The Causes and Consequences of Student Mobility

This article examines the causes and consequences of student mobility—students making nonpromotional school changes—across the United States, highlighting how mobility negatively impacts both the students who move and the schools they attend. Drawing on national data and various research studies, it explores the prevalence of student mobility, particularly among low-income and minority students, and its detrimental effects on academic achievement, social adjustment, and school performance.

Frequent school changes are associated with lower test scores, higher dropout rates, and increased behavior problems. Notably, mobility often results from residential moves, but also from school policies related to overcrowding, disciplinary practices, and school choice. Moreover, the negative impact of mobility tends to be more severe for students who change schools reactively due to adverse circumstances rather than strategically to improve their educational opportunities.

Recommendations include improving school quality, enhancing support for incoming students, reducing unnecessary school transfers, and implementing policies to better track and support mobile students. Emphasizing the importance of schools, families, and policymakers working together to mitigate the harmful effects of student mobility and promote greater stability and academic success for all students.

This article was originally published in The Journal of Negro Education by Howard University and Journal Storage (JSTOR)