Let’s Stay Put is a collaborative project involving Dr Angela Hill and Andrea Lynch from James Cook University’s School of Education and the school communities of Weir State School, Kelso State School and Rasmussen State School. The project developed from previous research by Hill & Dawes (20041) that noted the links between school disengagement and high mobility.

Student mobility is a global issue. In Europe the mobikid project (running throughout 06/07) is working to understand the impact of geographic mobility on student achievement and to ease the transition process. In the United Kingdom the issue has been recognised through the Pupil Mobility project and in the United States of America many school districts as well as charitable foundations are working to address this concern.

Mobility: A definition

This project is primarily concerned with the impact for students and schools of “movements into and out of schools at times other than the usual ones for joining and leaving” (McAndrew & Power, 20032). Such movements are by “students making non-promotional 3school change” (Rumberger, 20034). In Queensland, this is movement after the February census date.

The project

Let’s Stay Put has been funded by a two year Telstra Foundation Community Development Fund grant. It is being conducted in two stages throughout 2006/07

During Stage 1 extensive quantitative and qualitative data were gathered. All exits and arrivals were detailed, students were surveyed in relation to their experiences of mobility, and school practices related to mobile students were explored via teacher interviews and documentation of administration procedures and protocols. Through this the researchers have been able develop a profile of mobile students in each of the schools and to map the trends in mobility in each school.  The Let’s Stay Put campaign was officially launched in a community event attended by over 400 school and community members at the Thuringowa Riverway complex.

In Stage 2, further data is being collected and interventions are being developed in consultation with the whole school community. Significant policy responses are being formulated with the active participation of all stakeholders.

Outcomes:
Even at this early stage there have been significant outcomes.

  • With the support of the Queensland Government’s Department of Education, Training and the Arts and the Community Renewal program co-ordinated by the Department of Housing, a two-year trial of dedicated support staff has begun.
  • Standardised enrolment and exit procedures have been implemented by each school
  • School staff have a high level of awareness of the needs of mobile students
  • Curriculum units have been developed to build a sense of belonging for staff and students

For further information please contact:

Andrea Lynch (Project Officer)                        Dr Angela Hill (Project Manager)
Tel: 61 (0)7 47815141                                    Tel: 61 (0)7 47816570
Andrea.Lynch@jcu.edu.au                        Angela.Hill@jcu.edu.au

Hill, A. & Dawes, G. (2004)

McAndrew, E., & Power, C. (2003). The role of the induction mentor: An evaluation. London: Department for Education and Skills.

Non-promotional change is a change that does not involve transition to a higher grade

Rumberger, R. K. (2003). The causes and consequences of student mobility. Journal of Negro Education, 72(1), 6 - 21.