BIG schools – do we need them?
What is considered an optimum size for a high school in this country? I went to Google and searched exactly that – optimum size for high schools – and although it’s hard to find absolute agreement, research indicates that schools of 3,000+ are not good for educating kids – of any age.
What is considered an optimum size for a high school in this country? I went to Google and searched exactly that – optimum size for high schools – and although it’s hard to find absolute agreement, research indicates that schools of 3,000+ are not good for educating kids – of any age.
You can have all the huge and gorgeous buildings you want, but huge schools are not good for kids. A high school’s overall job is to educate youngsters to graduate from grade 12 with a state-defined level of competency or proficiency, which can be found on the TEA website.
One ERIC article states this: “Using 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade data for the same students from the 1988 National Education Longitudinal Study, researchers examined achievement growth for schools with 100 to 2,800 students. Math achievement rises as school size increases to about 600 students, holds steady to about 900 students, and then diminishes. Overall, students gained more in high-socioeconomic status schools, regardless of school size. (MLH)”
These ideas are based on a 20-year old study, but basically students and teachers and counselors have not changed all that much. Technology definitely has, and administrators and school boards and their goals have definitely changed, too, but if one wants really good education for their kids, these humongous schools are not the answer, no matter how pretty they are!
Another main issue I have with this particular school bond, in addition to those already mentioned, is this: I don’t believe the superintendent and board are allowing for a sufficient number of new elementary and intermediate schools; Klein ISD is are not paying sufficient attention to the projected enrollments at ALL AGE LEVELS.
Have any of these folks taken a drive around the northern and northeastern parts of their district? North of FM2920? It's growing exponentially! Who do they think are moving into all these affordable, family-size houses?
You can read more about this entire issue from different angles at these websites – and be sure to read the comments, too!
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5696260.html
http://blogs.chron.com/schoolzone/2008/04/how_big_is_too_big_1.html
Have any of these folks taken a drive around the northern and northeastern parts of their district? North of FM2920? It's growing exponentially! Who do they think are moving into all these affordable, family-size houses?
You can read more about this entire issue from different angles at these websites – and be sure to read the comments, too!
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5696260.html
http://blogs.chron.com/schoolzone/2008/04/how_big_is_too_big_1.html
