Students transferring from one school to another often need assistance in adjusting to a new environment, and districts have pursued various ways to provide additional support to transferring students and to the schools that receive them.

Using a receiving schools coordinator. To help students transferring to various schools via public school choice and other choice options, districts might consider employing a receiving schools coordinator whose responsibilities could include meeting regularly with individual transfer students to discuss their progress, and organizing or facilitating meetings of these students and their parents to discuss issues or concerns in making the transition to a new school.

Receiving schools coordinators could also survey receiving schools as to how they help transfer students acclimate to their new school environment, and could make recommendations to the schools or provide additional support or assistance as needed.

Using mentors. Districts might also consider working directly with individual transfer schools to assign mentors to students new to the school as a result of public school choice and other choice options. Mentors could provide individualized assistance, including academic assistance as necessary. Mentoring roles could be performed by classroom teachers, support staff, or others at the school.