Why You Should Be Focusing on Student Mobility

The pandemic has changed many aspects of life as we know it, and for some, it’s inspired or forced an unexpected move or relocation. Since March 2020, mass migrations of individuals and families have occurred rapidly across the U.S. — with students learning remotely and adults working from home, moving to a new city or state has never been more convenient or viable. In fact, USPS data assessed by My Move shows that 15.9 million people made change-of-address requests since the start of the pandemic.

How does moving impact school-aged children?

Student mobility can offer the opportunity  for a fresh start.

Perhaps one of the parents got relocated for his or her job, or the student got a grade promotion. These may be considered positive, voluntary actions for moving. But a move can also occur as the result of an involuntary action. Being expelled from school or escaping instances of bullying, for example, may be the cause of student mobility.

Moving, regardless of the reason, can come with some consequences. According to EdWeek, even a normal, planned move can be a difficult transition for students and disrupt their ability to absorb educational material and act on their best behavior. In fact, some studies have found that student mobility leads to lower engagement, poor grades in math and a greater risk of dropping out during high school years.

Student mobility is happening in greater numbers than ever before, and supporting high mobility students should be at top of mind for district decision-makers. Some examples of how this can be achieved include:

• Transferring student records in a more efficient and streamlined way using secure software.
• Verifying that the requesting school/district is who they say they are and has permission to request student records to preserve student PII and comply with FERPA.
• Providing student records to parents or a new school district as quickly as possible.

Streamlining student records during district transfers

At Parchment, we understand that when students move from place to place and from one district to another, their personal student records should follow them as quickly and securely as possible. This allows their new schools and educators to be well equipped to support and teach based on their individual needs and contextual experiences.

Is it time to reevaluate how you’re managing K12 student transfers? Contact Parchment to learn more about how we can assist.

There’s always more to learn.