The configuration must foster a sense of community. The quality of instruction in a school is more important to student achievement than any grade configuration. The configuration must take into account the developmental characteristics of students. Housing all of one grade level in a building fosters consistency of curriculum and instruction and equalizes class size. Students with special needs will be affected adversely by too many building transitions.
Student achievement is enhanced by minimum building transitions.
In a two-grade level building half the students are new or leave each year. The selected school configuration should enhance school community communication. The middle school concept provides opportunities for students to experiment and participate in curricular and extra-curricular activities. The schools within a corporation must develop effective transitional activities between buildings. Interestingly, Becker also found that the elementary-school advantage declined as student socioeconomic status rose.