Migrant Students

Migrant students are the children of U.S. laborers who migrate with their families from location to location in order to secure work. Migrant agricultural workers and fishers tend to migrate along three principal streams: the eastern stream, which includes the southern states and the eastern seaboard; the midcontinent stream, beginning in Texas and extending north through the Grain Belt; and the western stream, primarily within California and the Pacific Northwest. Approximately 80 percent of migrant students are Hispanic, and approximately 90 percent of migrant students come from homes where English is their second language.

Migrant students and their families contribute greatly to the American economy through their rigorous manual labor while also upholding their native traditions and customs. Migrant students are equipped with unique skills, such ...