The NCLB Choice Provisions and Effects of Mobility: A Review of the Literature and Research Designs

Abstract

This paper explore the choice provisions contained within the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Examining the literature around student mobility in the context of school choice, the paper discusses the possible expectations for student achievement growth. NCLB choice is intended to be compensatory, giving students in low performing schools the opportunity to move to a higher performing school. However, the examination of mobility literature shows that the negative influence of mobility on student achievement may outweigh a compensatory effect that could be achieved by NCLB choice.