Sizing Things Up: What Parents, Teachers and Students Think About Large and Small High Schools

Publication Date: February 2002

Publisher: Public Agenda Foundation

Author(s): Kathleen Collins; Steve Farkas; Ann Duffett; Jean Johnson

Research Area: Education

Type: Report

Abstract:

Parents whose children attend small high schools were more likely to praise academics and say struggling students get help, while parents whose children were in large schools reported more students falling through the cracks. Teachers say that large schools are more likely to be overcrowded but also provide more academic options. Students report many problems, such as drug and alcohol abuse, carry across large and small schools. But school size is not a major concern for any of the groups, and teachers say small class sizes are more important.