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,” carry more than backpacks. They carry the weight of instability, economic hardship, and an 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, different curricula, and lost records. 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 an additional challenge: 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, social isolation, and the constant fear of falling behind academically compound the stress.

While federal programs like the Migrant Education Program (MEP) aim to track and assist these students, outreach often falls short. Rural districts may lack the funding or staff to identify every migrant child, and families on the move can be difficult to contact. Without consistent advocates, children may miss out on tutoring, counseling, or after-school activities that could help bridge learning gaps.

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 not simply an act of charity; it is a matter of fairness, ensuring that those who feed the nation are not left behind in the classroom.