Argues for the creation of smaller high schools based on several models. Describes how some districts established small schools. Predicts that more small schools will be created in the future. (PKP)

Schools and districts with large number of economically disadvantaged students are likely to have higher average test scores if both are smaller. Larger school sizes, up to a reasonable limit, improve average test scores in affluent communities. Achievement among larger schools in larger districts shows the strongest relationship with…

"Horace's Hope: What Works for the American High School," by Theodore R. Sizer, reflects on the changes that have taken place during the past decade of school reform. This excerpt touches on 4 of the 13 lessons he has learned from his work with reform-minded schools. (MLF)

Schools that would gain the most from technology face the greatest obstacles. A study of four large urban school districts (Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, and Cleveland) reveals common barriers: overwhelming size, deteriorating buildings, pervasive poverty and inequity, high teacher turnover, low expectations, insufficient staff development,…

Summarizes results of a national survey of the concerns and characteristics of school board members. Presents board members' concerns by school system size and compares these concerns with those of the general public. (JM)

An acclaimed former New York City principal says small school size is an absolute prerequisite for school reform. Smallness, to be effective, must be accompanied by control over budget, staffing, scheduling, and the specifics of curriculum and assessment. (MLF)

Four critical first steps to establish trust among school boards, schools, and the public are: (1) building a community-wide consensus about the essential purposes of schools; (2) agreeing on how to provide choices for minority viewpoints; (3) selecting key education leaders; and (4) providing these leaders with the freedom they need to do the…

Granby High School in Norfolk, Virginia, is a large comprehensive high school restructured into four smaller academies that allow students a more personal learning environment. Positive growth is shown in test scores, dropout rates, and the narrowing achievement gap between minority and majority students. (MLF)

Health professionals concerned about children's mental health say schools have become more stressful places and that many students cannot handle the pressure. Factors contributing to students' stress include high-stakes testing, fear of failure, parent pressure, and large impersonal schools. To combat the effects of a large school, Venice High…

The trend toward bigness and consolidation continues unabated, driven by political, economic, social, and demographic considerations, rather than extensive research attesting to small schools' educational benefits. School size influences social interaction and degree of student alienation. We need to reclaim the small school's sense of community,…

Studies show that deteriorating school facilities take their toll on students' and teachers' health and morale. Classrooms should be accessible to the outdoors; clustered around a commons; adaptable and flexible; and aesthetically pleasing. Architects say natural lighting and noise reduction are routine parts of their job. Research studies support…

Between 1968 and 1991, the number of middle schools in the United States quadrupled from about 2,000 to more than 8,500. A study in four states--Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia--suggests a connection between pursuit of the middle school concept, school closings, and diminished chances for the survival of rural communities. (MLF)

High school students no longer keep company with the grown-ups they are about to become. Schools and districts have grown exponentially larger, impersonal, and bureaucratic, resembling post offices. Superintendents and boards who know their schools only through media representations or statistics fashion unrealistic policies. Coercion and…

State takeovers, revolutions in school governance, and attacks on school boards are uncommon but not irrelevant. Summarizes comments from school board watchers about how boards must be reassessed if they are to meet challenges such as school system size, school choice, and board member qualifications. (MLF)

Methods that will improve student achievement include: start early; focus on reading and math; bring in trained tutors; invest in teachers; shrink the size of classes and schools; and increase the amount of time spent learning. Offers guidelines for evaluating initiatives for improving student achievement, discusses technology, and provides…