A lot, say those who have studied the issue. Some educators think smaller schools are a key step toward better schools. Education journals teem with compelling studies and statistics touting the benefits of smaller schools. Much of the applause comes from educators in districts across the U.S. that have experimented with smaller vs. bigger. Disadvantaged students, especially, fare much better in smaller schools.
Students are much less likely to drop out or encounter violence.
We're more likely to show kids in our daily discourse that grown-ups use reasoning and evidence to resolve issues. An Eagle analysis of Kansas schools published in October showed that good schools come in all sizes. Smaller schools were no more likely to have records of outstanding achievement than bigger schools. But those findings contrast with a recent report by the Northwest Regional Educational Lab. That report surveyed 15 years of research on the relationship between school size and school quality.