Students on the Move: Residential and Educational Mobility in America's Schools

Abstract

Research on the effects of mobility on children's development and educational attainment has focused on change of residence, but paid little attention to change of schools. This study used data from the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) to examine the independent effects of residential and educational mobility for students who move to a new home but do not change schools (movers), change schools but do not move to a new home (changers), and both move and change schools concurrently (leavers). Using the longitudinal design of the NELS database, the authors assessed the timing and duration of the effects of both types of mobility on students' educational achievement and social outcomes in high school. They found that despite some negative short-term consequences, mobility early in high school (particularly a change of schools) can lead to important long-term educational benefits. No evidence of positive effects was found for either type of mobility late in high school