Small Schools Work and They're Cost Effective

New Report Finds Research on the relationships of school size, poverty, and student achievement has shown that small schools are better for kids-particularly kids from poorer communities. Now, a new report goes head-to-head with conventional wisdom about economies of scale, proving that smaller schools can be cost-effective, as well. Dollars and Sense: The Cost Effectiveness of Small Schools, released in September 2002, is a collaborative effort of the KnowledgeWorks Foundation, the Rural School and Community Trust, and Concordia, Inc. A team of nine researchers with expertise in education, architecture, and quantitative research challenge the common belief that big schools are cheaper to build and maintain than are small ones. Their conclusion: investing tax dollars in small schools makes good economic sense.

To order a free copy of Dollars and Sense, please send an e-mail to info@ruraledu.org and include your mailing address. You may also write to the Rural School and Community Trust to request a copy at 1825 K Street, NW,Suite 703, Washington, DC 20006. The publication is also available in PDF format. Click here.