Parent Resources—Articles

Large vs. Small - Research on School Size and Its Impact
by Randy Willison, Ed.D.

Key Points:

Achievement
50% of research shows no difference between large and small schools, while the other 50% of research indicates small schools have superior achievement

Climate
Myth that because large schools offer more opportunities for involvement, students are more involved. Research shows that in a small school an individual student's participation in activities is far more critical to the success of the club, sport, team, etc.; therefore, the student is less likely to be overlooked or isolated.

Parents are more likely to know the principal, teachers and staff and are typically better informed and involved in the life of the school.

The learning needs of the students drive the school operations as opposed to the organizational needs of the school.

Curriculum
While larger schools have a wider course offering, the extra courses are not in the core curriculum; rather they are usually introductory courses in non-core areas. Typically only 5-12 percent of students take advantage of these elective courses. Students in small schools still have access to the core curriculum and quality elective courses.

Social Behavior
Smaller is better! Difficulties lie in maintaining an orderly learning environment in large school settings. Various student behaviors ranging from truancy to gang participation have been examined all with the same conclusion - smaller schools have less negative social behaviors and better attendance records.

Graduation Rates
Studies show that small school's graduation rates surpass those of larger schools. Research also shows that graduates from small schools have the same or higher rates of success in college attendance and completion rates as graduates from large high schools.