The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) establishes guidelines to ensure school access, improved educational outcomes, and enhanced academic stability for children and youth in foster care. 

In 2001, the Education Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965 was reauthorized as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and provided a framework for educators, families, and communities to work together to improve student achievement. The parent involvement provisions of Title I, Part A stress:

• shared accountability between schools and parents for high student achievement, including expanded School Choice and Supplemental Educational Services for eligible children in low-performing schools;
• local development of parental involvement plans with sufficient flexibility to address local needs; and
• building parents' capacity for using effective practices to improve their own child's academic achievement.

Parent Involvement Non-Regulatory Guidance 

The purpose of the Migrant Education Program (MEP) is to ensure that migrant students have the opportunity to meet the same challenging state content and student performance standards that all children are expected to meet.

School districts provide educational and support services that assist migrant students to overcome educational disruption, cultural and language barriers, and other problems that result from repeated moves. A successful transition to employment or postsecondary education is the goal for every student. Funds that support the migrant program are provided through a federal grant to qualifying states.

Funding for migrant education programs is regulated by qualifying definitions of migrant status for participants. A Certificate of Eligibility for each participant must qualify for the status in accordance with the law. 

Migratory child
The term "migratory child" means a child who is, or whose parent or spouse is, a migratory agricultural worker, including a migratory dairy worker, or a migratory fisher, and who, in the proceeding 36 months, in order to obtain, or accompany such parent or spouse, in order to obtain, temporary or seasonal employment in agricultural or fishing work:

• has moved from one school district to another; or
• in a state that is comprised of a single school district, has moved from one administrative area to another within such district; or
• resides in a school district of more than 15,000 miles, and migrates a distance of 20 miles or more to a temporary residence to engage in a fishing activity.

Migrant Student Eligibility Under ESSA

The purpose of this component of the federal program is:

• To improve educational services for children and youth in local and State institutions for neglected or delinquent children and youth so that such children and youth have the opportunity to meet the same challenging State academic content standards and challenging State student academic achievement standards that all children in the State are expected to meet;
• To provide such children and youth with the services needed to make a successful transition from institutionalization to further schooling or employment; and
• To prevent at-risk youth from dropping out of school, and to provide dropouts, and children and youth returning from correctional facilities or institutions for neglected or delinquent children and youth, with a support system to ensure their continued education.