Small rural schools in many countries have historically been viewed as less desirable than their larger urban counterparts, being treated less favourably in the policy arena and facing a risk of closure or amalgamation. Within Europe, they have been the focus of a range of research studies and have been defined in different ways, based mostly on…

This systematic quantitative literature review explores existent empirical studies with an interest in multiage education in small school settings, with a specific focus on curriculum and pedagogy. Database searches were methodically conducted across six data bases. The inclusion criteria specified the need for empirical research, and publication…

In this literature review, the authors examined three key areas that were chosen as relevant to the challenges faced by small rural schools, and collaborative practice between schools working in virtual learning environments in New Zealand. The first area was rural education, where definitions of rurality and the demographics and characteristics…

This review aims to demonstrate that a great deal of a school's success depends on which areas of school life the educational leader chooses to spend time and attention on. It calls for more research and policy attention to be given to the career paths of school principals in order to meet the challenge of identifying and developing the next…

This monograph reviews literature on school and class size for its relevance to the concerns of CREATE [Consortium for Research on Educational Access, Transitions and Equity]. It estimates the numbers of small schools and numbers of children learning in small schools worldwide. It assesses the implications of school size, large and small, for…

The factors of people, technology, structure, and task provide a sociotechnical model for understanding the essential elements of schools as organizations. Schools can be understood as cultures and managed as such. Effective schools focus on a task-oriented organizational culture that meaningfully involves all participants in the key elements of…

Cites evidence that students in small high schools participate in cocurricular activities more and are less alienated than students in large schools. (JM)

Reviews published research on the study of school size in Georgia. The main issues treated include the large school or the small school question, the cost of school operations, program quality, school achievement, and program scope. (13 references) (MLF)

Considerable attention has been given to organizational effectiveness of public sector organizations at all levels: local, state, and federal. Public education has not escaped scrutiny. Current examinations of the effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of education are more intense than that of other public sector organizations. The organizational…

A growing body of evidence points to the size of schools as a significant determining factor in academic achievement. Large schools are often far less successful at educating students than small schools. This paper shall first examine the data which support this claim and the reasons why small schools might work better. Finally, our conclusions…

Economic restructuring, low wages, unemployment, outmigration, and high poverty rates affect rural and small-town schools, which enroll nearly 40 percent of the school-age population. Increasing proportions of rural school enrollments are children at risk and in need of special programs. (SK)

Data on costs of 48 secondary schools in one district in Great Britain are analyzed. The findings give some support to the hypothesis that per pupil costs are lower in larger schools, but the pattern is not consistent. Other consequences of size may be more important than cost. (Author/IS)

For the most part, education in the United States started out small, but the 20th century brought significant changes. The Industrial Revolution and immigration swelled American cities at the beginning of the century, and urban schools grew along with them. In the 1950s and 1960s, many communities, educators, and politicians focused on…

Dunne (1978) suggested three major tasks of the 1980s which confront those concerned with rural issues: (1) basic research on small school problems, practices, and unique features; (2) curriculum and program development which builds on these features; and (3) elaboration and implementation of models for funding and regulating small schools.…

Reviews findings on the effects of school size on student achievement and participation. Concludes that small size, in itself, does not lower academic achievement, and does enhance opportunities for students to participate in school activities and assume leadership roles. Contains 44 references. (SV)