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Small Schools Provide Better Education
As the mother of a four year old son getting ready to start school, I have been faced with the challenge of making sure I enroll him in a school that will give him the best quality education. Should he attend a small school here in Yamhill County or go to a larger school in Multnomah County?
America is rediscovering the small school and research is backing that small schools can provide a better quality education than a large school. Small schools provide many advantages to students, teachers and parents. Earlier this century small schools started consolidating to make larger ones and the trend continues to this day. However, decades of research has shown that student achievement in small schools is at least equal and often superior to the achievement in large schools (Cotton). The Chicago Public Schools has a website where a special section of the district’s web site makes its case for small schools. In part it says: “There is almost 40 years of existing research and literature on small schools which indicates that students in a small school have higher attendance and graduation rates, fewer drop-outs, equal to or better levels of academic achievement and fewer incidences of discipline and violence” (Kinnaman).
Small schools offer students many benefits that have a positive impact on their education. Smaller classes mean that students have a more personalized learning environment where they are known better by teachers. Students of minority populations have also benefited greatly from the smaller schools and more personalized education (Cotton). It is harder for students to fall through the cracks in education when all the teachers know the students well. Students in small schools have higher attendance rates and grade point averages. They are also more likely to graduate from high school and continue to higher education (Chicago Public Schools, Clowes).
Students feel a better sense of belonging and are more likely to participate in extra-curricular activities because of the smaller population. In small schools everyone is needed to fill the rosters of sports teams, offices and clubs so more students are encouraged to participate and made feel like they belong. This results in students having a better attitude towards school and being less likely to create discipline problems (Barker, Cotton).
Students are also safer in small schools, and incidents of violence and drug abuse are far less than in larger schools (Chicago Public Schools). Being known by all the teachers and peers in a school, students are less apt to feel isolated, which reduces fighting and violence. Students take more responsibility for their behavior and the behavior of their classmates and are less likely to be violent to one another because they know each other (Dunne).
Teachers in a small school benefit from the smaller numbers as well. The staff of a small school can support each other and have better and easier communication with each other. Smaller classes mean that teachers can have more opportunities to have an individual connection with each student and are better able to assess each student’s needs and address them accordingly. Students are more accountable to teachers when the teachers all know them by name and have fewer discipline problems (Chicago Public Schools). Teachers expect more from students when they know them better and care about what happens to them. Community members are more likely to view teachers as respected and valued citizens when they live and work in a small community (Barker).
Parents of students in a small school also benefit. They tend to know teachers by name and have a personal relationship with them regarding the education of the student. Small schools often make parents more comfortable with working closely with teachers to obtain the best education for their child. Teachers know how much parents need to be involved in their children’s education and strive to have them be involved (Chicago Public Schools).
Some larger schools have tried to obtain some of the benefits of a small school by launching school-within-a-school arrangements where the school is divided into two or more subunits or groups. For example, a high school of grades 9-12 could assign students into groups of a few hundred students that have similar needs and interests. Then these students can support each other and work together to form a bond similar to that of a small school. There are other variations of school-within-a-school programs and some research suggests that they have the potential to produce similar results associated with a small school. The challenge though is to be able to separate the groups enough so that they can create the benefits that small schools have to offer (Cotton).
Research has yet to discover what the optimum size of a school should be. During the past half century, the average school went from enrolling just over 100 students to some high schools enrolling well over 1000 and the numbers continue to rise. A study published in September 2002 by Knowledgworks Foundation, called Dollars and Sense-Effectiveness of Small Schools points out that a 500 student school with grades K-8 is not the same size as a school with 500 students in grades 3-4. The first is a “small” school with 56 students per grade and the second is a “large” school with 250 students per grade (Clowes).
Although the size of the school in unclear, most teachers and parents agree the size of the classroom greatly affects the quality of instruction and the achievement of the students. The trend of consolidating small schools into large schools is difficult to reverse because of factors other than student results. Decisions about school size are often driven political, economic, social and demographic factors. Research indicates that it would be well worth the effort to find a way for all schools to benefit from what small schools have to offer (Cotton).
My own experience in a small school in Yamhill County was great and I feel my son will grow and thrive the best in one here as well. I believe I have made the right decision by choosing to enroll my son in a small school. The research and statistics prove that smaller schools provide a more nurturing, safer and personal education.
Barker, Bruce O. “The Advantages of Small Schools.” Educational Resource Information Center (U.S. Department of Education 2006). Web July 1, 2009.
Clowes, George A. “Many Benefits to smaller schools.” Intellectual Ammunition. The Heartland Institute, February 1, 2003. Web July 1, 2009.
Cotton, Kathleen. “Affective and Social Benefits of Small-Scale Schooling.” ERIC Digest Dec. 1996. Web July 1, 2009.
Dunne, Diane Weaver. “Are Smaller Schools Better Schools?” Education World 2000. Web July 13, 2009.
Kinnaman, Daniel E. “Small Schools, Big Benefits.” District Administration Nov. 2007. Web July 1, 2009.
“Small Schools Get Results.” Chicago Public Schools 2003. Web July 2, 2009.
America is rediscovering the small school and research is backing that small schools can provide a better quality education than a large school. Small schools provide many advantages to students, teachers and parents. Earlier this century small schools started consolidating to make larger ones and the trend continues to this day. However, decades of research has shown that student achievement in small schools is at least equal and often superior to the achievement in large schools (Cotton). The Chicago Public Schools has a website where a special section of the district’s web site makes its case for small schools. In part it says: “There is almost 40 years of existing research and literature on small schools which indicates that students in a small school have higher attendance and graduation rates, fewer drop-outs, equal to or better levels of academic achievement and fewer incidences of discipline and violence” (Kinnaman).
Small schools offer students many benefits that have a positive impact on their education. Smaller classes mean that students have a more personalized learning environment where they are known better by teachers. Students of minority populations have also benefited greatly from the smaller schools and more personalized education (Cotton). It is harder for students to fall through the cracks in education when all the teachers know the students well. Students in small schools have higher attendance rates and grade point averages. They are also more likely to graduate from high school and continue to higher education (Chicago Public Schools, Clowes).
Students feel a better sense of belonging and are more likely to participate in extra-curricular activities because of the smaller population. In small schools everyone is needed to fill the rosters of sports teams, offices and clubs so more students are encouraged to participate and made feel like they belong. This results in students having a better attitude towards school and being less likely to create discipline problems (Barker, Cotton).
Students are also safer in small schools, and incidents of violence and drug abuse are far less than in larger schools (Chicago Public Schools). Being known by all the teachers and peers in a school, students are less apt to feel isolated, which reduces fighting and violence. Students take more responsibility for their behavior and the behavior of their classmates and are less likely to be violent to one another because they know each other (Dunne).
Teachers in a small school benefit from the smaller numbers as well. The staff of a small school can support each other and have better and easier communication with each other. Smaller classes mean that teachers can have more opportunities to have an individual connection with each student and are better able to assess each student’s needs and address them accordingly. Students are more accountable to teachers when the teachers all know them by name and have fewer discipline problems (Chicago Public Schools). Teachers expect more from students when they know them better and care about what happens to them. Community members are more likely to view teachers as respected and valued citizens when they live and work in a small community (Barker).
Parents of students in a small school also benefit. They tend to know teachers by name and have a personal relationship with them regarding the education of the student. Small schools often make parents more comfortable with working closely with teachers to obtain the best education for their child. Teachers know how much parents need to be involved in their children’s education and strive to have them be involved (Chicago Public Schools).
Some larger schools have tried to obtain some of the benefits of a small school by launching school-within-a-school arrangements where the school is divided into two or more subunits or groups. For example, a high school of grades 9-12 could assign students into groups of a few hundred students that have similar needs and interests. Then these students can support each other and work together to form a bond similar to that of a small school. There are other variations of school-within-a-school programs and some research suggests that they have the potential to produce similar results associated with a small school. The challenge though is to be able to separate the groups enough so that they can create the benefits that small schools have to offer (Cotton).
Research has yet to discover what the optimum size of a school should be. During the past half century, the average school went from enrolling just over 100 students to some high schools enrolling well over 1000 and the numbers continue to rise. A study published in September 2002 by Knowledgworks Foundation, called Dollars and Sense-Effectiveness of Small Schools points out that a 500 student school with grades K-8 is not the same size as a school with 500 students in grades 3-4. The first is a “small” school with 56 students per grade and the second is a “large” school with 250 students per grade (Clowes).
Although the size of the school in unclear, most teachers and parents agree the size of the classroom greatly affects the quality of instruction and the achievement of the students. The trend of consolidating small schools into large schools is difficult to reverse because of factors other than student results. Decisions about school size are often driven political, economic, social and demographic factors. Research indicates that it would be well worth the effort to find a way for all schools to benefit from what small schools have to offer (Cotton).
My own experience in a small school in Yamhill County was great and I feel my son will grow and thrive the best in one here as well. I believe I have made the right decision by choosing to enroll my son in a small school. The research and statistics prove that smaller schools provide a more nurturing, safer and personal education.
Works Cited
Barker, Bruce O. “The Advantages of Small Schools.” Educational Resource Information Center (U.S. Department of Education 2006). Web July 1, 2009.
Clowes, George A. “Many Benefits to smaller schools.” Intellectual Ammunition. The Heartland Institute, February 1, 2003. Web July 1, 2009.
Cotton, Kathleen. “Affective and Social Benefits of Small-Scale Schooling.” ERIC Digest Dec. 1996. Web July 1, 2009.
Dunne, Diane Weaver. “Are Smaller Schools Better Schools?” Education World 2000. Web July 13, 2009.
Kinnaman, Daniel E. “Small Schools, Big Benefits.” District Administration Nov. 2007. Web July 1, 2009.
“Small Schools Get Results.” Chicago Public Schools 2003. Web July 2, 2009.
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