Student Mobility, Backfill, and Charter Schools

By Neil Campbell and Abby Quirk

Changing schools—especially midyear moves within the same community—is a challenge for students, families, and schools. Making new friends, connecting with new teachers, filling in gaps when curricula aren't perfectly aligned, and being assessed to receive necessary interventions and supports can all contribute to the challenges students face when switching schools. Traditional public school districts are required to enroll new students throughout the year, but many charter schools can opt not to backfill—or fill seats that become available midyear. Given the challenges that student mobility can pose for students and schools, it is important for policymakers to handle that mobility equitably across charter and traditional public schools, including through equitable backfill practices. This report analyzes school-level mobility data from Washington, D.C. to better understand and compare midyear exits from and entry into charter and traditional public schools in the city. Highlights from the analysis include that charter and district schools see similar exit rates after annual funding is determined and charters see lower exit rates overall, but entry or backfill rates are far lower in charter schools than in District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS).