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Michael Hazeltine
Drexel University Student
Special Education Teacher - District of Columbia Public Schools

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Previous research in school mobility seems to be focused on students who are homeless or are in the general education population. While research will include students with disabilities as a population category, very little research, thus far, seems to focus on students with a disability, much less any one particular disability. While research would indicate that a student with a disability will be impacted negatively, their is little to no information on the extent of the impact, especially relative to the what the supposed benefits are.

Researchers on the effects of school mobility also continually suggest that future avenues of research should focus on the effectiveness of the implementation of administrative measures to reduce the negative effects of school mobility.

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Student impact

- Social/emotional impact
- Academic impact
- Behavioral impact
School-based Changes
- New school/classroom
- Culture/rules/expectations
- Teacher/classmates

·       Rapport

·       Relationships

School-based Strategies
- Prevention

- Student preparation

- Teacher/classroom preparation

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1. How do school transfers impact the progress of special needs students in a self-contained classroom versus special needs students in inclusion-based classrooms?

2. How do school transfers impact the progress of elementary students with specific learning disabilities?

3. Which disability categories are impacted the most by school transfers?

4. How does student preparation impact the outcomes of students with disabilities who transfer schools?

5. How does preparing the new classroom and teacher for a new student with disabilities impact the progress of students who transfer schools?

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Students with special needs face some of the greatest challenges in school and have some of the greatest need for stability. The goal of school administrators and teachers is to improve the outcomes of the students at their school. Thus, when it comes to transferring a student with disabilities to a new school, it is imperative for administrators and teachers to consider how to reduce anything that can have a negative impact on the students. Educators and school leaders do not fully know what impact school transfers have on students with special needs. Thus, educators must gather a more thorough understanding of those pieces of information.

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Students with special needs have large barriers to cross due to their unique academic, social, and behavioral needs.  These students are highly likely to perform significantly below same-aged peers in school. They face an achievement gap that only widens as they get older. Educators and school administrators are tasked to help these students succeed, typically by providing them an individualized program designed based on their needs. One aim of these individualized plans is to either reduce the impact of negative events or provide the students strategies to be successful in the face of these events. School transfers are one example of a school change that is typically detrimental or harmful to student progress. Students with special needs are most likely to be mobile. Being transferred to a new school could occur for a variety of reasons. But schools do not always consider the impact the transfer will have on the student’s progress and success nor on their emotional and social well-being, which all may impact one another. And it is vital that educators establish consistency and stability early on for students to ensure both long term and short-term success. With a lack of stability, at-risk students will continue to be at a substantial disadvantage relative to their general education peers. Schools, thus, need to be mindful of and weigh the impact when transferring students to a new and different school.

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Students may transfer to a new school after moving to a new home, due to bullying, or because another school can better fit their needs. Students with disabilities are most likely to transfer schools due to a change in program needs and may need a change in the location of their services to better fit their needs. This could be a change in classrooms within the school, or, if the particular school is unable to serve them, a change in the school itself. While the transfer may be for the overall benefit of the student, there are still negative effects that come with it. For instance, students with special needs have specialized programs that take time to learn and implement properly. And it is these considerations that must be accounted for by schools.

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For students to be successful in school, they require stability and consistency, as well as a social-emotional connection within their environment, among their peers, and with their teachers. When a student transfers to a new school, either as part of a traditional promotion that occurs in between school years, such as from elementary school to middle school, or as part of a nontraditional mid-year change, they lose the familiarity of structure, relationships, and culture.
With a widening achievement gap, school administrators must be aware of the impact school mobility has on student progress and achievement with either the goal to reduce school mobility and decrease the obstacles the most vulnerable and in-need student populations face or to at least prepare teachers and students in order to effectively integrate the new students into their next environment and enable the student to be successful with as little regression of their skills as possible.

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At-Risk Student - Student who has a high potential to drop out of school. This includes: students with a disability, students with behavioral issues, students who are homeless, etc.
Special Needs - unique needs due to a student who faces educational challenges (academic, behavioral, social) due to a disability
Student Mobility - A student transfer either in or out of a school.
Location of Services - School or classroom where special education services are provided, according to a student's IEP.