Elementary School Children

One-sixth of the nation's third graders--more than half a million children--have attended at least three different schools since starting first grade. Unless policymakers focus more on the needs of children who are changing schools frequently--often poor, inner city, and with limited English skills--these children may continue to do poorly in math and reading and risk having to repeat grades. Local school districts typically provide little additional assistance to these children. The Education Department could help by developing strategies to provide all eligible children, including those who have switched schools frequently, access to federally funded Migrant Education and Chapter 1 services. Timely and comparable record systems are one way to help mobile children receive services. For example, a child's school records often take up to 6 weeks to arrive in a new school, and student records often differ from states and districts.

GAO found that: (1) 17 percent of third graders have attended at least three different schools since the beginning of first grade; (2) low-income, inner city, migrant, and limited English-proficient children are more likely to change schools frequently than other children and are more likely to continue to be low achievers in reading and math; (3) children who change schools frequently are more likely to have behavioral, nutritional, and health or hygiene problems; (4) mobile children of all income levels are more likely to repeat a grade or drop out of school than nonmobile children; (5) local school districts and teachers in general provide little additional help to assist mobile children; (6) formerly migrant children have average achievement rates, but they continue to receive services through the migrant education program; (7) migrant children who change schools frequently are less likely to receive Chapter 1 services than nonmobile children; (8) the Department of Education could help mobile children by ensuring that all eligible children have access to federally funded services; (9) school records systems that provide timely, complete, and comparable records could ensure that mobile children receive services and are placed appropriately in school; and (10) some states are piloting an electronic student record transfer system that could improve recordkeeping.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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