Search results for: Small schools

Page 1/1 5 items
1
A Review of Empirical Evidence About School Size Effects: A Policy Perspective
Authors: Leithwood Kenneth, Jantzi Doris
The review explored 57 post-1990 empirical studies of school size effects on a variety of student and organizational outcomes. The weight of evidence provided by this research clearly favors smaller schools. Students who traditionally struggle at school and students from disadvantaged social and economic backgrounds are the major benefactors of smaller schools. Furthermore, most contemporary studies have concluded that small schools are more efficient or cost-effective. Small secondary schools manage to graduate a significantly larger proportion of their students than do large secondary schools.
Published: 2009
Updated: May. 20, 2009
2
Contrasting Paths to Small-School Reform: Results of a 5-year Evaluation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s National High Schools Initiative
Authors: Shear Linda, Means Barbara, Mitchell Karen, House Ann, Gorges Torie, Joshi Aasha, Smerdon Becky, Shkolnik Jamie
This article summarizes the results of a 5-year national evaluation of the first stage of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s initiative. The article focuses on two contrasting strategies to small-school reform: starting new small high schools, and converting large schools into smaller learning communities. For each strategy, it reports on the progress of the reform in its first several years, student outcomes, and key implementation factors that shape progress and outcomes for start-up and conversion schools.
Published: 2008
Updated: Dec. 17, 2008
3
Small-School Reform Through the Lens of Complexity Theory: It’s “Good to Think With”
Authors: McQuillan Patrick J.
In light of the consistent underperformance of the comprehensive high school, districts across the country, mostly urban, have begun creating small schools, believing that they may offer a more personalized, supportive, and demanding learning environment.The article draws on fundamental features of complexity theory (e.g., initial conditions, distributed authority, control parameters, fractals, and synergy) as a way to assess both the problems and promise of small-school reform.
Published: 2008
Updated: Dec. 17, 2008
4
Assessing the Effects of Small School Size on Mathematics Achievement: A Propensity Score-Matching Approach
Authors: Wyse Adam E., Keesler Venessa, Schneider Barbara L.
Small schools have been promoted as an educational reform that is capable of improving student outcomes.This study investigates the potential effect of attending smaller schools on student mathematics achievement using propensity score matching techniques. This study suggests that creating smaller schools might not be the best mechanism to raise student achievement.
Published: 2008
Updated: Dec. 17, 2008
5
Small Schools, Large Districts: Small-School Reform and New York City’s Students
Authors: Iatarola Patrice, Schwartz Amy Ellen, Stiefel Leanna, Chellman Colin C.
High school reform is currently at the top of the education policy making agenda after years of stagnant achievement and persistent racial and income test score gaps.The authors describe whether small schools, as compared with larger schools, serve an easier-to-educate student body, receive more resources, use those resources differently, and have better outcomes. Further, the authors examine whether there have been changes in segregation and resource equity across the decade contemporaneous with small-school reform efforts.
Published: 2008
Updated: Dec. 17, 2008