About Migrant Education

In 1960, Edward R. Murrow drew unprecedented attention to the lot of America’s migrant and seasonal farm workers with his nationally televised documentary Harvest of Shame. Responding to outcries across the county, the federal government soon made moves toward broad-scale aid initiatives . These early programs mobilized tax dollars to improve housing, working conditions, vocational training and, finally in 1965, education. That year saw passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act with provisions to support public schools in providing extra help to students from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds. An amendment to the act specifically addressed children from mobile farm working families. Today, the Migrant Education Program serves over 500,000 children in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. Instructional and support services help students overcome the disadvantages of disrupted schooling and frequent moves. The Program faces the continual challenge of locating, enrolling, and maintaining contact with eligible students and their families. Innovative use of technology has helped, including pioneering use of distance learning in the early 1990’s and providing some students with laptop computers to stay connected to a “home school” even as their families change location (see www.nasdme.org.)

About CAMP Alumni Association
     
The CAMP Alumni Association (CAMPAA) was founded in 2002 and includes the approximately 20,000 college graduates  who have participated in a CAMP grant since 1972. CAMPAA aimed to develop a network of students and alumni to nurture incoming youth and foster graduate careers. “Once a CAMPer, Always a CAMPer!”   

CAMPAA became the Migrant Students Foundation in 2012, but continues to collaborate and support all CAMP grants and former CAMP students.  MSF actively promotes CAMP grants as a scholarship option for high school students referring hundreds of student inquiries to mutiple CAMP grants nationwide.  Almost all CAMP grants actively engage in the National Cesar E. Chavez Blood Drive Challenge. MSF has a special blood drive challenge category called “CAMPers for Life!”  

Timeline

1967 – Educational Systems Corporation, a private educational research company, developed the original CAMP concept for the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), originally created by President Johnson’s War on Poverty.

1972 – The first CAMP grants were awarded to:

• Adams State College in Alamos, Colorado;
• California State College in San Diego, California;
• Pan American University (now University of Texas Pan American) in Edinsburg, Texas; and
• Saint Edward’s University in Austin, Texas.

1980 – CAMP was transferred to the newly created Department of Education (ED).  The number of CAMP projects remained at a virtual standstill through1999.

1995 – President Clinton submitted a budget proposing zero funding for CAMP. Outraged education advocates lobbyed to save the program, motivating Congress to commit to funding CAMP through 1998.

1999 – CAMP was included as part of the Clinton Administration’s “Hispanic Education Action Plan.”  Receiving its first significant funding increase since the early 1980’s allowed awarding of a record 12 new CAMP projects.

2000 – CAMP funding increased to $7 million. 8 new CAMP projects were added.

2001 – CAMP funding blossomed to $10 million, funding10 additional CAMP projects.

2002 – The CAMP Alumni Association is launched.

2012 – The CAMP Alumni Association becomes the Migrant Students Foundation in order to best serve all U.S. migrant/seasonal farmworking students, and continue to support CAMP grants and CAMPers.