10 Reasons Why Small Schools Work

"In A Place Called Schools, John Godland (1984) concluded that the burden of proof is on large size. Data from a study he conducted demonstrated that the smallest schools were better at solving their problems, more intellectually oriented, and had more caring teachers and greater parent and student satisfaction."

Carol L. Myers, former Superintendent
Ohio Conference of Seventh-day Adventist

Lower Student - Teacher Ratio

In most small schools there is a lower student-teacher ratio. This allows for more individual attention and instruction.

Mitchell, J. (April 1991). "Two Grades Are Better Than One." Teacher Magazine, pg. 62-63.

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Academic Achievement

Comparing academic success on a national scale, more small school students attend college; standardized test scores are above the national average.

Meiser, D. (July 1995). "Small Schools, Big Results." The American School Board Journal, pg. 37-40.

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Spiritual Dimension

Seventh-day Adventist schools focus on preparing students for eternity. The low student-teacher ratio gives opportunity for the teacher to share Christ with the students on a more personal basis. From this experience and the advantage of flexible scheduling, the teacher can more easily lead the students into community service and outreach. Our children are the greatest resource of the Seventh-day Adventist church - they are the future.

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Accountability

In small schools there is more accountability by teachers to parents, supervisors, and most of all, students

Bradley, A. (May 19, 1993). "Advocates Seek to Make Small Schools the Rule, Not the Exception." Education Week.

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Family Atmosphere

In small schools there is a family atmosphere. In multi-age classes, students enjoy the differences and learn more. As the age span widens, the competition and the stress decreases; and the children are more accepting of others' abilities.

Meiser, D. (July 1995). "Small Schools, Big Results." The American School Board Journal, pg. 37-40.
Bradley, A. (May 19, 1993). "Advocates Seek to Make Small Schools the Rule, Not the Exception." Education Week.

Individualization

Small schools provide the opportunity for the teacher to know a student's work and the way he or she thinks. The teacher sees each child as an individual who may work at different developmental levels in various subjects.

Meiser, D. (July 1995). "Small Schools, Big Results." The American School Board Journal, pg. 37-40.
Mitchell, J. (April 1991). "Two Grades Are Better Than One." Teacher Magazine, pg. 62-63.

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Character Building

Character building is the primary concern of Adventist education. "Character building is the most important work ever entrusted to human beings."

White, E.G. Education, pg. 225

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Curriculum

Seventh-day Adventist small schools greatly benefit from a curriculum especially designed for multi-grade classrooms. The North American Division Office of Education has developed high quality, up-to-date curriculum materials for multi-grade classrooms. The curriculum of Seventh-day Adventist schools is designed so that the students are constantly confronted with Christ and the possibilities He has for each life.

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Social Skills and Attitudes

The wider the age span, the less competition there is and the more natural and realistic students are about themselves and others. Several studies have found that multi-grade classrooms improve personal and social development, improve attitudes toward school, and help students become more cooperative and less competitive.

Daniels, H. (April 1996). "The Best Patrice Project: Building Parent Partnerships in Chicago." Educational Leadership 53, 7: pp. 38-43.

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Parental Involvement

In small school many parents are involved in the education of their students. Everyone benefits when that happens. One tenet of the national school renewal movement is that parents should be more involved in their children's education, including making decisions about curriculum, volunteering to assist at school, and being members of the local school board. That happens more often in small schools.

Daniels, H. (April 1996). "The Best Patrice Project: Building Parent Partnerships in Chicago." Educational Leadership 53, 7: pp. 38-43.