Evidence Based Consequences of Increased School Size

Birmingham News Article, Fighting disrupts new city school (click on link below) 

http://www.al.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1163499568255040.xml?birminghamnews?nmet&coll=2 

 

 

Citizens for Better Schools

“Structuring Schools for Success – Making the Vision Work for All Students

 

 

KEY FACTS:                                 Table I

 

Education Studies

Consequences & Impacts of Increased School Size

 

 

 

                                               

                       Academic Performance

 

Chube & Moe                                   Lower Academic Performance on SATs

Taminen & Miller                 Increased Dropout Risk

Oxley                                     Dropout Risk

Sorenson                               Difficulty in Monitoring Student Progress

Sorenson                               Students Tend to Take Courses Beneath

Their Ability

Tyson                                     Reduce Teacher Contact with Students

Loughrey                              Low Morale among Staff

 

 

Student Safety and School Environment

 

Goodlad                                Hampers Effective School Functioning

Gottfredson                         Negative Perception of a School’s Administration

Gotfredson                           Negative Perception of School Safety

Oxley                                     Disruptive School Environment

Plath                                       Rule Infractions

Tamminen & Miller             Weak Student Guidance

Garbarino                             Vandalism and Violence

 

                                                Student Participation and Engagement

                       

Larson                                   Difficulty with Making Friends

Coleman, et al                      Depersonalization

Wicker                                   Noninvolvement in Extracurricular Activities

Kleinert                                 Noninvolvement in Extracurricular Activities

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Note:  Excerpted and Supplemented from:  “Effects of School Size: A Bibliography,” by Dianna Oxley, Ph.D., Public Education Association of NY and Bank Street College

 

 

With this “evidenced based” education research, how might schools be bettered structured for student success and administrative effectiveness? How about:

 

Smaller, Safer, Saner, Successful Schools:

 

Research Shows Small Schools

Can Be Cost Effective and

Improve Learning:

 

For “minority students” smaller classes can shrink the achievement gap and lead to reduced grade retention, fewer disciplinary actions, less dropping out, and more college-entrance test taking.  There is no doubt that small classes can deliver lasting benefits, especially for low-income minority students

 

Here are highlights from several recent reports and studies on small schools: 

 

Small Schools Works:  School Size, Poverty and Student Achievement (Craig B. Hawley and Robert Bickel; Rural School and Community Trust – 2000)

www.aasa.org/publications/ln/02_00/02_21_00smallschools.htm

 

Small Schools, Big Results:  Nebraska High School Completion and Postsecondary Enrollment Rates by Size of School District (Patricia Funk and John Bailey); www.cfra.org/resources/small schools big results.htm

 

New Small Learning Communities:  Findings from Recent Literature

(Kathleen Cotton)   www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/nslc.pdf  (This report provides a comprehensive review of current research regarding small schools and discuss the elements found essential for small-school success.  When compared with large schools, smaller schools typically produce higher student achievement, reduce the negative effects of poverty on achievement, and provide greater safety and lower costs per student graduated. Small Schools: Great Strides, A Study of New York Small Schools in Chicago (Wasley, Holland, King, Mosak, and Powell; the Bank Street College of Education).  This report was based on a study of small schools (350 students or fewer) established between 1990 and 1970 in the Chicago area (mostly poor black and Hispanic) The report found students in these schools had lower dropout rates, completed more courses, made higher grades and showed improvement on standardized test scores; parents, teachers, students and community members alike were more satisfied with neither schools.  The report also provides a series of recommendations, including that state policy makers provide funds to downsize the largest high schools and provide incentives for school districts to create smaller schools. The authors note that not all small schools are successes, and they certainly are not the “sole solution to all that ails education.”  But the authors conclude that the small-school model, when properly implemented, can be the key ingredient in a comprehensive plan to improve school and student performance.

www.bankstreet.edu/html/news/releases/smschool.html

I don't have too many new things on my Web site besides my drawings, but my parents have lots of new stuff, including all of the pictures from our family vacation and from when Joe got the chicken pox.