Excerpt: From Large to Small

With large numbers of students at risk of not meeting high school exit requirements, community leaders are searching for new ideas and opportunities. In response, an increasing number of large urban districts are seeking to personalize their high schools by creating small schools and breaking up larger schools into smaller learning communities. This "small is better" movement has been fueled by well-publicized research indicating that small high schools generally have higher achievement levels, higher graduation rates and lower dropout rates, and that they are safer than larger high schools. Most encouraging to urban leaders has been the finding that small schools make the most differences for low-income and minority youth.*

The move to smaller learning environments is also supported by a body of resiliency research on the personal and social assets young people need to make a successful transition into adulthood and on the features of environments that are likely to help them build those assets. Although less well-known to educators, the resiliency research points to a number of features of positive developmental settings--such as high expectations, supportive relationships, community membership, and opportunities for youth service and leadership--all of which are much more likely to be found in smaller learning environments.

* Howley, C.; Strange, M.; and Bickel, R. 2000. Research about School Size and School Performance in Impoverished Communities. ERIC Digest. Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools (ED 448 968).