This article appeared in Volume 3, No. 5 October 2002 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Rural Schools Participate in Youth Civic Engagement Initiative Rural Trust Announces Affiliate Campaign Rural Datebook GreaterNET Combats Missouri Teacher Shortage w/ Technology News Briefs 2002 Youth Directing Change Institute Leader Sees Growing Trend in Youth Civic Engagement First Person: Saying Goodbye to Lily School Grants Watch About Rural Roots Roots Archives

Dollars and Sense:
The Cost Effectiveness of Small Schools
By Barbara Kent Lawrence, Ed.D., et al.
KnowledgeWorks Foundation
Rural School and Community Trust, and Concordia, Inc.
September 2002

Research on the relationships of school size, poverty, and student achievement has shown that small schools are better for kids -- particularly children from poorer communities. Now, a new report goes head-to-head with conventional wisdom about economies of scale, demonstrating that smaller schools can be cost-effective as well. Dollars and Sense: The Cost Effectiveness of Small Schools is a collaborative effort of the KnowledgeWorks Foundation, the Rural School and Community Trust, and Concordia, Inc. It draws on the work of architects, researchers, and top school facilities experts to challenge the common belief that big schools are cheaper to build and maintain than are small ones. Their conclusion: investing tax dollars in small schools makes good economic sense.

Single copies of Dollars and Sense are available free of charge by writing the Rural School and Community Trust, 1530 Wilson Blvd., Suite 240, Arlington, VA 22209, or sending e-mail with complete mailing address to info@ruraledu.org.

All Over the Map: A Look at State Policy to Improve the American Public High School
By Monica Martinez and Judy Bray
Institute for Educational Leadership
June 2002

This report, recently issued by the National Alliance on the American High School, examines trends, policy assumptions, and tensions that key state education statutes and board requirements hold for high schools. The state policies considered are divided into three categories: policies specific to high schools; policies that detail opportunities to learn; and policies that are new and in rapid flux. A hard copy is available for free on written request by either fax (202) 822-8405 or by filling out an online order form at http://www.iel.org/pubs/order.html (shipping costs may apply).