Students who changed schools frequently were often from low- income families, the inner city, migrant families, or had limited English  proficiency. Characteristics of More Mobile and Less Mobile Students and Their Schools Differ

While nearly all students change schools at some point before reaching  high school, some students change schools with greater frequency (see  figure 1). Students who changed schools four or more times were disproportionately  poor, African American, and from families that did not own their home or  have a father present in the household. African-American students represented about 15 percent of students in  kindergarten through eighth grade who changed schools two times or less;  however, they represented about 23 percent of students who changed  schools four or more times. These  schools had larger percentages of at-risk eighth grade students compared  to schools where less than 10 percent of the students changed schools. Research Suggests Student Mobility Can Have a Negative Effect on Academic Achievement, but Its Effect on Social Adjustment is Unclear

A body of research suggests that student mobility has a negative effect on  students’ academic achievement, but research on its effect on their social  and emotional well-being is inconclusive. Specifically,  the body of research suggests that students who changed schools more  frequently tended to have lower scores on standardized reading and math  tests and to drop out of school at higher rates than their less mobile  peers. Schools with High Student Mobility Face Challenges in Meeting the Academic and Emotional Needs of All Students

Officials we interviewed in schools with high rates of student mobility said  they often face the dual challenge of meeting the needs of their students  who change schools at high rates and the needs of the entire student body,  which is comprised largely of low-income, disadvantaged students. Moreover, some teachers  and principals said that for a new student, there may be differences in  what and how instruction has been delivered to them from school to  school, and this can make it difficult for teachers to assess where students  are academically when they arrive and make decisions about proper  placement. A number of teachers and principals also told us that mobile students’  records are often not transferred to the new school in a timely way or at  all, and, as a result, this can make it difficult for school officials to  determine class placement, credit transfer, and the need for special  services, such as services related to special education and language  proficiency. Schools Use a Range of Federal Programs Already in Place to Meet the Needs of Mobile Students

Because the highly mobile schools we visited also had large percentages of  low-income, disadvantaged students and special populations already  targeted by federal programs, the schools met the needs of mobile  students using funding from programs already in place. In addition, some schools we visited used the McKinney-Vento Education  for Homeless Children and Youth Program (McKinney-Vento Program),  which is designed to meet the educational needs of homeless students. Some school officials told us that homeless students are often mobile. We did not evaluate the effectiveness of these federal  programs in meeting the needs of mobile students. We provided a draft copy of this report to the Department of Education for  review and comment. Our study was framed around four questions: (1) What are the  numbers and characteristics of students who change schools, and what  are the reasons students change schools? (2) What is known about the  effects of mobility on student outcomes including academic achievement,  behavior, and other outcomes? (3) What challenges does student mobility  present for schools in meeting the educational needs of students who  change schools? (4) What key federal programs are schools using to  address the needs of mobile students? To determine schools’ student mobility rates, we used  responses from the following question administered in the 2007 survey:  “About what percentage of students who are enrolled at the beginning of  the school year is still enrolled at the end of the school year?” Further,  using the NAEP data, we explored relationships between schools’ mobility  rates and the following school characteristics: (1) geographic location; (2)  measures of low-income students, such as receipt of Elementary and  Secondary Education Act of 1965’s (ESEA) Title I funding and  participation in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP); (3) students  in special education; (4) students with limited English proficiency; and (5)  students absent on an average day.
Why GAO Did This Study

Educational achievement of students can be negatively affected by their changing schools often. The recent economic downturn, with foreclosures and homelessness, may be increasing student mobility. To inform Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) reauthorization, GAO was asked: (1) What are the numbers and characteristics of students who change schools, and what are the reasons students change schools? (2) What is known about the effects of mobility on student outcomes, including academic achievement, behavior, and other outcomes? (3) What challenges does student mobility present for schools in meeting the educational needs of students who change schools? (4) What key federal programs are schools using to address the needs of mobile students? GAO analyzed federal survey data, interviewed U.S. Department of Education (Education) officials, conducted site visits at eight schools in six school districts, and reviewed federal laws and existing research.

What GAO Found

While nearly all students change schools at some point before reaching high school, some change schools with greater frequency. According to Education's national survey data, the students who change schools the most frequently (four or more times) represented about 13 percent of all kindergarten through eighth grade (K-8) students and they were disproportionately poor, African American, and from families that did not own their home. About 11.5 percent of schools also had high rates of mobility--more than 10 percent of K-8 students left by the end of the school year. These schools, in addition to serving a mobile population, had larger percentages of students who were low-income, received special education, and had limited English proficiency. Research suggests that mobility is one of several interrelated factors, such as socio-economic status and lack of parental education, which have a negative effect on academic achievement, but research about mobility's effect on students' social and emotional well-being is limited and inconclusive. With respect to academic achievement, students who change schools more frequently tend to have lower scores on standardized reading and math tests and drop out of school at higher rates than their less mobile peers. Schools face a range of challenges in meeting the academic, social, and emotional needs of students who change schools. Teachers we interviewed said that students who change schools often face challenges due to differences in what is taught and how it is taught. Students may arrive without records or with incomplete records, making it difficult for teachers to make placement decisions and identify special education needs. Also, teachers and principals told us that schools face challenges in supporting the needs of these students' families, the circumstances of which often underlie frequent school changes. Moreover, these schools face the dual challenge of educating a mobile student population, as well as a general student population, that is often largely low-income and disadvantaged. Schools use a range of federal programs already in place and targeted to at-risk students to meet the needs of students who change schools frequently. Teachers and principals told us that mobile students are often eligible for and benefit from federal programs for low-income, disadvantaged students, such as Title 1, Part A of ESEA which funds tutoring and after-school instruction. In addition, school officials we interviewed said they rely on the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program, which provides such things as clothing and school supplies to homeless students and requires schools to provide transportation for homeless students who lack permanent residence so they can avoid changing schools. GAO did not evaluate the effectiveness of these programs in meeting the needs of mobile students.

What GAO Recommends

GAO is not making recommendations in this report. Education had no comments on this report.