Approximately 250,000 students are eligible for MEP services in California, which is divided into 24 regions. Monterey County Region 16 has identified a population of approximately 18,000 migrant students.

The Migrant Education Program Region 16 primarily serves the children of migrant workers and young adults under the age of 21 who work in agriculture. A qualified migrant worker is someone who, in the prior three years, has moved across school district boundaries seeking temporary or seasonal employment in the agriculture, dairy, or fishing industries.

Within Monterey County there are 16 districts that have a service agreement with the regional office to operate project sites. These sites provide services to migrant children throughout the school year intercessions, and summers session depending on the needs of the children. The regional office also plays a critical part in coordinating services for pre-school, in school, and out of school students.

The Migrant Education Program provides education and support services to children and young adults (ages 3-21) who move due to their parents' or their own search for agricultural work, and as a result interrupt their education.

Working in partnership with schools, local community agencies, and families, the program provides quality services designed to enhance migrant students' success in school.

Activities range from Migrant Education Even Start (MEES) for the youngest children, to leadership academies, tutorial programs, parental involvement, extended day, weekend and summer programs for in-school students, as well as a flexible system of services for out-of-school youth.