Commissioned by the JA and Kathryn Albertson Foundation, this paper is part of the ROCI (Rural Opportunities Consortium of Idaho) initiative (Go to http://www.rociidaho.org/research-publications to see a fuller description of the Initiative). In this paper, Kissam profiles the rural Hispanic population in Idaho and uses state testing data to show serious disparities in educational outcomes for Hispanic students in rural communities. The analysis identifies affordable, practical "next steps" for local schools, and for state, and national policymakers.

An overview of the reasons why occupational health needs to be seen in the context of the overall transnational Mexico-US system for recruiting agricultural labor, not just as specific health problems which emerge within the physical boundaries of farms. The presentation gives particular attention to the psychological problems arising in the course of migration, sub-standard housing conditions and includes examples of gross disparities in pay and working conditions for farmworkers employed in citrus harvesting, asparagus cutting, blueberries and other crops. The conclusion is that sustainable agriculture and responsible food production will need to include attention to the interactions between financial, human, social, and cultural capital.

This presentation on program design issues for California "First Five" county commissions serving areas with concentrations of indigenous migrants provides a broad perspective on "thinking outside the box" in developing effective services for this population. The discussion includes discussion of 12 recommended "best practices" which service providers should incorporate into their planning and operations.

This presentation reviews finding from our 1999-2000 study for the U.S. Department of Labor of teenagers working in the fields, focusing on the experiences, migration histories, working conditions, and challenges faced by indigenous teenagers who have come to work in the U.S. as solo migrants. It includes discussion of implications for strategies to improve the lives of working youth and "best practices" that could be incorporated into youth-serving programs.

Worldwide, some 200 million global migrants have left their home villages to join the global migrant labor force (UNDP 2009). In the U.S., without access to opportunities to develop 21st century skills via lifelong learning, their earning power will not keep up with inflation; and life will become increasingly difficult as they age. This paper describes and proposes a model for developing migrants' skills as a resource both for their home countries and the countries in which they work and settle.

Presentation of findings from rapid strategic review of the Department of Labor's National Farmworker Jobs Program services. This includes a discussion of strategies to support lifelong learning, upward career mobility, and civic engagement.

Presentation describes the youth migrant agricultural workforce and what is known and not known about them; and suggests several themes for future research and possibilities for service support to transnational migrant youth (in Spanish)

Discussion of patterns of transnational youths' migration and implications for service design. The discussion includes concrete proposals for bi-national collaboration. (in Spanish)

This is a 30 module curriculum aimed at developing functional English language skills. The curriculum was developed and field-tested for California's Adult Education system as part the Latino Adult Education Services (LAES) initiative. Modules focus on literacy and numeracy embedded in real world activities such as leasing an apartment, dealing with unsafe working conditions, etc. The resource package includes topics for class discussion and an integrated assessment system.