Over the past forty years, research has shown small schools have higher academic achievement, higher levels of extracurricular participation and parent involvement, and fewer incidents of discipline and violence. According to Kathleen Cotton’s review of 31 studies on the relationship between small schools and academic achievement, students’ performance in small schools was equal to or better than students’ performance in their larger school counterparts. According to Cotton, “Students [in smaller schools] take more responsibility for their own learning; their learning activities are more individualized, experiential, and relevant to the outside world; classes are generally smaller, and scheduling is much more flexible.” The U.S. Department of Education cites important connections between small schools and teacher collegiality, personalized student-teacher relationships, and individualization, saying, “Small schools are more likely to create and sustain conditions conducive to improving student outcomes.” According to University of Oregon Education Professor, Karen Irmsher, “Small school size encourages teachers to innovate and students to participate, resulting in greater commitment from both groups.” Smaller learning environments also allow for flexible scheduling. Block Scheduling allows teachers more flexibility in their instructional activities, including: individualization and differentiation; inter-disciplinary, project-based learning; and a greater depth of study through authentic learning experiences in the real world.
