Smaller Schools and Districts

Author: Seth Cox

  • Quotes

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    Seth Cox

    These three quotes need to be considered: Thomas Jefferson, Mahatma Gandhi, Ezra T. Benson

  • Consolidation Research in Seattle, Washington

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    Seth Cox

    Here is an interesting gathering of research on the results of consolidation that pertains directly to the need to divide districts that are too large: http://www.cppsofseattle.org/consolidationresearch.pdf The results show that: School consolidation does not save money. School consolidation does not increase academic achievement. School consolidation is detrimental to the social and economic well-being of the…

  • The Middle School Plunge

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    Seth Cox

    More research about The Middle School Plunge reveals: “Our results cast serious doubt on the wisdom of the middle-school experiment that has become such a prominent feature of American education.” “entering a middle school causes a sharp drop in student achievement relative to the performance of those remaining in K–8 schools” “After three years in a middle…

  • Students at Small High Schools Are More Likely to Graduate

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    Seth Cox

     A new study published in the New York Times shows the value of smaller schools – about 100 students per grade – in big city settings.  They found that these schools had a higher graduation rate.  “The higher graduation rate at small schools held across the board for all students, regardless of race, family income….”…

  • New York Leaps into the Middle School Trap : Education Next

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    Seth Cox

    New York Leaps into the Middle School Trap : Education Next “In the specific year when students move to a middle school (or to a junior high), their academic achievement, as measured by standardized tests, falls substantially in both math and English relative to that of their counterparts who continue to attend a K–8 elementary…

  • Developing Responsible Citizens

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    Seth Cox

    Peter Levine makes the case in this article that smaller schools will do a better job of helping develop more responsible youth. He says, “If we hope to create effective, committed, and responsible citizens, huge schools have several marked disadvantages.” He further says, “In a huge high school, there is little chance that any adult…

  • 7-12 Secondary schools instead of jr. highs

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    Seth Cox

    Jr. highs have proven to be the worst time of a student’s public school experience. That’s when kids are most likely to take a nose dive in either behavior or academics. Many people have just written it off to hormones! While that makes things harder, the configurations of middle schools and jr. highs play a…

  • Ropes and Rods

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    Seth Cox

    I’ve been considering how a rope compares to a rod. A rod is strong but not flexible at all. A rope is strong AND flexible, which makes it more versatile. A rope is made of many strands, each of which is made of many fibers. Together they provide strength along with a give and take…