Feb 1, 2008 7:08 am US/Central
In The Know: Bigger Is Not Always Better
(WCCO)
For the past 30 years the trend in
education has been toward mega-schools, but now the University of Minnesota
has found small schools might be better all around. Don
Shelby said, admit it. That's what you
always thought.
The
Humphrey Institute's Center for School Change has been quietly working behind
the scenes to measure the performance of giant schools versus small ones.
The
findings, quite simply put, say small schools are better overall. The report measures schools with more than
1,200 students with those of fewer than 750.
On safety
alone, it is clear, small schools are safer.
Illegal use of drugs, 45 percent in larger schools, and 5 percent in
smaller schools, but that's just a small part of the picture.
Where
their programs were implemented in Cincinnati,
smaller schools not only tightened the achievement gap between blacks and
whites, but eliminated the gap altogether.
Graduation rates soared. You
don't have to believe me. We've put a link to the study on WCCO.com at links and numbers.
As
educators wrestle with problems of closing schools and consolidating, the
report makes it clear. Bigger schools is not better education.
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