California Mini-Corps Migrant Teacher Assistants

The California Mini-Corps office at Cal State Channel Islands is one of 23 Mini-Corps Program locations throughout the state. The California Mini-Corps Program started in 1967 as part of Title 1, P.L. 93-380, and is sponsored by the State Department of Education Office of Compensatory Education Migrant Section.

The Mini-Corps' program objectives are twofold:

• To provide direct categorical services to migrant children which match or exceed performance standards prescribed in the California Master Plan; and
  
• To increase the number of professional educators who are specially trained, experienced and committed to working with migrant children.

Mini-Corps participants are full-time, undergraduate students who are pursuing careers in education. Mini-Corps participants work as teacher assistants in public schools providing direct instructional services to migrant children. Mini-Corps participants work under the direction of certificated teachers and are supervised by a Mini-Corps College Coordinator. Participants are paid an hourly wage for their work in the program and also receive in-service training through educational workshops.

Those in the Mini-Corps Program strive to fulfill the following purposes:

• To provide direct and categorical services to migrant children while working in classrooms as aides or teacher assistants
• To develop a corps of bilingual teachers who are highly skilled and sensitive in teaching children of migrant farm workers
• To serve as role models for migrant children
• To help classroom teachers better understand the migrant child and his culture
• To provide a communication link between the migrant child, his parents and the school.

Click here for more information on how to join the Mini-Corps program.

For additional information about the Mini-Corps Program,
Sandra Cortes-Montecalvo
Phone: (805) 437-8823
Email: sandra.cortes@csuci.edu
Room 1711, Bell Tower Building,
Cal State Channel Islands