Binational Initiative

 

Binational Migrant Initiative

The Binational Migrant Education Initiative (BMEI) was developed to enable those migrant students from Mexico that arrive in the United States, to have access to the same free, appropriate public school education that is provided to other children. In an effort to promote educational continuity, participants in the BMEI meet annually for the purpose of improving the education of binational students. Departments of Education in the United States and Mexico continuously work to deepen and strengthen their working relationship with one another to enhance their efforts to improve primary, secondary, and postsecondary education in both countries.

Objectives

• Ensure that all binational students have continued access to Education in the U.S. and in Mexico.
• Advocate for and ensure that all binational students have equitable opportunities to learn and meet the high educational standards expected of all students.
• Provide educators with training, which will allow them to better serve the educational needs of binational students.
• Provide support to parents and families of binational students.

Components of the Binational Initiative

1. Information and Dissemination

The program designs, develops, and disseminates information to help educators support the unique needs of binational students.

2. Transfer Document: Elementary (1-6) Secondary (7-9)

The Binational Initiative promotes using the Transfer Document in Colorado and Mexico.  It is an agreed-upon international tracking document that allows the portability of credit and coursework in Mexico and the US.  The document provides the student with their grades so that they may enroll in school when they return to Mexico. Once the student's credits are accepted, the student is placed appropriately. Parents need to notify the school when they will leave for Mexico so that the school has ample time to complete the document. The student must also provide a transfer document when they return to the U.S. The Binational Program can retrieve students’ grades through a request for transcripts form developed by the Binational Program and accepted by the U.S. and Mexico’s Binational Initiative. For more information, please email quitter_k@cde.state.co.us. 

• Transfer Document – Elementary School (Primaria) (PDF)
• Transfer Document – Middle School (Secundaria) (PDF)

 

3. Teacher Exchange

The Binational Teacher Exchange is designed to provide a cultural and educational exchange to benefit binational migrant students in the U.S., as well as provide expertise to educators serving binational students. These direct experiences among exchange teachers result in a better understanding of the cultural, educational, and linguistic diversity of Mexico.

4. Culture and Education Resources

Since 1996, Mexico’s Secretary of Public Education (SEP) and the Secretary of Foreign Relations, through the Mexican Consulate, have provided Colorado with school resource books, also known as SEP books , as part of the Binational Initiative. These books are part of Mexico’s national curriculum for grades 1-6 and are a resource for binational students. To request SEP books, please fill out this online request form.