Joe Nathan and Karen Febey, Center for School Change, Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota
2001
Drawing on a host of existing studies along with some original research, Joe Nathan and Karen Febey of the University of Minnesota's Humphrey Institute offer up the latest hurrah for small schools. Their report summarizes the benefits of smaller learning environments - reportedly including higher achievement and graduation rates; fewer disciplinary problems; better teacher retention; and more satisfied students, parents and teachers. It also shows how schools that share facilities with other organizations - museums, libraries, centers for the elderly, and businesses - expand students' learning opportunities, offer higher quality services and use tax dollars more efficiently. Case studies of twenty-two public schools - including charter schools - in twelve states in urban, suburban and rural settings illustrate the benefits of thinking creatively about school structure and management. Skeptics say that building many small schools is more expensive than one larger school. Nathan and Febey contend, however, that innovative shared facilities are actually more cost-effective than traditional schools. You can find it at http://www.edfacilities.org/pubs/saneschools.pdf or request a copy from the Center For School Change, Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota, 301 19th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55455; phone 612-626-1834.
