Chapter 3: Small Schools

Research on school size points to several conclusions about the benefits of smaller schools. Smaller school size has been associated with higher achievement under certain conditions. Smaller schools promote substantially improved equity in achievement among all students, and smaller schools may be especially important for disadvantaged students. Many US schools are too large to serve students well, while smaller schools, especially in impoverished communities, are widely needed. The evidence favoring the benefits of small schools, however, cannot be generalized to so-called “Schools Within Schools,” which to date lack a substantial research base supporting the belief that they provide benefits equivalent to smaller schools.