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After having read some of the articles referenced by Mr. Medlin, I stand by my earlier assertion that school size is not nearly as significant of a factor in influencing children to engage in anti-social behavior such as gang activity. I believe that more parent involvement and a stable and nurturing home environment are far more critical than building size. Don't get me wrong, I favor smaller schools, I just believe that the community in which they are located in has more influence upon the quality of its learning environment. If the citizens of Moscow want a better learning environment for their kids, then they should encourage more community involvement. Of course, I now live in Genesee, where the school system is wonderful.
The following is an excerpt from another study that appeared further down the same page that the study that Mr. Medlin quoted in his earlier post was located:
Given these uncertainties, Stevenson and Pellicer argue that we should be cautious about making broad policy decisions about school size. Until the evidence becomes clearer, we should continue to ask questions. What are the key indicators of school quality? Do certain categories of students do better in smaller schools or larger schools? How can large schools be made more personable and small schools more efficient?
The authors conclude that there is no optimum size for schools. "The real issue is what happens inside a school, not the number of students that are served by a school."
Travis Tonn