Overlooked and Overworked: Barriers for Children of Migrant Farmworkers in the United States

Each year, thousands of families follow the harvest across the United States, moving from state to state to pick fruits and vegetables that stock grocery shelves nationwide. Their children, often called “migrant students,” have to confront the challenges of a education system that rarely fits their mobile lives. Because farm work is seasonal, families relocate frequently, sometimes several times in a school year. A child might start kindergarten in Texas, move to Florida for the winter harvest, and finish the year in California. Each move means new teachers and different curricula. Gaps in learning widen as children adjust to new standards and classmates, only to move again before catching up.

Migrant farmworker wages are notoriously low. Even when parents work long hours, income may not cover food, housing, and school-related expenses. Children often help in the fields to boost family earnings or care for younger siblings while parents work, reducing attendance and leaving them exhausted when they do make it to class. While public education is free, transportation, school supplies, and proper clothing add up quickly, and for families living paycheck to paycheck, those costs can be overwhelming.

Many migrant families speak Spanish or Indigenous languages at home. When children enter English-language classrooms, they face the additional challenge of learning a new language while keeping pace with academic expectations. Schools with limited bilingual staff or English-language learning programs struggle to provide the support these students need.

The physical demands of fieldwork and the uncertainty of frequent moves take a toll on children’s health and emotional well-being. Irregular access to healthcare and nutrition can lead to untreated illnesses and fatigue. Anxiety about new surroundings and the constant fear of falling behind academically compound the stress.

Addressing the needs of migrant students requires flexibility and coordination. Portable academic records, more bilingual educators, and year-round schooling options could reduce disruption. Expanding mobile health clinics and providing transportation subsidies would alleviate some of the daily burdens these families face. The produce that fills American kitchens comes from the labor of migrant families, yet their children frequently sacrifice their own education for that work. Recognizing and addressing the educational challenges faced by these young people is a matter of fairness, ensuring that those who feed the nation are not left behind in the classroom.