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School mobility and student achievement in an urban setting
Author(s) -
Heinlein Lisa Melman,
Shinn Marybeth
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
psychology in the schools
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1520-6807
pISSN - 0033-3085
DOI - 10.1002/1520-6807(200007)37:4<359::aid-pits6>3.0.co;2-1
Subject(s) - academic achievement , psychology , student achievement , achievement test , social mobility , school district , mathematics education , standardized test , developmental psychology , social science , sociology
Abstract Many studies show negative relationships between school or geographic mobility and school achievement. However, two longitudinal studies show no relationship between mobility and subsequent achievement when prior achievement is controlled. The present study replicates both findings among 764 sixth‐grade students in a mobile school district in New York City, with mobility defined by school changes, achievement assessed with standardized tests and age‐grade progress, and eligibility for free or reduced price lunches (an economic indicator) controlled. Total mobility was related to sixth‐grade achievement when earlier achievement was not controlled, but mobility after third grade was not related to sixth‐grade achievement when third‐grade achievement was controlled. Some authors suggest that a third variable, such as family background, accounts for both mobility and achievement. We provide evidence for a different explanation. Early mobility (prior to third grade) was a more potent predictor of sixth‐grade achievement than later mobility. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.