School Size: Is Small Better?

This bulletin contains synopses of five works that consider the issue of school size from a variety of viewpoints. (1) "School Size' School Climate, and School Performance" (Kathleen Cotton) reviews the research evidence on school size, finding strong support for the advantages of small schools. (2) "Is Bigger Really Better?" (Kenneth Stevenson and Leonard Pellicer) examines a number of studies and concludes that neither small nor large schools have a decisive advantage. (3) "Taking Stock: The Movement to Create Mini-Schools, Schools-Within-Schools, and Separate Small Schools" (Mary Anne Raywid) discusses different ways that small schools can be nurtured within large buildings. (4) "The Big Benefits of Smallness" (Deborah W. Meier), drawing from the author's experience as a small-school pioneer, describes the many benefits of small schools. (5) "Smaller Is Better" (Veronica Anderson) tells how one elementary school in Chicago has transformed itself from a large school to a cluster of small schools in the same building. (RIB)