-profit organization or church facility, and recruiters must therefore be able to connect families with other appropriate resources suited to their particular needs. Good recruiters will be able to refer a family to an informal resource (another family, an employer, etc) when they do not qualify for the services of a formal resource.

When concerns in the following areas arise, consider contacting these institutions for referrals and/or State number 211:

Medical
o Health Clinics
o County Health Departments
o Women, Infants, and Children
Program (WIC)
o Community Service Groups
(Lions, Kiwanis, Elks)
o Red Cross
o United Way Programs
o Local Hospitals
Financial
o Idaho Department of Human
Services
o Local Churches
o Private Non-Profit Organizations
o Growers Associations
Housing
o Landlord/Tenant Associations
o Community Service Groups
o Local Housing Authority
o Idaho Migrant Council / Legal
o Local Legal Aid Services
o Idaho Migrant Council
Clothing
o Salvation Army
o LocalChurch Groups
o Community Service Groups
o Non-Profit Charitable
Organizations
Food
o Women, Infants, and Children
Program (WIC)
o LocalChurch Groups
o Salvation Army
o Community Service Groups
o Non-Profit Charitable
o Idaho Migrant Council
Organizations
o Local Food Banks
o Idaho Migrant Council

“Cementing” the Referral

A recruiter’s referrals may not accomplish their goals if the recruiter fails to follow-up with the family who received the referral or the agency to which that family was referred. In the same way that migrant students face barriers to educational services, recruiters must also acknowledge that families experience barriers in accessing services. Follow-up is necessary to ensure that the identified needs have been addressed.

After making a referral, a recruiter can “cement” the referral by contacting the person to whom he/she has referred the family. During this call, the recruiter should inform the person of the family’s name, why they were referred, when the referral was made, what the person should do if the family does not contact him/her, and any other pertinent information.

The recruiter should also contact the family after sufficient time has passed for them to have acted on the referral. By doing so, recruiters increase the likelihood that the family will access the services they need, and they will also develop a stronger working relationship with families and community resources.

Referred services that have been obtained should be entered as a “Referred Service” under Supplemental Programs in the New Generation System (NGS).

DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY

Importance of Eligibility Determinations

Assigning the appropriate eligibility status to a prospective MEP child is of the highest importance. By enrolling eligible students in the MEP, recruiters help to increase the educational resources available to migrant students. As a result, these students gain new resources to help them adjust to a new school and keep up academically, thus mitigatingthe negative educational consequences associated with migration. In addition, the number of eligible students identified by the MEP determines the level of funding that states receive to provide educational assistance to this population. Insufficient identification and recruitment efforts will likely result in a reduction of funds for the IL MEP. Finally, when recruiters accurately determine a child to be ineligible for the MEP, they prevent MEP resources from being diverted from children who are legally entitled to them. Recruiters have the opportunity to connect migrant children to the greatest amount of educational services by making proper eligibility determinations.