Who Transfers and Where Do They Go? Identifying Risk Factors Across Student, School, and Neighborhood Characteristics

Bibliographic Data

ID9728845
AuthorsTakeshi Terada (Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA), J Jabbari (0000-0002-0196-4966, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA, corresponding author), Yung Chun (0000-0002-9248-8001, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA), Richard Hall (0000-0001-7666-889X, The Policy Research in Missouri Education (PRiME) Center, Saint Louis University), Ethan Greenstein (Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA), Margaret K Powers (0000-0001-7577-9950, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA), M Powers (Washington University in St. Louis), Somalis Chy (0000-0002-8503-6664, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA)
Year2025
Volume57
Issue6
Pages573-608
Publication date2025-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducation and Urban Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0013-1245 • E-ISSN: 1552-3535
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00131245251333062
OpenAlexW4410644757
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited13

Research demonstrates that student mobility, or students transferring schools, significantly affects student academic outcomes, making it a critical concern for policymakers and practitioners. Within-school-year transfers, in particular, often reflect sudden, unexpected circumstances. However, research on the prevalence, risk factors, and patterns of student mobility remains limited. This study leverages an ecological framework to identify student, school, and neighborhood characteristics linked to within-year school transfers and to examine whether these patterns differ across urban and suburban/rural contexts. Using regression modeling with Missouri state data spanning 15 years, we examined who moved and where students moved. The results reveal both expected and novel patterns, such as higher transfer rates among students with unstable housing and special education needs, as well as among students that attend high-suspension schools. These results have important implications for policy, practice, and future research

Academic achievement · At-risk students · Mathematics education · Homelessness and Social Issues · Psychology · School Choice and Performance · Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies