The Data

An expanding body of evidence shows that high rates of school mobility are linked to negative outcomes in multiple spheres of a student’s life.  

<font size="7" color="#6495ED">What is student mobility?</font><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><br><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->Student mobility is defined as any time a student changes schools for reasons other than grade promotion. Student mobility can be:<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><ol><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li> Voluntary<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><ol style="list-style-type: circle; padding-bottom: 0;"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li style="margin-left:2em">An intentional decision to move</li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li style="margin-left:2em; padding-bottom: 0;">Example: to participate in a new program</li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></ol><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li>Involuntary<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><ol style="list-style-type: circle; padding-bottom: 0;"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li style="margin-left:2em">Expulsion </li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></ol><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li>Residential<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><ol style="list-style-type: circle; padding-bottom: 0;"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li style="margin-left:2em">A change in living situation that requires a student to change schools</li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li style="margin-left:2em; padding-bottom: 0;">Example: homelessness or change in a parent’s job</li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></ol><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></ol>
<font size="7" color="#6495ED">How does student mobility affect schools?</font><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><br><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><ol><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li> Teacher effectiveness – Students entering and leaving classrooms throughout the school year disrupts effective teaching.<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li>School culture & family engagement – Families and children may find it difficult to build relationships with their school community if they are changing environments repeatedly.<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li>School accountability ratings – High mobility rates affect student attendance, academic performance and graduation rates.<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></ol>
<font size="7" color="#6495ED">How does student mobility affect school districts?</font><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><br><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->District A has 80,000 students and a mobility rate of 18%.<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><ol><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li> 14,400 students change schools during the school year.<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li>Students miss an average of 6 days every time they change schools.<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li>Students miss 86,400 days due to mobility.<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></ol><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->District A loses approximately $3,456,000 in annual revenue just to student mobility.<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] -->(If Weighted Average Daily Attendance is $40.)
<font size="7" color="#6495ED">How does student mobility affect students?</font><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><br><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><ol><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li> Mobility disproportionately affects economically disadvantaged students</li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li>Studies show student mobility is associated with:<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><ol style="list-style-type: circle; padding-bottom: 0;"><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li style="margin-left:2em">lower school engagement </li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li style="margin-left:2em">poorer grades in reading and math </li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li style="margin-left:2em">higher risk of dropping out of high school </li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></ol><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --><li>Students generally lose 3 months of reading and math learning each time they switch schools.<!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></li><!-- [et_pb_line_break_holder] --></ol>