What Are the Effects of Changing Schools Mid-Year during a Divorce?

One all-too-common tactic used in Utah divorces is one parent taking the kids in the middle of the school year and moving them miles away to a new school. Essentially, they change schools in the middle of the year.

The thought is that the parent who moves the kids will have an upper hand in the divorce.

Quite often in Utah divorce, this tactic backfires.

Judges see this behavior as a power play to keep the kids away from the other parent, and as something that disrupts children’s lives.

Beyond Utah divorce tactics and what judges think, doing this to kids is not a good idea.

Taking kids from their schools and putting them in another one, especially during a turbulent time like divorce, tends to hurt kids, both scholastically and emotionally.

We’ve dealt with these types of moves many times, and we’ve compiled some research findings to help Utah divorce courts see how damaging changing schools can be on kids.

Here is a look at some of that research:

Summary of Research on Changing Schools

Study 1

Gasper, DeLuca, and Estacion, Switching Schools: Reconsidering the Relationship Between School Mobility and High School Dropout, Am Educ. Res. J. June 2012, at 14-15.

Like previous research, we find that just under 30% of high school students attend more than one high school, and the students who change schools are more likely to drop out. Consistent with other studies that examine the backgrounds of mobile students, we find that the students who are most likely to switch schools are also those students who are operating with a number of existing risk factors, such as behavioral problems, lower test scores, more school absences, a non­intact family, previous substance use, lower incomes and more residential mobility.”

“We found that the differences in dropout rates between switchers and stayers could be largely accounted for by family structure and previous behavior and academic performance.”

Study 2

Jeffrey Grigg, School Enrollment Changes and Student Achievement Growth: A Case Study in Educational Disruption and Continuity, Sociology of Education, http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0038040712441374, at 401.

This article expands the definition of student mobility to encompass all situations in which a student finds himself or herself in a new school. It finds not only that these experiences are more prevalent than most estimates of mobility would suggest but also that in all cases the changes in school enrollment were detrimental to the student’s achievement growth as measured by test scores. The change in MNPS enrollment policies as it achieved unitary status induced variation in compulsory school changes that allowed for a robust estimate of the effect of changing schools. Although the phenomena are not strictly uniform, the results were remarkably consistent in both reading and mathematics and across all types of mobility except expulsion, suggesting that school changes disrupt a child’s educational development at least in the short term. Disadvantaged students experience these disruptions more frequently during the course of their education, which may lead to an accumulating deficit.

Study 3

Burkam, Lee, and Dwyer, School Mobility in the Early Elementary Grades: Frequency and Impact From Nationally-Representative Data, Workshop on the Impact of Mobility and Change on the Lives of Young Children, Schools, and Neighborhoods, June 29-30, 2009, at 2–3, 4.

Although structural reasons for changing schools do occur, and are therefore important to attend to, it is equally important to consider reasons for school change that are related to the family. . . . School changes also may occur as a result of residential mobility due to a change in the family’s situation; this could include positive changes, such as a better job, a better residence, or moving to be near family (Crowley, 2003) or negative disruptions within the family, such as divorce, job loss, economic downturns, or death in the family (among others) (Crowley, 2003; Rumberger et al., 1999).

Taken together, the majority of the literature on school mobility suggests that school change has a negative influence on academic achievement, academic progress, and non-academic outcomes.

. . .

Discontinuity for mobile children. Whether a school change is strategic or reactive, when a child changes schools, he or she experiences what some researchers call an “ecological transition” (Mehana & Reynolds, 2004; Temple & Reynolds, 1999). This term, borrowed from Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory, has been defined as “changes in the settings, roles, or expectations of a developing person” (Temple & Reynolds, 1999). These changes create discontinuity in a child’s academic and social environment. Academically, a child is likely to experience a mismatch between his or her old and new schools in the curriculum (Rumberger et al., 1999), teachers, academic standards, and expectations for classroom behavior (Ingersoll, Scamman, & Echerling, 1989; Mehana & Reynolds, 2004). Some researchers have suggested that these changes might be particularly harmful during early schooling, as mobile children may miss exposure to critical conceptual knowledge that forms the foundation of later learning (Kerbow, 1996). In addition to discontinuity of educational experiences, school change can also disrupt important social networks with peers, teachers, and other adults. An emerging body of researchers have adopted Coleman’s notion of social capital when considering the implications of school mobility, suggesting that school moves diminish social capital by severing social relationships between children, parents, and their teachers (Gruman et al., 2008; Pribesh & Downey, 1999; South, Haney, & Bose, 2007).

Study 4

Schwartz, Stiefel, & Cordes, Moving Matters: The Causal Effect of Moving Schools on Student Performance, Institute for Education and Social Policy, Working Paper #01-15, March 2015, at 7.

Conversely, moves made in the middle of the school year are likely to have more deleterious effects than those made during the summer – that is, between school years – because such mid-year moves will be more disruptive to peer networks and the learning process, whereas summer moves allow a student to begin the school year with new classmates.

Call Brown Family Law

If you find yourself facing a divorce, please call 801.685.9999 for a legal in-person consultation, or use our online scheduling tool.

Protect Your Money And Your Family

We remove fear associated with divorce, protect your money & maximize time with your kids!

We're here to help. Let's determine your best options.

Call Us 24//7 at 801-685-9999 to Speak with a Live Representative

Utah Divorce FAQs
Top 100 Divorce Blog
What Clients Are Saying…
BrownLaw icon
Excellent
Brown Family Law
Based on 980 reviews
I would highly recommend Clay to anyone! He is absolutely amazing and keeps you updated and informed with everything going on with your case!
Paul is a first-class attorney who not only has the skill to stand up for justice and guide your case to a successful resolution, but also demonstrates genuine care for his clients. A truly unique presence in his field.
Clay Randle at Brown Family Law is a master of clarity in the midst of complexity.

I hired Clay to help me navigate a divorce involving contested marital and premarital properties spread across multiple states. The legal terrain was anything but simple. Valuation disputes, and emotionally charged negotiations. Clay handled it all with precision, professionalism, and a calm that made a difficult process feel manageable.

What stood out most was his ability to distill complicated legal issues into clear, actionable steps. He was responsive, strategic, and always one step ahead in anticipating challenges. I never felt lost in the process—Clay made sure I understood my options and the implications of every decision.

If you’re facing a divorce with significant property concerns —Clay is the kind of attorney who brings both legal rigor and human empathy. I’m grateful for his guidance and would recommend him without hesitation.
Dani was very knowledgeable. She answered all my questions in timely manner. Would highly recommend working with her!
Paul Waldron offers a competent and mindful approach to navigating family law. Thank you Paul for being an asset in our community that we can all depend on.
Clay really knows how to take care of his clients!
Clay is one of the most knowledgeable attorneys I’ve talked to. He has a great grasp of family law and is an amazing advocate.
I send all my family law clients to Clay. As a lawyer myself, I know how important good representation is. Clay honestly cares about his clients and is a very good strategist. He’s also really funny.
Clay is an amazing, compassionate, and talented lawyer. Highly recommend him and the firm.
David and Dani were very helpful and made my case as stress free as possible.
yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7

Categories