In the NYS Migrant Education Program only in school students (grades K - 12 or UG) can be classified Priority for Service (PFS).

In order for a student to be considered Priority for Service in the current academic year they must have both an educational interruption and one of the risk factors from the list below.

Education Interrupted during school year - Calculating from September 1 of the current academic year students who in the preceding 12 months changed school buildings or missed significant amount of school time (10 days or more) during the regular school year (usually defined as September through June) due to the student's family's lifestyle will be considered to have had their Education Interrupted.

This status is in effect until for the following September 1 when they will be reevaluated.

Risk Factors

Retention - student is repeating the same grade as last year. Students going from pre-First to First or DK to K are considered to be retained

Credit Deficient - student in grades 9-12 who is lacking the sufficient appropriate/required credits to graduate should be considered Credit Deficient. As of May 2012 these are: 4.25 credits at the end of 9th, 10.5 credits at the end of 10th, 16.75 credits at the end of 11th, 22.5 credits to graduate.

Failed State Tests - If a student has failed a state test in the previous year this should be checked.

Below modal grade - student is not age/grade appropriate for instance, (with the exception of September - December birthdays) when entering school in September
* 1st graders should be 6
* 2nd graders should be 7
* And so on.

Low Academic Grades - children who have low academic grades, ie

• K-6 - Any migrant child scoring less than a 3 on a 4 point rubric, C, S-, unhappy face, 75 or equivalent in any marking period in any core subject will be considered to have low grades.

• 7-12 - Any migrant child scoring below 75 in any marking period in any credit bearing class will be considered to have low grades.

English Language Learner (ELL) - student has Limited English Proficiency as determined by the school district.