Does residential mobility improve educational outcomes? Evidence from the Netherlands

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Education
• Urban Studies

Background:

• Residential mobility is a significant factor in urban environments.
• Understanding its effect on educational trajectories is crucial for policy and support.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the dynamic relationship between moving and school dropout.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal impact of residential mobility on student school dropout decisions.
• To analyze how the timing of residential moves influences the risk of early school leaving.
• To examine these effects across different educational levels and neighborhood qualities.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a large administrative dataset from a Dutch city with high internal residential mobility.
• Employed a matching design combined with multivariate regression analysis.
• Controlled for a comprehensive set of individual, family, educational, neighborhood, and housing characteristics, alongside school and year fixed effects.

Main Results:

• Residential mobility initially increases the probability of school dropout in the first few years post-move.
• The risk of early school leaving subsequently decreases after an initial period.
• A higher risk of dropout re-emerges approximately six years after the move, irrespective of education level or neighborhood change.

Conclusions:

• Residential mobility has a complex, time-varying effect on educational outcomes, specifically school dropout.
• The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions during critical periods following a residential move.
• The observed patterns persist across various student demographics and residential changes, underscoring the robustness of the effect.