Introduction

Nearly 12 million children changed residence in 1999-2000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2001a). This phenomenon of "student mobility," although not a new concept, is gaining momentum as a contributing factor to the "academic achievement gaps" historically attributed to race, ethnicity, gender, and social/economic status. Student mobility, especially when combined with other contributing factors, can have detrimental effects on student achievement, schools, school districts, teachers, and other students. This policy paper focuses on the issue of student mobility in rural areas and its impact on academic achievement and school districts. It also highlights ways that communities, schools, district representatives, and parents can work together to prevent high rates of student mobility and/or lessen its negative effects.

Little research exists about the specific issue of rural student mobility, while much information is available about transient students, both generally and in urban settings. Correlations between characteristics that are typical of rural communities, the current state of rural schools, and student mobility suggest that student mobility is a substantial issue in rural areas and an issue that needs to be addressed by state and local education agencies.

Based upon interviews conducted with rural school districts and rural school association staff members in the NCREL region, there are varying degrees of awareness about the prevalence of factors contributing to student mobility and the rate at which it occurs in their districts. Most respondents could speculate that it is likely there are families in their districts who are residentially mobile and/or living in unaffordable or substandard housing, but many do not track student mobility rates.

The timeliness of this issue is even more apparent with the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act, which reauthorizes the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act's Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY). The overall mission of the No Child Left Behind Act is to ensure that every child in the United States is successful in school, and to close the achievement gap between highly mobile students and their nonmobile peers. To comply with the Act, states and districts must recognize student mobility as a barrier to success; understand how it impacts academic achievement; and understand its implications for schools, districts, teachers, transient students, and classmates. In addition, schools and districts must step up accountability for student achievement and learn ways to address the issue of student mobility.

---