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When is an Elementary School
Too Big
Research has repeatedly found small schools to be superior to large
schools on most measures and equal to them on the rest. This holds
true for both elementary and secondary students of all ability levels
and in all kinds of settings.
Research indicates that an effective size for an elementary
school is in the range of 300-400 students and that 400-800 students
is appropriate for a secondary school (7-8).
- School Size,
School Climate, and Student Performance, May 1996,
by Kathleen Cotton, Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
- Rural
School Consolidation Report, Bard, Joe; Gardener,
Clark; Wieland; Regi, National Rural Education Association, University
of Oklahoma, Norman, Apr 2005. Reviews the history of and literature
on rural school consolidation, defines consolidation, and addresses
current research and issues related to consolidation with respect
to school size, economies of scale, and student achievement.
Includes 89 references. 21p.
- Dollars
and Sense II: Lessons from Good, Cost-Effective Small Schools,
Lawrence, B; Abramson, P.; Bergsagel, V.; Bingler, S.; Diamond,
B.; Greene, T.; Hill, B.; Howley, C.; Stephen, D.; Washor, E.,
KnowledgeWorks Foundation, Cincinnati, OH , 2005. Argues for
small schools in three ways. First, analysis of more than three
thousand construction projects shows that smaller schools are
no more expensive to build than much larger schools. Second,
analysis of the budgets of 25 good small schools throughout the
United States demonstrates that on average they spend less per
student on educational program, maintenance and operations than
the per-pupil expenditure in their districts, yet they achieve
results that are equal to or better than schools in the same
area. Third, these schools offer innovative and effective educational
programs, facilities, and strategies for cost effectiveness that
can serve as models to people interested in cost-effective good
small schools. Appendices contain contact information, budgets,
test scores, a strategies grid, a list of criteria for school
selection, and 30 references. The accompanying website www.goodsmallschools.org supplements the written report, and contains many documents from
the schools and links to additional resources. 66p.
- Small or Large? The debate over school size, Communicator, National
Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), November 2001,
by Peter Magnuson.
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