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Basic Eligibility for the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP). Nathan Weiss US Department of Education Office of Migrant Education HEP and CAMP Directors Meeting Washington, D.C. 14 July 2009. To Do, To Know and To Be.
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Basic Eligibility for the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) Nathan Weiss US Department of Education Office of Migrant Education HEP and CAMP Directors Meeting Washington, D.C. 14 July 2009 Basic Eligibility
To Do, To Know and To Be • To know the basis of eligibility qualifications • To know the organization of qualifications from the laws and regulations • To be able to make accurate basic eligibility determinations for HEP and CAMP • To be able to screen for eligibility through MEP and WIA • To be an advocate for migrant students by properly identifying them Basic Eligibility
Organizational Overview of Eligibility LAW Title IV, Section 418A of the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended by section 408 of the Higher Education Opportunity Act P.L. 110-315 (H.R. 4137) Current REG General HEP and CAMP participation eligibility: Work, MEP, WIA HEP 418A(b)(1): Age, School Attendance, Work, MEP, WIA, Education Status Special HEP Qualifications: Education Status, School Attendance, Age, Need Special CAMP Qualifications: IHE Admission, Not Beyond 1st Year in IHE, Need CAMP 418A (c)(1)(A): Work, MEP, WIA, College or University Attendance Program Definitions: Agricultural Activity, Farmwork, Full-time, IHE, Migrant Farmworker, Seasonal Farmworker Basic Eligibility
Proposed Regulations • Updated Regulations needed due to reauthorization of HEP/CAMP by Higher Education Opportunity Act. • Negotiated Rulemaking process to draft proposed regulatory language concluded in April of this year. • Key updates involve the definition of "immediate family member" and the introduction of language regarding prior experience points into the regulation. • Notice of Proposed Rulemaking should be out by the end of November, 2009. Basic Eligibility
Guidance in Development • Ongoing process of working towards issuing HEP/CAMP program guidance • Updated to reflect new statutory language, proposed regulations, and feedback from the sessions on guidance at the last two Directors Meetings Basic Eligibility
It’s about the WORK! Migrant or Seasonal Farmworker—who primary employment was in farmwork on a temporary or seasonal basis and In last 24 months has 75 days of Farmwork—agricultural activity for wages or personal subsistence on a farm, ranch or similar establishment Agricultural Activity—related to production of cultivation of trees fish farms crops dairy products harvesting of trees poultry livestock Basic Eligibility
It’s about the WORK! Migrant or Seasonal Farmworker—who primary employment was in farmwork on a temporary or seasonal basis and In last 24 months has 75 days of Farmwork—agricultural activity for wages or personal subsistence on a farm, ranch or similar establishment Agricultural Activity—related to production of cultivation of trees fish farms crops Dairy products harvesting of trees poultry livestock Basic Eligibility
It’s about the WORK! Migrant or Seasonal Farmworker—who primary employment was in farmwork on a temporary or seasonal basis and In last 24 months has 75 days of Farmwork—agricultural activity for wages or personal subsistence on a farm, ranch or similar establishment Agricultural Activity—related to production of cultivation of trees fish farms crops Dairy products harvesting of trees poultry livestock Basic Eligibility
34 CFR §206.3 Who is eligible to participate in a project? • General. To be eligible to participate in a HEP or CAMP project— • A person, or his or her immediate family member, must have spent a minimum of 75 days during the past 24 months as a migrant or seasonal farmworker; or • (2) The person must have participated (with respect to HEP within the last 24 months), or be eligible to participate, in programs under 34 CFR part 200, Subpart C (Title I --Migrant Education Program) or 20 CFR part 633 (Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor--Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Programs). Words to Live By! Basic Eligibility
Proposed Definition of “immediate family member” • Immediate family member means one or more of the following: (i) A spouse. (ii) A parent, step-parent, adoptive parent, foster parent, or anyone with guardianship. (iii) Any person who-- (A) Claims the individual as a dependent on a Federal income tax return for either of the previous two years, or (B) Resides in the same household as the individual, supports that individual financially, and is a relative of that individual. 17 September 2009 10 Basic Eligibility
Seasonal farmworker means a person who, within the past 24 months, was employed for at least 75 days in farmwork, and whose primary employment was in farmwork on a temporary or seasonal basis (that is, not a constant year-round activity). • Migrant farmworker means a seasonal farmworker—as defined in paragraph (c)(7) of this section—whose employment required travel that precluded the farmworker from returning to his or her domicile (permanent place of residence) within the same day. Definitions Basic Eligibility
Farmwork means any agricultural activity, performed for either wages or personal subsistence, on a farm, ranch, or similar establishment. • Agricultural activity means: • (i) Any activity directly related to the production of crops, dairy products, poultry, or livestock; • (ii) Any activity directly related to the cultivation or harvesting of trees; or • (iii) Any activity directly related to fish farms. Definitions Basic Eligibility
MEP Non-Regulatory Guidance can be found at: • http://www.ed.gov/programs/mep/legislation.html • Includes definitions of relevant terms such as personal subsistence and fish farm. Other Definitions Basic Eligibility
Agricultural production includes work on farms, ranches, dairies, orchards, nurseries, and greenhouses engaged in the production of crops, plants, or vines and the keeping, grazing, or feeding of livestock or livestock products for sale. The term also includes the production of bulbs, flower seeds, vegetable seeds, and specialty operations such as sod farms, mushroom cellars, and cranberry bogs (MEP Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance 2003, p. 20). Versus… Production … Basic Eligibility
The term “processing” means working with a raw agricultural or fishing product and transforming it into a more refined product. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, processing includes: cooking, baking, curing, heating, drying, mixing, grinding, churning, separating, extracting, slaughtering, cutting, fermenting, distilling, eviscerating, preserving, dehydrating, freezing, chilling, packaging, canning, jarring, or otherwise enclosing food in a container. OME adopts this definition as those activities that are directly related to processing. (MEP Draft Non-Regulatory Guidance 2003, p. 21). Processing Basic Eligibility
Components of Qualifying WORK • Agricultural Activity • Wages/Personal Subsistence • Place • Duration (75/24) • Employment • Primary • Temporary/Seasonal Basic Eligibility
HEP Eligibility Factors The Law: Higher Education Act of 1965 – Section 418AAs amended by section 408 of P.L. 110-____ (H.R. 4137) Age School Enrollment School Completion Need Qualifying Work Is/Does the possible participant: • 16 years old or beyond the state’s compulsory age? • not enrolled in school? • not have a high school diploma or equivalent? • have qualifying WORK? Or have an immediate family member with qualifying WORK? • need, as determined by the grantee, the academic and supporting services and financial assistance provided by the project to gain employment or be placed in an IHE or other postsecondary education or training? The Regulations: General HEP participation eligibility; Special HEP Qualifications; Program Definitions Basic Eligibility
CAMP Eligibility Factors The Law: Higher Education Act of 1965 – Section 418AAs amended by section 408 of P.L. 110-____ (H.R. 4137) Section 401(a) and (b); and 431 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (also knows as the Welfare Reform Act) Qualifying Work Need Status IHE Admission First-year Is/Does the possible participant: • able to be enrolled or admitted for enrollment as a full-time student at the participating IHE? • Have at least a “qualified alien” status? • not beyond the first academic year of a program of study at the IHE, as determined by the standards of the IHE? • have qualifying WORK? Or have an immediate family member with qualifying WORK? • need, as determined by the grantee, the academic and supporting services and financial assistance provided by the project in order to complete an academic program of study at the IHE? The Regulations: General HEP participation eligibility; Special HEP Qualifications; Program Definitions Basic Eligibility
But what about MEP and WIA? Referrals • MEP or WIA programs may refer possible participants to your HEP or CAMP. • It is still the project’s responsibility to have accurate documentation of all pertinent eligibility requirements. Identification • If, after rudimentary screening, the person might qualify for the project through MEP or WIA, then you should contact your local area representative for that program. • That program makes a determination or otherwise documents eligibility. HEP and CAMPs must have documentation to ensure eligibility for the services of the project. Basic Eligibility
Screening for MEP • Is the possible participant 22 years old or younger? • Does the possible participant do agricultural or fishing work that may be temporary or seasonal? Do they have a family member who does? • Has the possible participant moved in the last three years because of the work mentioned above? Basic Eligibility
Screening for WIA • Does the possible participant have qualifying work as a migrant or seasonal farmworker under the WIA definitions? • Is the possible participant a citizen, national, permanent resident alien, a refugee, an asylee, etc. of the U.S.? • Is the possible participant disadvantaged according to WIA definitions? Basic Eligibility
Document, Document, Document An accurate eligibility determination does not mean anything unless you can demonstrate how the determination was made! • For 75 days in 24 months eligibility, projects should develop a form to record this information. • For MEP and WIA, projects are encouraged to maintain documentation from those programs with the pertinent eligibility information (e.g. COE for MEP eligiblity). • Projects should have internal quality control procedures for eligibility verification as well. Basic Eligibility
What do I need to know about a possible participant for eligibility? Mom picked sugar beets in Montana. Mom picked sugar beets in Montana. Has a spouse that is picking green beans. Has a son that is picking green beans. Acabar de cambiarse de Harlingen. Acabar de cambiarse de Harlingen. Drives an old car. Drives a tomato truck. Drives a tomato truck. Wants to get GED. Wants to get GED. Has a son who’s 9 years old. On disability. Graduarse de preparatoria en Mexico. Graduarse de preparatoria en Mexico. Wants to be the first in the family to go to college. Wants to be the first in the family to go to college. Worked on a chicken ranch. Worked on a chicken ranch. Basic Eligibility
What do I need to know about a possible participant for eligibility? Mom picked sugar beets in Montana. Immediate Family Has a spouse that is picking green beans. Immediate Family Acabar de cambiarse de Harlingen. Migrant Farmworker Drives a tomato truck. School Completion Wants to get GED. Production of crops Production of poultry Graduarse de preparatoria en Mexico. Wants to be the first in the family to go to college. School Completion School Completion Worked on a chicken ranch. Basic Eligibility
Putting it all together Has a spouse that is picking green beans. Does the spouse need the services of the project? Is this work seasonal or temporary? Has the spouse done it for at least 75 days in the last 24 months? Is the participant beyond the age of 16 or your state’s compulsory age of attendance Basic Eligibility
Eligibility Concerns Qualifying Work Need Status IHE Admission First-year Qualifying Work Age School Completion Need School Enrollment HEP CAMP Basic Eligibility
CAMP Scenario #1 Ruben, 18, just graduated from Hillcrest High School and plans to attend the local state university. His father is a long-haul trucker for Tyson foods and his mom works full-time in the office of a local landscaper. Now that Ruben is out of school, he sometimes joins his dad on cross-country hauls. He is interested in getting his degree in Marine Biology. Assuming all other eligibility factors are met, is he eligible for CAMP? Basic Eligibility
CAMP Scenario #1 Discussion • IHE Admission • Status • First-year • Need X • Agricultural Activity • Wages/Personal Subsistence • Place • Duration (75/24) • Employment • Primary • Temporary/Seasonal • WORK ------ HSD, Age, Wages Assume Status NOT ELIGIBLE X ---- Has not attended college X ---- X Determined in Need by Grantee No X X No X Basic Eligibility
HEP Scenario #2 Omar came from Coahuila, Mexico to Green Forrest, Arkansas to plant new tree seedlings for the season on a farm; he is 14 and his brother, who accompanied him, is 17. They have been working there about four months. Neither one has finished secundaria in Mexico. Most of the money they earn, they send money home to their family. Assuming all other eligibility factors are met, is Omar eligible for HEP? Basic Eligibility
HEP Scenario #2 Discussion • Age • School Enrollment • SchoolCompletion • Need X 14 • Agricultural Activity • Wages/Personal Subsistence • Place • Duration (75/24) • Employment • Primary • Temporary/Seasonal • WORK Planting seedlings X Compulsory Age Wages No HSD/GED Farm Determined in Need by Grantee Four months in last year NOT ELIGIBLE No other work Seasonal Basic Eligibility
HEP Scenario #3 Omar came from Coahuila, Mexico to Green Forrest, Arkansas to plant new tree seedlings for the season on a farm; he is 14 and his brother, who accompanied him, is 17. They have been working there about four months. Neither one has finished secundaria in Mexico. Most of the money they earn, they send home to their family. Assuming all other all other eligibility factors are met, is Omar eligible for HEP? Assuming all other eligibility factors are met, is Omar’s brother eligible for HEP? Basic Eligibility
HEP Scenario #3 Discussion • Age • School Enrollment • SchoolCompletion • Need 17 • Agricultural Activity • Wages/Personal Subsistence • Place • Duration (75/24) • Employment • Primary • Temporary/Seasonal • WORK Planting seedlings Beyond Compulsory Age Wages No HSD/GED Farm Determined in Need by Grantee Four months in last year No other work HEP Eligible Seasonal Basic Eligibility
CAMP Scenario #4 Adelia, 24, quit working last year as a part-time childcare provider to pick up work as an employee harvesting green beans during the season at a local farm that provides them to Gerber; she worked there for about four months. She got her GED and her U.S. citizenship two years ago and would like to go to college, but she doesn’t understand all the financing involved. Her husband still works in fields, but she had to quit to take care of her new infant son. Assuming all other eligibility factors are met, is she eligible for CAMP? Basic Eligibility
CAMP Scenario #4 Discussion • IHE Admission • Status • First-year • Need • Agricultural Activity • Wages/Personal Subsistence • Place • Duration (75/24) • Employment • Primary • Temporary/Seasonal • WORK Harvesting green beans GED, Age, Status Wages Status Farm Has not attended college Four months in last year Determined in Need by Grantee No other work Seasonal CAMP Eligible Basic Eligibility
HEP Scenario #5 Maykao, an emancipated youth, 17, with no GED or H.S. Diploma moved two weeks ago from Texas to Missouri to work on a crew in the apple harvest; this is his first and only job. He has never done any other seasonal or migrant farmwork. Assuming all other eligibility factors are met, is he eligible for HEP? Basic Eligibility
HEP Scenario #5 Discussion • Age • School Enrollment • SchoolCompletion • Need 19 • Agricultural Activity • Wages/Personal Subsistence • Place • Duration (75/24) • Employment • Primary • Temporary/Seasonal • WORK Harvesting apples Beyond Compulsory Age Wages No HSD/GED Orchard X Determined in Need by Grantee Two weeks NOT ELIGIBLE Yes Seasonal X Basic Eligibility
CAMP Scenario #6 Carlos, 23, a high school graduate and permanent resident, moved from Michigan to Florida so he could work for wages in an orange grove for the harvest; he has been working for eighty days. Carlos had started college in Michigan and was a few courses away from finishing his Associates degree. He would like to go back to school and is interested in getting his degree in Business. Assuming all other eligibility factors are met, is he eligible for CAMP? Basic Eligibility
CAMP Scenario #6 Discussion • IHE Admission • Status • First-year • Need • Agricultural Activity • Wages/Personal Subsistence • Place • Duration (75/24) • Employment • Primary • Temporary/Seasonal • WORK Harvesting oranges HSD, Age Wages Status X Orange Grove Has completed more than first year Eighty days Determined in Need by Grantee No NOT ELIGIBLE No Basic Eligibility
HEP Scenario #7 Juan, 27, a native of California, moved to Ohio five months ago and started a job feeding cattle at a ranch. The job will only last 1 more week. He hasn’t found a place to live yet or any other work, so he has been living in his car. He didn’t finish high school in California, but would like to go into the military. Assuming all other eligibility factors are met, is he eligible for HEP? Basic Eligibility
HEP Scenario #7 Discussion • Age • School Enrollment • SchoolCompletion • Need 27 • Agricultural Activity • Wages/Personal Subsistence • Place • Duration (75/24) • Employment • Primary • Temporary/Seasonal • WORK Feeding Cattle Above Age Wages No HSD/GED Ranch Determined in Need by Grantee Five months in last year No other work HEP Eligible Temporary Basic Eligibility
CAMP Scenario #8 Callie, 19, a native of Iowa, just graduated from high school and plans to attend the local community college in the fall. Her dad was on vacation volunteering for a month helping on his brother’s Christmas trees farm; he will return in a week to work in construction. Assuming all other eligibility factors are met, is she eligible for CAMP? Basic Eligibility
CAMP Scenario #8 Discussion • IHE Admission • Status • First-year • Need • Agricultural Activity • Wages/Personal Subsistence • Place • Duration (75/24) • Employment • Primary • Temporary/Seasonal • WORK Harvesting Christmas Trees HSD, Age X Volunteering Status Farm Has not attended college X One month, recently Determined in Need by Grantee X NOT ELIGIBLE No X Seasonal X Basic Eligibility
HEP Scenario #9 Matak, 27, a Sudanese refugee, lived in Nebraska, but moved to Pennsylvania for a job driving a truck on a mushroom farm four months ago; he plans to return to Nebraska in the next month or so to pick-up seasonal work on a ranch. His English is pretty good, but he doesn’t have a H.S.D. or a GED. Assuming all other eligibility factors are met, is he eligible for HEP? Basic Eligibility
HEP Scenario #9 Discussion • Age • School Enrollment • SchoolCompletion • Need 27 • Agricultural Activity • Wages/Personal Subsistence • Place • Duration (75/24) • Employment • Primary • Temporary/Seasonal • WORK Production of mushrooms Above Age Wages No HSD/GED Farm Determined in Need by Grantee Four months in last year Yes HEP Eligible Seasonal Basic Eligibility
CAMP Scenario #10 Juan Ortega has had a long history of moving from Arizona to Michigan and back. Mr. Ortega works at least 100 days for wages harvesting various crops during the spring, summer, and fall. This year, on his annual migration, Mr. Ortega brings with him his 19-year old son, born in Michigan, who just finished his GED. Mr. Ortega just returned from his annual migration to continue his other temporary job in construction. Assuming all other eligibility factors are met, is the son eligible for CAMP? Basic Eligibility
CAMP Scenario #10 Discussion • IHE Admission • Status • First-year • Need • Agricultural Activity • Wages/Personal Subsistence • Place • Duration (75/24) • Employment • Primary • Temporary/Seasonal • WORK Harvesting crops GED, Age, Wages Status Farm Has not attended college Over 100 days Grantee has determined need Yes Yes CAMP Eligible Basic Eligibility
But . . . I have this oneperson who . . . . Basic Eligibility
Sending OME Questionsand Scenarios We are happy to look at scenarios or address eligibility questions; however: • Make sure you have firstgone through your project’ schain-of-command to attempt toresolve the issue on your own. • In correspondence with us, please include all pertinent eligibility information. • Send the question to your program officer. Basic Eligibility
Contact Information Nathan Weiss Office of Migrant Education 400 Maryland SW #3E321 Washington, DC 20202 Nathan.weiss@ed.gov Basic Eligibility