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Monday, April 18, 2005
Big School, Small School
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My colleague Chris Reinolds reports that schools in some metro Atlanta districts are just plain huge. Cherokee County builds elementary schools for 1,200 kids, as does Gwinnett.
And when you add the trailers to house the overflow, school enrollments can exceed 1,500 in some elementary schools. In Gwinnett County, Jackson Elementary School has 1,691 students, Dacula Middle School has 2,927 and Collins Hill High School has 3,556.
I know of no evidence that larger schools lead to low test scores. Some of Gwinnett’s largest schools are also its highest scoring. And large schools are frugal. In Gwinnett, mega-schools are largely responsible for the district’s comparatively low per-pupil spending.
But many researchers, parents and teachers say they prefer smaller schools where students can get personal attention. I’m told a small school can help with that familiar boondoggle, discipline, and it can help teachers and other staff members pick up on students’ family and emotional problems.
Yet there are problems with small schools, too. They get less money. That makes it harder to afford music and art teachers and offer a variety of programs.
What’s the best way to go on school size?
