The High School Equivalency Program (HEP) helps migratory and seasonal farmworkers (or immediate family members of such workers) who are 16 years of age or older and not currently enrolled in school to obtain the equivalent of a high school diploma and, subsequently, to gain employment or begin postsecondary education or training.
Types of Projects
The purposes of HEP are to help migrant and seasonal farmworkers and members of their immediate family:
- obtain a general education diploma that meets the guidelines for high school equivalency (HSE) established by the State in which the HEP project is conducted; and
- gain upgraded employment, be placed in an institution of higher education (IHE) or other postsecondary education or training, or enter the military.
Eligibility and Recruitment
To successfully recruit eligible HEP/CAMP students, recruiters focus on key actions: informing, identifying, screening, and selecting. Creating a Recruitment Plan will provide strategic direction and an agreed upon focus for your program’s recruitment activities and goals. Providing good customer service is also critical to your efforts because referrals by former and current HEP/CAMP students serve among your most valuable recruitment tools.
Be strategic and thoughtful about recruiting efforts by establishing a documented recruitment plan. Elements to include in your program's plan include:
- the recruitment activities identified in your approved application
- a defined target population
- strategies to focus on the state's agriculture and farming industries
- an identified geographic area for your recruitment efforts
- an established timeline
- identified networks that are already established to tap into, and ways to utilize technology to expand your outreach efforts
Resources
Grant Management and Monitoring
Monitoring is an integral part of the Department of Education’s grant administration and oversight. The end goal of the Department’s monitoring is to promote the efficient and effective achievement of the program objectives. These objectives are in support the Department’s mission to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. OME conducts monitoring to:
- Examine the objectives and results achieved by a HEP or CAMP project, particularly progress against GPRA indicators
- Review implementation of a HEP or CAMP project with a focus on project quality and areas of improvements
- Determine project compliance with applicable statutes/regulations; and
- Examine the resolution of prior findings from monitoring reviews and audits.
Reports
HEP/CAMP Reports to Congress
Performance Reports
Legislation
Regulations
- Program Regulations are found at 34 CFR 206.
- Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) also apply.
Guidance
Applicant Information
Timeline
Application Closing Date and Time: June 12, 2026
Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time.
View the FY 2026 84.141A HEP Application Notice and Instructions
Instructions
Applicants are required to follow the 2025 Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234) and available at ED 2025 Common Instructions
- Watch FY 2026 HEP and CAMP Pre-Application Presentation
- View the slide deck for the FY 2026 HEP and CAMP Pre-Application Presentation
Call for Peer Reviewers
- Learn more about serving as a peer reviewer for the HEP and CAMP grant competitions.
New Directors’ Guide for the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP)
This guide is intended for new HEP and CAMP directors. It includes a compilation of the resources and information that will assist directors with the administration of HEP and CAMP projects. Please note that the Office of Migrant Education (OME) may release updated versions of this guide. To view the version history, please see the upper right corner of this document.
The information provided in this guide is intended for all grantees and does not address specific questions or unique circumstances. This guide does not provide any new interpretations of statutes, regulations, or guidance. It is provided purely for the purpose of technical assistance. As always, we encourage grantees to contact their program officer with questions specific to their program.
Mentoring Initiative (MI)
The purpose of the MI is to establish mentor-mentee relationships between experienced High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) directors and directors who are new to HEP and CAMP grant management.
New directors are directors who have been serving in their roles for three or fewer years. Mentors are seasoned directors who provide guidance and support to mentees. Mentors ensure that mentees have a strong understanding of federal program guidelines and performance objectives and coach mentees toward continued success.
The MI is funded and managed through the OME’s technical assistance (TA) contract. HEP and CAMP Subject Matter Experts coordinate this initiative. Participation is optional and voluntary but strongly recommended for new directors.
Mentors and mentees may submit requests for travel to each other’s institutions of higher education or non-profit organizations to learn more about each other’s programs. Travel is funded through the TA contract.
The National High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) Association
The Association is dedicated to ensuring that migrant and farmworker youths have access to earning GEDs and postsecondary education opportunities. The National HEP-CAMP Association Web Page provides general information about the HEP and CAMP programs as well as links to individual directors of HEP and CAMP programs across the country.
National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS)
The U.S. Department of Labor is the only national information source on the demographics and working and living conditions of U.S. farmworkers. Since the NAWS began surveying farmworkers in 1988, it has collected information from over 25,000 workers. The survey samples all crop farmworkers in three cycles each year in order to capture the seasonality of the work. The NAWS locates and samples workers at their work sites, avoiding the well-publicized undercount of this difficult-to-find population. During the initial contact, arrangements are made to interview the respondent at home or at another convenient location.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Survey (NASS), Census of Agriculture
The census of agriculture is a complete accounting of United States agricultural production. It is the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every county in the Nation. The census includes as a farm every place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold or normally would have been sold during the census year. The census of agriculture is taken every five years covering the years ending in “2”; and “7.”
2024: 14 grantees
| Grantee | Administration Location | Area(s) Served | Abstract |
| Boise State University | Boise, Idaho | Idaho | |
| Central Oregon Community College | Bend, Oregon | Oregon | |
| Central Valley Opportunity Center, Inc. | Winton, California | California | |
| Idaho State University | Pocatello, Idaho | Idaho | |
| Klamath Community College | Klamath Falls, Oregon | Oregon | |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing, Michigan | Michigan | |
| Opportunities Industrialization Center of Washington | Yakima, Washington | Washington | |
| SER Jobs for Progress | Fresno, California | California | |
| The Regents of the University of Colorado | Boulder, Colorado | Colorado | |
| The University of Texas El Paso | El Paso, Texas | New Mexico and Texas | |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, Texas | Texas | |
| Three Rivers Education Foundation, Inc. | Farmington, New Mexico | New Mexico | |
| Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, Inc. | San German, Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico | |
| West Hills Community College District | Coalinga, California | California |
2023: 4 grantees
| Grantee | Administration Location | Area(s) Served | Abstract |
| California State University Fullerton Auxiliary Services Corporation | Fullerton, California | California | |
| Pitt Community College | Winterville, North Carolina | North Carolina | |
| University Enterprises Corporation at California State University San Bernardino | San Bernardino, California | California | |
| Valdosta State University | Valdosta, Georgia | Florida and Georgia |
2022: 6 grantees
| Grantee | Administration Location | Area(s) Served | Abstract |
| Big Bend Community College | Moses Lake, Washington | Washington | |
| Community Council of Idaho, Inc. | Caldwell, Idaho | Idaho | |
| Kansas State University | Manhattan, Kansas | Colorado and Kansas | |
| Sonoma County Junior College District | Santa Rosa, California | California | |
| The University of New Mexico | Albuquerque, New Mexico | New Mexico | |
| Washington State University | Pullman, Washington | Washington |
2021: 14 grantees
| Grantee | Administration Location | Area(s) Served | Abstract |
| Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College | Tifton, Georgia | Georgia | |
| Cambridge Academies | Modesto, California | California | |
| Central Washington University | Ellensburg, Washington | Washington | |
| El Paso County Community College District | El Paso, Texas | Texas | |
| Fort Scott Community College | Fort Scott, Kansas | Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma | |
| Hartnell Community College District | Salinas, California | California | |
| Kentucky Community and Technical College System | Somerset, Kentucky | Kentucky | |
| Madison Area Technical College District | Madison, Wisconsin | Wisconsin | |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis, Oregon | Oregon | |
| SER Jobs for Progress, Inc. – San Joaquin Valley | Fresno, California | California | |
| Treasure Valley Community College | Ontario, Oregon | Oregon | |
| University Enterprises, Inc. – Sacramento State University | Sacramento, California | California | |
| University of North Georgia | Dahlonega, Georgia | Georgia | |
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh, North Carolina | North Carolina |
2020: 14 grantees
| Grantee | Administration Location | Aare(s) Served | Abstract |
| California State University, Bakersfield Auxiliary for Sponsored Programs Administration | Bakersfield, California | California | |
| Columbia Basin College | Pasco, Washington | Washington | |
| Heritage University | Toppenish, Washington | Washington | |
| Junior College District of Newton-McDonald Counties | Neosho, Missouri | Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma | |
| Louisiana Delta Community College | Monroe, Louisiana | Louisiana | |
| Mendocino-Lake Community College District, Inc. | Ukiah, California | California | |
| Miami Dade College | Homestead, Florida | Florida | |
| Northern New Mexico College | Espanola, New Mexico | New Mexico | |
| Portable Practical Educational Preparation, Inc. | Tucson, Arizona | Arizona | |
| Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon | Oregon | |
| San Diego County SER/Jobs for Progress, Inc. | Fresno, California | California | |
| Three Rivers Education Foundation | Farmington, New Mexico | New Mexico and Texas | |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe | Monroe, Louisiana | Louisiana | |
| West Hills Community College | Coalinga, California | California |
The High School Equivalency Program (HEP) helps migratory and seasonal farmworkers (or immediate family members of such workers) who are 16 years of age or older and not currently enrolled in school to obtain the equivalent of a high school diploma and, subsequently, to gain employment or begin postsecondary education or training.
Types of Projects
The purposes of HEP are to help migrant and seasonal farmworkers and members of their immediate family:
- obtain a general education diploma that meets the guidelines for high school equivalency (HSE) established by the State in which the HEP project is conducted; and
- gain upgraded employment, be placed in an institution of higher education (IHE) or other postsecondary education or training, or enter the military.
Eligibility and Recruitment
To successfully recruit eligible HEP/CAMP students, recruiters focus on key actions: informing, identifying, screening, and selecting. Creating a Recruitment Plan will provide strategic direction and an agreed upon focus for your program’s recruitment activities and goals. Providing good customer service is also critical to your efforts because referrals by former and current HEP/CAMP students serve among your most valuable recruitment tools.
Be strategic and thoughtful about recruiting efforts by establishing a documented recruitment plan. Elements to include in your program's plan include:
- the recruitment activities identified in your approved application
- a defined target population
- strategies to focus on the state's agriculture and farming industries
- an identified geographic area for your recruitment efforts
- an established timeline
- identified networks that are already established to tap into, and ways to utilize technology to expand your outreach efforts
Resources
Grant Management and Monitoring
Monitoring is an integral part of the Department of Education’s grant administration and oversight. The end goal of the Department’s monitoring is to promote the efficient and effective achievement of the program objectives. These objectives are in support the Department’s mission to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. OME conducts monitoring to:
- Examine the objectives and results achieved by a HEP or CAMP project, particularly progress against GPRA indicators
- Review implementation of a HEP or CAMP project with a focus on project quality and areas of improvements
- Determine project compliance with applicable statutes/regulations; and
- Examine the resolution of prior findings from monitoring reviews and audits.
Reports
HEP/CAMP Reports to Congress
Performance Reports
Legislation
Regulations
- Program Regulations are found at 34 CFR 206.
- Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) also apply.
Guidance
Applicant Information
Timeline
Application Closing Date and Time: June 12, 2026
Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time.
View the FY 2026 84.141A HEP Application Notice and Instructions
Instructions
Applicants are required to follow the 2025 Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on August 29, 2025 (90 FR 42234) and available at ED 2025 Common Instructions
- Watch FY 2026 HEP and CAMP Pre-Application Presentation
- View the slide deck for the FY 2026 HEP and CAMP Pre-Application Presentation
Call for Peer Reviewers
- Learn more about serving as a peer reviewer for the HEP and CAMP grant competitions.
New Directors’ Guide for the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP)
This guide is intended for new HEP and CAMP directors. It includes a compilation of the resources and information that will assist directors with the administration of HEP and CAMP projects. Please note that the Office of Migrant Education (OME) may release updated versions of this guide. To view the version history, please see the upper right corner of this document.
The information provided in this guide is intended for all grantees and does not address specific questions or unique circumstances. This guide does not provide any new interpretations of statutes, regulations, or guidance. It is provided purely for the purpose of technical assistance. As always, we encourage grantees to contact their program officer with questions specific to their program.
Mentoring Initiative (MI)
The purpose of the MI is to establish mentor-mentee relationships between experienced High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) directors and directors who are new to HEP and CAMP grant management.
New directors are directors who have been serving in their roles for three or fewer years. Mentors are seasoned directors who provide guidance and support to mentees. Mentors ensure that mentees have a strong understanding of federal program guidelines and performance objectives and coach mentees toward continued success.
The MI is funded and managed through the OME’s technical assistance (TA) contract. HEP and CAMP Subject Matter Experts coordinate this initiative. Participation is optional and voluntary but strongly recommended for new directors.
Mentors and mentees may submit requests for travel to each other’s institutions of higher education or non-profit organizations to learn more about each other’s programs. Travel is funded through the TA contract.
The National High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) Association
The Association is dedicated to ensuring that migrant and farmworker youths have access to earning GEDs and postsecondary education opportunities. The National HEP-CAMP Association Web Page provides general information about the HEP and CAMP programs as well as links to individual directors of HEP and CAMP programs across the country.
National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS)
The U.S. Department of Labor is the only national information source on the demographics and working and living conditions of U.S. farmworkers. Since the NAWS began surveying farmworkers in 1988, it has collected information from over 25,000 workers. The survey samples all crop farmworkers in three cycles each year in order to capture the seasonality of the work. The NAWS locates and samples workers at their work sites, avoiding the well-publicized undercount of this difficult-to-find population. During the initial contact, arrangements are made to interview the respondent at home or at another convenient location.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Survey (NASS), Census of Agriculture
The census of agriculture is a complete accounting of United States agricultural production. It is the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every county in the Nation. The census includes as a farm every place from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were produced and sold or normally would have been sold during the census year. The census of agriculture is taken every five years covering the years ending in “2”; and “7.”
2024: 14 grantees
| Grantee | Administration Location | Area(s) Served | Abstract |
| Boise State University | Boise, Idaho | Idaho | |
| Central Oregon Community College | Bend, Oregon | Oregon | |
| Central Valley Opportunity Center, Inc. | Winton, California | California | |
| Idaho State University | Pocatello, Idaho | Idaho | |
| Klamath Community College | Klamath Falls, Oregon | Oregon | |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing, Michigan | Michigan | |
| Opportunities Industrialization Center of Washington | Yakima, Washington | Washington | |
| SER Jobs for Progress | Fresno, California | California | |
| The Regents of the University of Colorado | Boulder, Colorado | Colorado | |
| The University of Texas El Paso | El Paso, Texas | New Mexico and Texas | |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, Texas | Texas | |
| Three Rivers Education Foundation, Inc. | Farmington, New Mexico | New Mexico | |
| Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico, Inc. | San German, Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico | |
| West Hills Community College District | Coalinga, California | California |
2023: 4 grantees
| Grantee | Administration Location | Area(s) Served | Abstract |
| California State University Fullerton Auxiliary Services Corporation | Fullerton, California | California | |
| Pitt Community College | Winterville, North Carolina | North Carolina | |
| University Enterprises Corporation at California State University San Bernardino | San Bernardino, California | California | |
| Valdosta State University | Valdosta, Georgia | Florida and Georgia |
2022: 6 grantees
| Grantee | Administration Location | Area(s) Served | Abstract |
| Big Bend Community College | Moses Lake, Washington | Washington | |
| Community Council of Idaho, Inc. | Caldwell, Idaho | Idaho | |
| Kansas State University | Manhattan, Kansas | Colorado and Kansas | |
| Sonoma County Junior College District | Santa Rosa, California | California | |
| The University of New Mexico | Albuquerque, New Mexico | New Mexico | |
| Washington State University | Pullman, Washington | Washington |
2021: 14 grantees
| Grantee | Administration Location | Area(s) Served | Abstract |
| Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College | Tifton, Georgia | Georgia | |
| Cambridge Academies | Modesto, California | California | |
| Central Washington University | Ellensburg, Washington | Washington | |
| El Paso County Community College District | El Paso, Texas | Texas | |
| Fort Scott Community College | Fort Scott, Kansas | Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma | |
| Hartnell Community College District | Salinas, California | California | |
| Kentucky Community and Technical College System | Somerset, Kentucky | Kentucky | |
| Madison Area Technical College District | Madison, Wisconsin | Wisconsin | |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis, Oregon | Oregon | |
| SER Jobs for Progress, Inc. – San Joaquin Valley | Fresno, California | California | |
| Treasure Valley Community College | Ontario, Oregon | Oregon | |
| University Enterprises, Inc. – Sacramento State University | Sacramento, California | California | |
| University of North Georgia | Dahlonega, Georgia | Georgia | |
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh, North Carolina | North Carolina |
2020: 14 grantees
| Grantee | Administration Location | Aare(s) Served | Abstract |
| California State University, Bakersfield Auxiliary for Sponsored Programs Administration | Bakersfield, California | California | |
| Columbia Basin College | Pasco, Washington | Washington | |
| Heritage University | Toppenish, Washington | Washington | |
| Junior College District of Newton-McDonald Counties | Neosho, Missouri | Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma | |
| Louisiana Delta Community College | Monroe, Louisiana | Louisiana | |
| Mendocino-Lake Community College District, Inc. | Ukiah, California | California | |
| Miami Dade College | Homestead, Florida | Florida | |
| Northern New Mexico College | Espanola, New Mexico | New Mexico | |
| Portable Practical Educational Preparation, Inc. | Tucson, Arizona | Arizona | |
| Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon | Oregon | |
| San Diego County SER/Jobs for Progress, Inc. | Fresno, California | California | |
| Three Rivers Education Foundation | Farmington, New Mexico | New Mexico and Texas | |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe | Monroe, Louisiana | Louisiana | |
| West Hills Community College | Coalinga, California | California |