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Creating Small Schools
A Handbook for Raising Equity and Achievement
- Dan French - Center for Collaborative Education
- Mary Atkinson - Center for Collaborative Education
- Leah Rugen - Center for Collaborative Education
July 2007 | 248 pages | Corwin
Bigger is not necessarily better when it comes to school size. Although comprehensive high schools are still the norm, many educators are turning to the idea of small schools (typically, high schools) as a way to personalize the educational experience for all students and raise achievement. Small high schools replace the incoherency a comprehensive high school's curriculum with rigorous course, small classes, and challenging college-prep coursework. and the small scale of these schools makes personalized relationships between faculty and students possible-key to keeping dropout rates low and expectations high. Small schools or small learning communities have many benefits for students, parents, and staff, and there has been much research and foundation interest in small schools. The Center for Collaborative Education (CCE) has worked on numerous small school projects throughout New England and has developed a national reputation. In this book the CCE have transformed their "New England Small Schools Network Planning Manual" into a hands-on resource that educators anywhere can use as a guide for planning a small school.
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
Part I. Creating Small Schools
1. Introduction: Key Components of Successful Small Schools
2. Launching Small Schools in a Community
3. Converting Large Schools to Small
4. Building Partnerships to Sustain Small Schools
Part II. Learning and Achievement in Each Small School
5. Teaching, Learning, and Assessment for High Achievement for All Learners
6. Restructuring the School for Personalization
7. Building a Culture of Adult Learning and Collaboration
8. The Practice of a Collaborative Culture
9. Conclusion
References
Index
"A terrific manual for small schools or conversion efforts. The authors provide tools and a logical road map and show how educators can lead groups and engage the community in the rebuilding effort."
"From methods of establishing new schools to instructing in a small school setting, school leaders receive specific tips tailored to not just creating the small school environment, but managing it more effectively."